Scoopfeeds — Intelligent news, curated.
Why can't World Cup games kick off on time?
sports

Why can't World Cup games kick off on time?

BBC Sport · Jun 14, 2026, 3:11 PM · Also reported by 2 other sources

Key takeaways

  • Fifa's expanded pre-match ceremonies might be partially behind the delays
  • Scotland fans who had gone 28 years without seeing their team play at a World Cup probably didn't begrudge a further two-and-a-half-minute delay before their game against Haiti got under way.
  • And after celebrating a 1-0 win - their first World Cup victory since Italia '90 - the Tartan Army can reflect that good things do indeed come to those who wait.

Why this matters: a sports story that could shift standings, legacies, or fan conversations.

Fifa's expanded pre-match ceremonies might be partially behind the delays

Scotland fans who had gone 28 years without seeing their team play at a World Cup probably didn't begrudge a further two-and-a-half-minute delay before their game against Haiti got under way.

And after celebrating a 1-0 win - their first World Cup victory since Italia '90 - the Tartan Army can reflect that good things do indeed come to those who wait.

Article preview — originally published by BBC Sport. Full story at the source.
Read full story on BBC Sport → More top stories

Also covered by

Aggregated and edited by the Scoop newsroom. We surface news from BBC Sport alongside other reporting so you can compare coverage in one place. Editorial policy · Corrections · About Scoop