Scotland fans had waited 28 years for their team to play at a World Cup. They did not begrudge an extra two-and-a-half-minute delay before their Group C clash with Haiti in Massachusetts. After a 1-0 win – their first World Cup victory since Italia '90 – the Tartan Army might reflect that good things come to those who wait. But the delay continued a noticeable trend at the 2026 tournament: none of the first eight matches have kicked off on time.
Those fixtures have started an average of three minutes late. Thursday's opener between Mexico and South Africa was the biggest culprit, getting under way six minutes behind schedule. Saturday's match between Qatar and Switzerland was almost five minutes late. Only two games began within a minute of the official start time: Australia v Turkey (40 seconds) and South Korea v the Czech Republic (51 seconds).
“No first eight matches at 2026 World Cup have kicked off on time, with average delay of three minutes.”
The problem appears rooted in pre-match logistics. Each game has a dedicated running order, with exact timings for when teams enter the pitch, when anthems are sung. Haiti and Scotland were due to take the field eight minutes and 40 seconds before kick-off. But the Haitian players were not ready; the match feed showed them being hurried along by a Fifa official. By the time both sides left the tunnel, they were 90 seconds behind. Other delayed fixtures also featured players entering the pitch late.
While co-hosts Mexico, Canada and the USA held opening ceremonies before their games, those concluded well before kick-off. One factor, according to the BBC, is Fifa's decision to ramp up pageantry immediately before matches: the entire squad – not just the starting line-up – gathers in the centre circle for anthems, with enormous flags displayed in each half.
As the tournament continues, attention turns to Seattle, where Group G opens with Belgium against Egypt. Kevin de Bruyne and Mohamed Salah go head to head again in what promises to be a highlight of the group stage.