Here’s how many Brits are actually watching the World Cup’s late kick-off times
Key Points
- 22% will watch early-hours (1–5 AM BST) matches live, vs 77% for evening games
- 42% plan highlights, 27% catch-up, 17% won't engage with early games
- 55% say official sponsorship won't make them more likely to buy
- 59% don't pay attention to ads during broadcasts
- France narrow favourite to win (12%), ahead of England (11%)
- Ipsos polled 1,099 GB adults, 5–8 June 2026
Just 22% of likely viewers in Great Britain plan to watch 2026 FIFA World Cup matches live when they kick off in the early hours of the morning, according to new polling from Ipsos.
The figure points to a sharp drop in live engagement for fixtures scheduled between 1:00 AM and 5:00 AM, with most of that audience shifting to catch-up and highlights instead.
The survey, conducted online between 5 and 8 June 2026 among 1,099 adults aged 16–75 across Great Britain, measured how match scheduling is expected to shape viewing habits during the tournament, which is hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico and runs to 19 July.
Because of the time difference, a number of fixtures fall in the middle of the UK night.
For evening matches kicking off between 6:00 PM and 10:00 PM BST, live viewing remains the default.
Ipsos found that 77% of likely viewers plan to watch those games live, 13% intend to use catch-up, and 24% plan to watch highlights. Only 1% said they would not engage with evening matches at all.
The picture changes for the early-hours slot. Alongside the 22% who plan to watch those matches live, 27% expect to watch on catch-up and 42% plan to watch highlights.
A further 17% said they would not engage with early morning matches at all – a far higher non-engagement figure than the 1% recorded for evening games.
The polling also covered attitudes toward the tournament’s commercial partners. More than half of British adults (55%) disagreed with the statement that they are more likely to buy from a brand if it is an official World Cup sponsor, with 38% disagreeing strongly. Just 16% agreed.
On brand sentiment, 42% disagreed that they feel more positively toward brands supporting national teams or favourite players, while 30% were neutral and 23% said they felt more positive.
On advertising specifically, 59% said they do not actively pay attention to adverts and sponsors during match broadcasts and half-time breaks, against 20% who said they do.
Among those interested in any advertising during matches, food and drink and sports-related products were the categories named most often.
The survey also asked the public to predict results. A quarter of respondents (25%) expected France to reach the final, followed by Spain (22%), England (17%), Brazil (16%) and Argentina (15%); 35% were unsure.
On the eventual winner, 41% did not select a country. Among those who did, France led on 12%, ahead of England (11%), Spain (10%), Brazil (7%) and Argentina (6%).
Jack Maloney, Associate Research Director at Ipsos, said the scheduling presents a challenge for broadcasters and sponsors, with early-hours fixtures pushing audiences toward what he called “secondary consumption” via catch-up and highlights.
He added that brands cannot rely on sponsorship badges alone and will need to reach viewers through the catch-up and highlights coverage that many in Britain will use this summer.
Ipsos noted the data are weighted to the profile of the population and that all polls are subject to potential sources of error.
