Watch the DFB team games or the appearances of superstars Ronaldo, Mbappe or Messi? Anyone can do that! We show you the hidden pearls at absolutely inopportune times.
Crazy scenes could take place in Germany’s bedrooms in the coming weeks. Football World Cups are inherently a challenge for the television life balance, but the tournament in the USA, Canada and Mexico presents all fans of the rolling ball with completely new challenges.
The time difference and kick-off times at night are to blame. The mind is willing, but how does the body react? And, even more tricky: How do you (or woman) explain that your alarm clock suddenly goes off at 2:55 a.m.? Honey, I’m getting up. Haiti is about to play.
Football festivals are a must
The most important thing in such situations is forward planning and clever reasoning. You can sleep every day, but you may never see Cape Verde at a World Cup again. You just have to celebrate the football festivals, even when your eyes close. And for this very reason, here is an overview of the real delicacies of this preliminary round.
It should be noted at this point that this is of course not about marveling at Lionel Messi’s 200th international match, Brazil’s umpteenth listless performance or Cristiano Ronaldo’s farewell tour. Anyone can do that. We go where it hurts.
Pearl No. 1: Haiti – Scotland (Sunday, June 14th, 3 a.m.)
We start with a duel of opposites at the best after-pub time. On one side you will see a team with technical sophistication, rhythm in their blood and natural joy of life, on the other side you will see Haiti. A shallow gag that you can happily repeat again on Sunday morning at 3 a.m. It’s best to get in the mood for the Scottish-Caribbean fireworks display on Saturday evening at a location of your choice and then enjoy the game as a classic nightcap. With a bit of luck, the sun will even rise shortly after the final whistle. Honestly, what could be nicer?
Don’t sleep, Haiti is playing!
Pearl No. 2: Ivory Coast – Ecuador (Monday, June 15, 1 a.m.)
Yes, of course there are also games with sporting relevance in this list. A few hours after Germany’s opening win against Curacao, which was very clear despite the skepticism of World Cup oracle anteater Taio, the next two opponents of the DFB team play against each other in a direct duel. This is usually the case in a group of four, you will rightly say. Since both teams are among the dark horses of this tournament, staying awake is doubly worth it. You want to see who the Nagelsmann team might stumble against.
Elye Wahi would also be happy if you watched.
Pearl No. 3: Austria – Jordan (Wednesday, June 17th, 6 a.m.)
Anyone who has always wondered what the term “continental breakfast” actually means might now have the possible explanation. Imagine sitting at the breakfast table with fresh croissants and coffee while watching the continental football competitions. Doesn’t that sound fantastic? I don’t even wait for the answer, but rather announce straight away: on June 17th at 6 a.m. exactly that is possible. As an amusement, there is the duel between the bread-making nation of Austria and the hummus country of Jordan. Getting up early has never been nicer.
Stand up if you are Austrian.
Pearl No. 4: Uzbekistan – Colombia (Thursday, June 18, 4 a.m.)
There are certainly more worthy kick-off times for a real world champion than 4 a.m. For Fabio Cannavaro alone, a small sleep deficit should be worth it. What is the former captain of the Italian national team – at the time when the Italian national team was still taking part in World Cups – doing at Uzbekistan against Colombia, you ask? It’s quite simple: the former world-class central defender is now the national coach of the Uzbek national team and in this role was present at Uzbekistan’s World Cup premiere. You really don’t need any more reasons to courageously reach for your alarm clock.
Just look, don’t touch!
Pearl No. 5: New Zealand – Egypt (Monday, June 22, 3 a.m.)
What do the nephew of Werder Bremen legend Wynton Rufer, Instagram shooting star Tim Payne and the Egyptian King Mo Salah have in common? All three can be seen on television early Monday morning at 3 a.m. There is no better time to put the body battery that was charged over the weekend back into the reserve area right at the start of the week. That New Zealand is ranked 85th in the world. Being the worst team in the World Cup statistically only makes things better.
Tim Payne doesn’t just want to get started on Instagram.
Pearl No. 6: Colombia – Congo (Wednesday, June 24th, 4 a.m.)
The game between Colombia and Ko-ngo would be predestined for a hot duel in the knockout phase of this World Cup. The fact that the South Americans will meet the Central Africans on the second matchday of Group K should not dampen the anticipation. Since Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa is also exempting alcoholic beverages from the special consumption tax until the end of the tournament, you might even treat yourself to a pilsner to celebrate this urbane and price-cutting measure. No beer before 4 is perfect for kick-off time.
Open your eyes to Colombia.
Pearl No. 7: Türkiye – USA (Friday, June 26th, 4 a.m.)
Hosts who are thrown out of the tournament early are never particularly good for the mood in the host country and would therefore be kind of stupid in the case of the USA. Since there are a lot of third-placed teams in this World Cup making it to the round of 16 finals, you obviously have to be very stupid in order to fail in the preliminary round. But that’s exactly what could happen to the US boys against Turkey. Make America sad again? The Turkish team around superstar Arda Güler certainly wouldn’t mind.
Pearl No. 8: Cape Verde – Saudi Arabia (Saturday, June 27, 2 a.m.)
On the last weekend of the group stage there is a delicacy that very few people are likely to put on their World Cup menu. Reason for this: Anyone who is awake at 2 a.m. on Saturday morning and is interested in football will most likely choose the game between Spain and Uruguay that is taking place at the same time. The few others who are warming up to the eternally young and possibly completely irrelevant duel between the Cape Verde Islands and Saudi Arabia could become legends and have a party anecdote for eternity. I was there!
The blue Mauritius of this tournament is Cape Verde against Saudi Arabia.