The FIFA World Cup is being jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, whose time zones are worlds apart from India.
| Photo Credit: FILE PHOTO
A month of sleepless nights awaits the loyal fans of European football giants England and France, a fate shared in part by the followers of Latin American powerhouse Brazil. What makes it even harsher for fans of the Seleção is that supporters of their arch-rivals, defending champions Argentina, will scarcely lose any sleep at all.
In the lead-up to the- kick-off of the much-anticipated FIFA World Cup featuring 48 teams at the historic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, Mexico, on Thursday (June 11, 2026) midnight, a hot topic of discussion on social media was which team’s fans would be forced to watch their matches with bloodshot eyes thanks to the odd timings. The marquee event is being hosted jointly by the US, Mexico, and Canada, with a time zone worlds apart from India.
England fans are the worst affected, with their first two matches scheduled for 1:30 a.m. and the third even later at 2:30 a.m. French fans fare little better, with their first and third matches timed at 12:30 a.m. and the second at 2:30 a.m. Argentina fans, by contrast, have a relatively breezy schedule, with matches at 6:30 a.m., 10:30 p.m., and 7:30 a.m. respectively.
Fans of another favourite, Portugal, also enjoy relatively convenient timings, with two matches at 10:30 p.m. and one at 5 a.m. Brazil fans, however, will have to rely on alarms to wake up for two matches at 3:30 a.m., while the third is at a more manageable 6 a.m. German fans face two matches at 1:30 a.m., while Dutch fans must stay up for one at 1:30 a.m. Spain fans have it easier, with two matches at 9:30 p.m. and one at 5:30 a.m.
Beyond the odd timings, social media is abuzz with the usual World Cup banter and fandom. One fan posted a humorous open letter to his idol, Cristiano Ronaldo, and the Portugal team, urging them to lift the trophy as a reward for the loyalty of supporters who allegedly erected cut-outs using trees cut from others’ properties and money meant for electricity bills, school fees, and groceries. “A hat-trick in the semi-final and final, the Golden Ball and Golden Boot, and, of course, the World Cup,” was his simple demand of his idol.
A Facebook reel captured an animated World Cup discussion between two elderly fans, with one backing his all-time favourite team Italy to lift the trophy this time, oblivious to the fact that Italy has not even qualified. “When did you last watch a football game?” the other mocked before walking away from the debate.
On Thursday morning, football fans were in for a rude shock when the streaming platform carrying the World Cup limited access to a single device instead of the three originally promised under its subscription plan. “They restored it later, probably due to the huge public backlash. I was planning to approach the consumer court if access to multiple devices was not reinstated,” said K.V. Avinash, a fan.
Published – June 11, 2026 10:46 pm IST
