Why World Cup games are starting late

Fans watching World Cup 2026 have noticed a new irritation, kickoffs are routinely delayed. The tournament, being held in the United States, has already featured water breaks that make matches feel like four quarters, and now it has a pattern of late starts, from the opening game, which began six minutes late after a long ceremony, to Canada vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina, which started about 2:22 late, and other matches such as Qatar vs. Switzerland, Iran vs. New Zealand, and Saudi Arabia vs. Uruguay, which were delayed by roughly five minutes.

The article links the problem to a more elaborate pregame ritual that includes players walking out to the center circle with the song Sirius, the Chicago Bulls theme associated with Michael Jordan, and having everyone stand for the anthems, not just the starters. FIFA also insists on synchronized movement with the music and adds handshakes and other formalities, which pushes the official start backward. FIFA president Gianni Infantino once said that putting everyone at midfield would create “a moment of unity, pride and emotion,” adding that “the game belongs to everyone, every fan and every player.”

In practice, the ceremonies have produced almost constant delays of between 2:15 and 2:45 minutes. The piece says the pattern resembles what is common in the NBA, where games often begin six minutes after the listed time, though in football the delay is smaller. A similar issue appeared at the recent Club World Cup, where the average match lasted 126 minutes from start to finish, compared with 115 minutes in the Premier League in the same period, partly because of six- to seven-minute stoppage additions in each half.

FIFA has already dropped one pilot, the individual player introductions, but is unlikely to abandon the midfield circle or all-player walkout. Possible fixes include changing the order of events, such as holding the coin toss after the anthems, or moving the ceremony earlier than kickoff. According to a BBC check, broadcasters receive a minute-by-minute schedule that makes it possible to measure the buildup precisely. Some of the delay may also come from teams not being ready and moving between dressing rooms. FIFA appears to treat the issue as a preparation problem, and any change will likely become clearer with the second round of the group stage, which starts in two days.