Why can't World Cup games kick off on time?

Fifa's expanded pre-match ceremonies may be partly responsible for the delays

Published 2 hours ago

Scotland supporters who had endured 28 years without seeing their team compete at a World Cup likely didn't mind an additional two-and-a-half-minute hold-up before their match against Haiti commenced.

And following a 1-0 victory - their first World Cup win since Italia '90 - the Tartan Army can take solace that patience is indeed rewarded.

However, the delay to the Group C fixture in Massachusetts extended a noticeable pattern of lateness at the 2026 tournament, as none of the first eight matches have started punctually.

In fact, those games have kicked off an average of three minutes after the scheduled time.

Thursday's opening match between Mexico and South Africa was the worst offender, starting six minutes late, while Saturday's contest between Qatar and Switzerland was almost five minutes behind.

The only fixtures that began within one minute of the official start time were Australia versus Turkey (40 seconds) and South Korea against the Czech Republic (51 seconds).

What is causing the late starts?

While a minute or two may not be hugely significant overall, it will be flagged as an area for improvement by Fifa, who meticulously plan every aspect of the pre-game build-up.

Each match has its own specific running order, provided to the media, detailing exact timings for when - among other elements - teams and match officials must gather in the tunnel, when they step onto the pitch, and when national anthems are performed.

This information assists broadcasters, especially those airing commercials, in avoiding missing key pre-match moments.

For instance, Haiti and Scotland were scheduled to take the field precisely eight minutes and 40 seconds before kick-off.

But at that point, the Haitian players were not fully prepared, with the match feed instead showing them being rushed along by a Fifa official.

By the time both sides eventually exited the tunnel, they were already 90 seconds behind schedule.

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Haiti and Scotland players entered the field nearly two minutes later than planned

The other fixtures that experienced significant delays also featured players coming onto the pitch late.

While the games involving co-hosts Mexico, Canada, and the USA were preceded by opening ceremonies, those had all finished well before kick-off and should not have caused issues.

But one factor that may have contributed to the problem is Fifa's decision to increase the spectacle immediately before matches start.

The entire squad, rather than just the starting lineup, now assembles in the centre circle for the anthems, with large flags displayed in each half.

World football's governing body believes the ceremony creates a "moment of unity, pride and emotion," but it is also more complicated to execute.

As teams, officials, and organisers become more accustomed to the routine, the process may become smoother - though it may also be that Fifa has slightly underestimated the time required.