JEDDAH: Late-night and early-morning 2026 World Cup broadcasts are severely disrupting football fans’ routines and habits in Saudi Arabia, with matches from the US, Mexico and Canada airing as late as 1 a.m. to 5 a.m.
To cope with this, enthusiasts are adjusting their sleep schedules, taking naps, requesting flexible hours from employers and finding creative ways to stay awake to follow the world’s biggest sporting event.
For 40-year-old Waleed Al-Maddah, who works for an auto company, the World Cup is more than just a sporting event, it is a passion.
“Definitely, it is the biggest tournament in the world, and when it comes to my daily habits, things really change for this edition because of late and early matches,” he said.
“This year’s World Cup is really confusing and different. You sleep on a match and wake up with another match on. This year, I have completely changed my sleeping habits during the tournament. Sometimes, you wonder whether you sleep, or prepare for work, or watch a football match.”
