One of the clearest findings from the survey is how young many grassroots football participants were when they first connected with the World Cup. Among respondents, the average age at which they first remember watching the tournament was 10 years old.

That means the football memories many adults still carry today were often shaped while they were still in primary school, and the emotional pull of the tournament is still strong today. 86% of respondents said they are excited for the 2026 World Cup, while 88% said they plan to watch as many matches as they can.

When we asked what made their first World Cup memorable, the answers paint a picture of what these tournaments mean to young fans:

The survey data shows that the biggest memory for most is watching with friends and family (40%), others include school and community buzz (28%), and home nation performance (22%). Most football fans also have memorable moments from wathcing the world cup, whether it be for a specific player (32%) or a famous match (22%).

Many respondents even recalled iconic moments from their first World Cup, from Gordon Banks’ save against Pelé in 1970 to Gary Lineker’s Golden Boot and the brilliance of Johan Cruyff’s Dutch Total Football. These memories are sentiments, which many hold dearly, and stand as some of the most inspirational moments in football.

But research suggests that moments like this may easily be missed this year.

The survey suggests that the 2026 World Cup may face a unique challenge in the UK, as many of its most memorable moments could happen while children are asleep.

When asked what made their first tournament memorable, the most common answer as mentioned earlier was watching with family and friends (40%). That shared experience is clearly really important for children aged around 10 years old.

When creating this survey, we realised that kick off times for the UK were much later due to the time difference in the US, Canada & Mexico. Where typically matches in the UK have 8pm as the latest kick off, games at the next World Cup are televised as late as 4am in the morning.

Compared with previous World Cups, the 2026 tournament is set to be far less accessible for UK audiences, especially younger viewers. When we analysed UK kick-off times for every World Cup dating back to Germany 2006, we found that earlier tournaments were heavily weighted towards afternoon and early evening slots, the kinds of timings that allow children to watch live, talk about the games with friends, and share key moments with their families.

The 2010 World Cup in South Africa was particularly viewer-friendly in the UK, with 55% of matches kicking off in the afternoon and 45% in the early evening. The 2018 World Cup in Russia followed a similar pattern, with 58% of games in the afternoon and 41% in the early evening. Even the 2022 World Cup in Qatar saw 89% of matches take place before 8pm UK time.

The 2026 World Cup, by contrast, has shifted towards later hours. Analysis of the fixture schedule shows that 43% of matches kick off between midnight and 5am UK time, while a further 44% begin between 8pm and 11pm. Taken together, that means 87% of matches are scheduled either late in the evening or overnight.

For younger viewers, that is a significant change. Earlier tournaments were more likely to provide live, shared experiences that fit around school nights and family routines. In 2026, many of those moments may happen outside the hours when children can realistically watch them live.

With this data we asked the question of whether later kick off times would reduce how much younger players and children engage with the tournament. Our survey found that 94% of respondents agree that it would.

This matters because 96% also agreed that the World Cup plays a vital role in inspiring the next generation to take part in grassroots football.

That creates a real risk that many children could miss the very moments that make the World Cup so memorable in the first place.

Clubs across the UK are hoping for their nations to bring the World Cup home. 97% of respondents agree that a strong home nation performance would increase grassroots participation among children and younger players. Looking at how well the Lionesses win over Spain in the Euro’s final boosted the women’s game, it seems that the Men’s World Cup this year is especially crucial for younger players.

When asked how beneficial the tournament is for grassroots football, respondents averaged a rating of 7 out of 10, signifying the importance of the World Cup. 9 in 10 clubs (90%) also said that major international tournaments usually have a positive impact on their local club or football community.

When asked how this affects their club, some of the popular answers included more children wanting to join (72%), more general excitement around football (74%) and more interest in girls’ football (45%).

The World Cup is already shaping how many grassroots clubs plan to engage their players and communities this summer. 58% of respondents said their club is planning some form of activity around the 2026 World Cup.

Among those, the most popular activities are:

• 34.8% - Watch parties or social events (giving younger fans a chance to experience games together, even if they can't stay up at home)
• 30.8% - Training sessions themed around the tournament
• 19.6% - Fundraising or community events
• 17.4% - Youth engagement sessions
• 13% - Social media content

While not every club is planning dedicated activity, the findings suggest that many see the tournament as more than just something to watch, they see it as an opportunity to build community, inspire players and generate fresh excitement around football. However, with matches facing