INTERACTIVE: World Cup 2026 to test Malaysian fans’ sleep schedules

By SHYAFIQ DZULKIFLI

PETALING JAYA: Although some World Cup group-stage matches will be aired live in Malaysia in the morning, local football fans will still have to stay up late to catch most of their favourite teams in action.

A significant number of high-profile matches featuring traditional powerhouses such as Spain, France, Germany, England, Portugal and the Netherlands are set to kick off during the early hours of the morning in Malaysia.

Of the 72 group-stage matches, 29 matches – or about 40% – will kick off between midnight and 5am Malaysian time. 

Sixteen of these late-night fixtures are among the most highly anticipated group matches featuring the major European and South American sides.

England, for example, will play two of its group matches at 4am on June 18 and June 24, and another at 5am on June 28. 

France and Germany are scheduled to play all their group-stage fixtures between midnight and 5am.

Portugal, Spain and the Netherlands will each see two of their three group matches fall within similar late-night or early-morning time slots.

Despite the inconvenient timing, many fans say they are still willing to adjust their routines to keep up with the tournament.

Germany fan Fadhli Harun, 34, said he is prepared to sacrifice sleep when necessary, particularly for decisive fixtures.

“If it is a must-win or tie-breaker match, I will sacrifice sleep. I might even take annual leave,” he said.

When asked about his strategy to stay up late, Fadhli said planning and short rest periods were key.

“You have to take an early nap, around 9pm. It’s like a power nap — it freshens you up for the game. Coffee and biscuits also help to stay awake during the match,” he said.

Fadhli said the World Cup’s four-year cycle makes the disruption worthwhile despite the next-day impact on productivity.

“It will affect me a bit, but it is the World Cup. It only happens once every four years, so we have to balance responsibilities,” he said.

He recalled Germany’s dramatic 2018 group-stage victory over Sweden as one of his most memorable late-night viewing experiences.

“The last-minute free-kick by Toni Kroos was unforgettable,” he said.

For Aminuddin A. Khalid, he plans to be more selective, focusing primarily on high-stakes matches and the knockout stage.

However, he said several teams remain must-watch regardless of timing, including Argentina, Portugal, Brazil and Japan.

“Portugal, Argentina, Brazil and Japan — these are teams I follow closely,” he said.

He added that proper planning is essential for balancing work and late-night viewing.

“This could affect productivity if there is no proper planning,” he said.

Aminuddin said he plans to adjust his sleep schedule by turning in earlier than usual during the tournament.

“I will consider sleeping earlier than usual. I will also set an alarm about five minutes before kick-off,” he said.

Technical safety engineer Azam Haikal said he is willing to sacrifice sleep when it comes to key matches, but will not go beyond that to adjust his work schedule.

He added that his viewing priority would be matches involving major teams, particularly Argentina.

He said he prefers watching at home, where he can rest if matches become less engaging.

“I will watch most games at home. If the match gets boring, I can go back to sleep,” he said.

Azam acknowledged that productivity may be affected, but said the tournament remains a priority for fans.

“For the love of the game,” he said.

Sundays will be the busiest match day for local viewers, with 14 fixtures scheduled, followed closely by Saturdays and Fridays, each featuring 12 matches.

In terms of kick-off times, the 3am slot will be the most common, accounting for 12 matches. 

This is followed by matches scheduled at 6am, 9am and 10am, with each time slot featuring eight games.