The games would not be held during the middle of the day, as was the case with many matches during the Club World Cup back in July, mainly because of the high temperatures expected in North America.
The World Cup draw was held, and even if Israel won’t be participating after failing to qualify, the most-watched sporting event worldwide will also have Israeli soccer fans watching almost every match on TV.
The games would not be held during the middle of the day, as was the case with many matches during the Club World Cup back in July, mainly because of the high temperatures expected in North America during the Summer, UK’s Sky News reported.
And with 104 games in total, most of them to be broadcast at night in Israel, it’s almost impossible to try to watch every last match. Ideally, West Coast games held in the afternoon might be the most interesting, given a higher chance of being held in “normal timeframes.”
Also, games played in Mexico might be more appealing if they are held at 4:00 p.m. (GMT-6), meaning they start in Israel at “only” 1 a.m. Finally, games on the East Coast will have little appeal due to timing, as the earliest they could begin would be 2 a.m., Israeli time, if reports are correct.
FIFA already announced that it will reveal the final official World Cup schedule on July 6 at 7:00 p.m. local time.
Best and worst games to watch from Israel
The inaugural game between Mexico and South Africa on June 11, to be played at the mythical Estadio Azteca, will likely be scheduled for a prime-time slot regardless of the weather. With Mexico City at the GMT-6 timezone, it’s a must-watch from Israel.
The next big game, played in a good location, is also the first big match of the tournament: Switzerland vs. the winner of UEFA Play-off A (which includes Italy, Northern Ireland, Bosnia, and Wales) on June 18. To be played at the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, it could be held as early as 11 p.m. for Israel.
The three games to be played by the US are held in the West Coast cities of Seattle and Inglewood, with its last group stage game on June 25 being really interesting as it will be against one of the UEFA Play-off C teams (Slovakia, Turkey, Romania, or Kosovo).
The game between the Netherlands and the UEFA Play-off B qualifier (Held between Ukraine, Poland, Sweden, and Albania) might be scheduled well, but it can’t be confirmed yet, as it will be held in Houston, Texas (GMT-6).
The same goes for Spain and Uruguay, as the giants will clash on June 26 at NRG Stadium in Houston, and the final scheduling will determine whether it’s a match worth watching.
England is set to face Croatia on June 17 at BMO Field in Toronto, Canada, in what seems to be the most interesting match in the northern giant. The two teams met in the 2018 FIFA World Cup semifinal and are set to meet again in their first group-stage match.
Current world champions Argentina and Lionel Messi will also be playing in Texas, with matches against Algeria, Austria, and Jordan set to attract many viewers regardless of when they are held.
Finally, Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal will play two games in Houston and one in Miami, with the first two more accessible from Israel, and the last game against Colombia might be too late for Israeli viewers.
Brazil will hold all its matches on the East Coast, making them difficult to watch from Israel. The same goes for arguably the most interesting match of the group stage: France vs. Norway, which will be played at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on June 26.
