The Republic of Ireland have received three child-friendly kick-off times for next year’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
Vera Pauw’s team face co-hosts Australia in Sydney on the opening day July 20th, with a 11am start. Six days later they travel 4,000 kilometres to meet Olympic champions Canada in Perth at 1pm Irish time with the final match in Group B against Nigeria in Brisbane on July 31st, kicking off at 11am back home.
All three games fall mid-week – Thursday, Wednesday and Monday - during summer holidays for primary and secondary schools. They kick-off at 8pm locally as this unique World Cup leaps between two countries, nine cities and four time zones.
RTÉ has announced it will broadcast the whole tournament next summer, having successfully secured these broadcast rights through a European Broadcasting Union (EBU) agreement with Fifa covering 28 territories on behalf of 32 EBU member public service broadcasters.
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Ireland versus Australia is the second match of the group stages and first on Australian soil, starting three hours after the tournament opener between New Zealand and Norway at Eden Park in Auckland, as Fifa endeavour to satisfy broadcasters in North America and Europe.
Defending champions the USA – the largest television market – have secured two 1pm kick-offs local time in New Zealand, against Vietnam and the Netherlands, which fall within east coast of America prime time at 8pm and 5pm on the west coast of America.
Canada also received an afternoon kick-off locally, with a 12.30pm start against Nigeria.
The US must top Group E, by fending off the Dutch in a repeat of the 2019 final, to secure a prime time slot for the last 16 stage, which is set for noon in Sydney - 9pm in New York and 6pm in California. The quarter-final also facilities this presumed route for the US before the semi-finals and final revert to prime time Australia and New Zealand, all 8pm kick offs, which is a 10am and 8am starts in Ireland.
Thursday, July 20th (all times Irish)
Australia v Republic of Ireland, Sydney Football stadium, 11am
Wednesday, July 26th
Canada v Republic of Ireland, Perth Oval, 1pm
Monday, July 31st
Republic of Ireland v Nigeria, Suncorp stadium, Brisbane, 11am
