The R&A is evaluating whether to adjust the final round schedule of The Open Championship to prevent overlap with the World Cup final, should England advance past Argentina in Wednesday's semi-final. Currently, Sunday's play at Royal Birkdale is set to conclude around 6:40 PM BST, roughly 90 minutes before the World Cup final kicks off at 8 PM. Organizers say no changes are imminent but will monitor the situation closely.
"As an England football fan, it would be a great problem to have," said R&A chief executive Mark Darbon. "Our current schedule sees us finish around 6:40 PM. We think that gives us time to complete a play-off, if required. As we stand right now, there are no plans to adjust timings."
If the tournament goes to a play-off, the golf and football could overlap, posing challenges for fans and broadcasters. The BBC, which televises both events, will not show the World Cup final on big screens at the Southport links.
Moving the final round of a major is not unprecedented, but it typically happens due to weather concerns. Shifting tee times to avoid a scheduling conflict with another sporting event would be unusual. Darbon noted that any adjustments would be minor and communicated within 48 hours if necessary.
"If there was going to be a change, we'd be communicating that over next 48 hours," he said. "At the moment, we're comfortable with our timings. If we were to make a change, it would be a subtle change. A discussion with broadcasters is important, and we also need to manage the crowd safely. But we're not expecting dramatic changes."
The Open uses a three-hole play-off format, with sudden death if scores remain tied. The last play-off occurred 11 years ago at St Andrews.