Across almost a century of World Cup history, England supporters have never been asked to watch their team kick off after midnight — and, in most cases, not much before 8am either.
That long-standing pattern is about to be broken next week. Fans watching from home face a late-night vigil, with the Three Lions due to take on Mexico at the distinctly awkward UK time of 1am.
The fixture will be staged in Mexico City, where it kicks off at 6pm local time, and comes after England’s 2-1 win over the Democratic Republic of Congo.
For supporters in Britain, however, the time difference means many will not be heading to bed until around 3am — hardly ideal for anyone expected back at work only a few hours later.
For those unwilling or unable to follow England manager Thomas Tuchel’s tongue-in-cheek suggestion that parents give their children “the day off”, sleep specialists have offered guidance on how to handle the early-hours Monday match.
The good news, they say, is that the situation is unlikely to be disastrous, with experts stressing that a single late night is not enough to wreck your health or performance.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Kathryn Pinkham, founder of The Insomnia Clinic, said supporters planning to stay awake for the game need not become preoccupied with trying to “store up” extra sleep in advance.
She explained: “The biggest issue is often the worry about how you’ll cope the next day. That anxiety can make it harder to sleep after the final whistle than the late kick-off itself.”
Fans are seen gathered in Wembley yesterday evening to watch England play against DR Congo
Supporters in the stadium in Atlanta, Georgia celebrated the team’s 2-1 victory as the England players stood to face them
‘Once the match is over, give yourself 20–30 minutes to unwind before bed rather than expecting to fall asleep immediately after all the excitement.’
Ms Pinkham, whose day-to-day job includes helping patients overcome insomnia with ‘practical, evidence-based techniques’, said those going to work should get up at their usual time the following day – getting outside into daylight ‘as early as possible’.
‘Avoid the temptation to sleep in or take a long nap, as this can make it harder to sleep the following night,’ she added.
The comments come as bed retailer Dreams estimates Brits will have lost 120million hours of sleep in total by the end of the tournament, based on UK data from previous international football events.
Ms Pinkham concluded: ‘Focus on getting a good night’s sleep in the days leading up to the match and accept that one later night isn’t going to derail your health or performance.
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‘Most healthy adults can cope perfectly well with one night of shorter sleep. It’s the stress about being tired, rather than the tiredness itself, that often has the biggest impact.’
The study by Dreams estimated nearly one in four (23 per cent) of England supporters were prepared to sleep separately from their partner to avoid missing the matches played in the US, Mexico and Canada.
Almost a third (30 per cent) planned to abandon their normal bedtime routine – with some watching from sheds, garages and cars to avoid disturbing others at home.
England supporters celebrate their team’s winning goal yesterday evening scored by Harry Kane as they watch the match on the sands at The Watering Hole in Perranporth
Older couples were most likely to consider sleeping separately during the event, according to the research.
Just 13 per cent of 18-24-year-olds said they would consider doing it, but the figure rose to 31 per cent among both 35-44 and 45-54-year-olds, and 45 per cent among over-55s.
Meanwhile one in five (21 per cent) said household responsibilities were likely to be ignored on match nights.
Sleep expert Sammy Margo from Dreams also shared her thoughts on navigating late kick-offs.
One tip she offered was having the ‘sleep conversation’ ahead of the start of the match.
Ms Margo said: ‘Before the match starts, agree the game plan. Include who’s watching, where they’re watching, and whether it’s a bed, sofa or spare room night.
‘Sorting this before kick-off can help avoid any full-time tension, especially if one person needs uninterrupted sleep. And if someone is taking one for the team on the sofa or in the spare room, a mattress topper can help make the set-up feel much more comfortable.’
She also suggested creating a low-light match plan – as ‘bright overhead lighting at night can make it harder for the brain to wind down’.
On noise, she added: ‘Late-night commentary, sudden celebrations and loud reactions can easily wake the rest of the household. Headphones, subtitles and lower volume are simple ways to enjoy late-night matches without turning the bedroom into a stadium.’
Other suggestions included making the viewing set-up sleep-friendly and protecting the post-match wind-down – as ‘giving your brain time to switch off after the match can help fall asleep more easily’.
Fans of all countries face complex planning to see matches, given the logistics involved in attending a tournament spanning three countries.
It comes as supporters of the Three Lions are hoping their journey will finish in glory on July 19 by ending 60 years of hurt and winning the World Cup for the first time since 1966.
