World Cup games in North America could be played after midnight in UK time

Scottish viewers of next year’s World Cup could face some late nights, with FIFA’s vice president insisting the intense summer heat will be considered when scheduling games.

Victor Montagliani said the governing body for global football would “learn” from the experience of players and spectators at this summer’s Club World Cup.

Venues such as Atlanta, Dallas, and Los Angeles have the option of being under cover and air-conditioned, allowing for afternoon kick-off times, but that could be a difficult balancing act.

European broadcasters are involved in ongoing discussions to find the right outcome for all involved.

The schedule for the tournament, being held across the USA, Canada, and Mexico next summer, will be revealed in December this year.

Scotland are still hoping to reach the group stages for the first time since 1998, when it was held in France.

Steve Clarke’s men, who have qualified for the last two European Championships, take on Belarus and Greece next month as they look to take a huge step towards the World Cup.

If they do qualify, then there is bound to be a big Tartan Army contingent making the journey across the Atlantic to support the team.

However, for those at home, the kick-off times for a British audience are still unclear.

Montagliani said: “We’re in conversations daily with the European broadcasters in terms of what stadiums you can play in at 3pm – the likes of Atlanta, for instance.

“Obviously what we’re trying to do, once the schedule does come out after the draw in December, is our best to ensure that all that’s taken into consideration.

“Now, will there be every game that’ll be absolutely perfect kick-off time from a TV perspective?

“I don’t know, because there’s a lot of games, but that’s all taken into consideration.”

Montagliani reiterated his opposition to expanding the World Cup to 64 teams for the centenary tournament in 2030, an idea which has been proposed by the South American confederation.

However, he seemed more enthusiastic about the possibility of expanding the Club World Cup – next due to be played in 2029 – from 32 teams to 48.

“I don’t see the argument for 64 teams. It’s not just us, but UEFA and Asia who are opposed to that,” he said.

“But the Club World Cup was a massive success. We need to work out what’s feasible, (what) changes we need to make about the number of teams and the caps on each country we had for this year.”