Staying up for the match? How to handle a 1am kick-off

Key developments are emerging from the global stage. Staying up for the match? How to handle a 1am kick-offByJames Gallagher Health and science correspondentPublished13 June 2026Updated 11 minutes agoThe England football team have a huge challenge taking on Mexico, on their home turf, in the last 16 of the World Cup. But fans back home have an equally daunting task - surviving that 01:00 kick-off on a Monday morning.

The match will go on until at least 03:00 and that's without extra time, penalties or watching any of the post-match analysis and pubs can open until 05:00. That is a sleep-wrecker - especially if you've got school, university or work on Monday. "It's perfectly designed to screw things up," says sleep scientist Prof Russell Foster, from the University of Oxford.

The Details

He says you won't fall asleep the second the final whistle blows either because "you're going to get so energised, it'll be difficult to wind down". Well don't worry, I've got you covered… forget solving England's leaky defence, this is the tactical plan you need for the football. We'll look at sleep hacks and the sweet spot for coffee and we'll offer a little bit of relationship advice and some tips for children.

(Be warned they will not make you popular). Find your local World Cup hero with our postcode lookup Published26 JuneThe three sleep strategiesImage source, Getty ImagesThe first thing we need to decide is when to sleep. There are three key plans:The full AmericanThe sandwichThe squeezeThe most hardcore England fan who has no other commitments in life - or at least a very understanding family - could go for the full American.

"Put yourself on North American timing," says Dr Victoria Revell, from the University of Surrey. It'll take you a few days to fully adapt, but after that you'll be almost nocturnal and will manage to take in the England game and all the other late-night fixtures. The only price will be human contact, but that'd only be a distraction anyway.

What Experts Say

If that sounds too much, then try the sandwich or the squeeze depending on what feels right for you. The sandwich strategy involves two sleeps – one before and one after the game. So you're going to bed early, setting an alarm for just before kick-off and then enjoying the game.

The downside is you're likely to a bit groggy and you may be watching the start of the game with your brain only half awake. But the adrenaline rush should take over so you enjoy it, although you "might struggle to then fall back asleep", says Revell. The squeeze method involves staying up all night to watch it and squeezing in a couple of hours sleep before you have to get up.

It's the simplest plan, but "you're going to cut your sleep very short and there are consequences the next day," says Revell. If you're naturally a morning person who likes to be tucked up in bed early - then you might find the sandwich easier. Whereas a night owl who can easily work into the night might favour the squeeze.

The story has become one of the most prominent items on the global agenda.