Online Reporter
FIFA are likely to schedule World Cup matches involving major European football nations after midnight UK time next year in an effort to combat heat issues that affected the recent Club World Cup.
It had been anticipated World Cup kick-off times would mirror those at the Club World Cup, when the earliest games started at 5pm, followed by 8pm, 11pm and 2am.
However, while 5pm and 8pm would suit European broadcasters, the former would be a midday kick-off on the United States east coast and the latter a midday kick-off on the west coast.
Paris St-Germain manager Luis Enrique complained about his team having to play in near 40 degree heat in their Club World Cup opener against Atletico Madrid in Los Angeles, which started at 12pm local time.
Numerous coaches and players were affected by the heat and humidity, with Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez complaining of dizziness while playing.
Asked during his speech at the Leaders Conference in Twickenham for the major lessons learned from the Club World Cup, Victor Montagliani, who as president of the North and Central American Confederation Concacaf is in charge of the event, replied: “Kick-off times.”
With 48 teams at the World Cup, there are 11 consecutive days in the group phase that have four games, each played at different times, when 12pm kick-offs were expected to be commonplace.
While five of the 16 stadiums being used in the United States, Canada and Mexico either have roofs as standard or a sliding roof that can offer shade, it is impractical for all the early kick-offs to be scheduled in them.
When pressed to expand on his comments, Montagliani, who is also a vice-president of world governing body FIFA, said: “Kick-off times are always an issue in our region because summers are hot in Canada and US.
“We’re having conversations daily with European media and other world media, in terms of what’s best and which are the stadiums that you can play at 3pm. That’s all in the mix now.
“Once the actual schedule comes out after the draw, we will do our best to ensure it’s taken into consideration.
“Will it be that every game will be absolutely perfect from a kick-off time, from a TV perspective? I don’t know.”
Montagliani wouldn’t be drawn on the recent threat by US president Donald Trump to move some of the games away from cities he deemed to be “unsafe”.
However, he made it clear the move is not Trump’s to make as only FIFA have the power to shift matches.
“If I have to react every time a politician makes a statement, whether it’s a president, or senator, or congressman, or even in my country, or even in Mexico, then I wouldn’t be doing my job,” he said.
“The reality is we’re focused on the 16 venues.
“It’s FIFA’s tournament. They make the decisions. It’s their jurisdiction. With all due respect to current world leaders, football is bigger than them.”
Montagliani also raised the possibility of additional English teams being added to the next Club World Cup in 2029.
There was a cap of two teams per country put on this summer’s event, with eventual winners Chelsea and Manchester City representing England after both had won the Champions League in the previous four seasons.
The absence of Premier League champions Liverpool was particularly noteworthy, as was that of Barcelona, who won La Liga last season.
Montagliani appeared to indicate the next tournament could be expanded beyond 32 teams, which would raise the possibility of a third English team qualifying.
“You can’t just have people come in because they have a great history, right?” he said.
“You have them come in because they deserve to come in.
“I’m in favour of renewing it all, maybe in terms of expansion, but I don’t know what the next number would be. 48 I suppose. But is it feasible? How does it work? Who gets them?
“But the bigger one is the format right in terms of capping it at two from each country?” – BBC Sport.
