Key Highlights
- The 1994 World Cup in the US is also remembered for strength-sapping heat. Atlanta, Dallas, Houston and Vancouver have roofs and can be air-conditioned, with the canopy at the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles offering limited protection.
- Early kick-offs have therefore been put in stadiums with roofs where possible - but not always. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementFrance unluckyBelgium and Switzerland appear to have pulled the short straws among European teams as they face afternoon games on the US West Coast in stadium without proper roofs.
- FIFA is banking on Seattle not being too warm and the LA canopy having some impact. France take on Senegal first up at 3 pm on June 16 in New Jersey which they may not find ideal. Holders Argentina start against Algeria in the Kansas City evening on the same day and then face Austria under the Dallas roof at midday on June 22. European champions Spain play Cape Verde in their opener in Atlanta's dome at 12 pm on June 15.
- Portugal have two midday games under Houston's cover, the Netherlands will also benefit twice from the roofs in the Texas stadiums and Canada use Vancouver's cover twice. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementGermany’s opening game against Curaçao on June 14 will kick off at 12 pm in Houston but they then face Ivory Coast in open Toronto at 4 pm on June 20. Similarly, England play Croatia in Dallas before facing Ghana in Boston with a 4 pm start. Record winners Brazil will play all three of their Group C games in the evening without roofs - better for Brazilian TV and for players more used to heat. The majority of last group games are evening kick-offs with the knock-out stages generally following the same patterns as the group phase, with stadiums with roofs used where possible for midday and early afternoon starts. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe extra minutiae of the expanded tournament following Friday's actual group stage draw were also broadcast live, with FIFA president Gianni Infantino and ex-players including Brazil's Ronaldo and former US defender Alexi Lalas commenting on the fixtures. Infantino apologizesThe large footprint of the maiden World Cup across three host countries meant FIFA worked through the night to agree kick-off times and minimize awkward travel - after an framework schedule was issued earlier this year with many blanks. FIFA said the fixtures aim "to ensure the best possible conditions for all teams and spectators while, where possible, enabling fans all over the world to watch their teams play live across different time zones."AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe full make-up of the first ever 48-team World Cup will only be known in March when the six remaining places are filled with play-off winners. The kick-off tim.
