Why are World Cup games kicking off at the same time?

World Cup 2026 has entered its final round of group games, which means both matches in each of the 12 groups will kick off at the same time. The reason the World Cup brought in simultaneous kick offs for the final round of matches goes back to the 1982 World Cup and the “Disgrace of Gijon” - the infamous match between West Germany and Austria played out a result that allowed both teams to advance at the expense of Algeria. With Algeria in position to qualify from the group and having