Overview
- The Bundesrat approved a temporary ordinance that lets public World Cup broadcasts run after 10 p.m. during the tournament.
- The measure applies only from June 11 to July 19 and requires local permit offices to weigh public interest against night-noise rules.
- Germany defines night-time as 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., and the Environment Ministry notes an unusually high share of matches in those hours due to North American kickoffs.
- The schedule includes many late starts, with 19 matches at 9 p.m., 10 at 10 p.m., 9 at midnight, and 12 at 3 a.m., and Germany’s group games set for 7 p.m. and 10 p.m.
- Similar, time-limited exemptions have been used since 2006, and early signals from cities in North Rhine-Westphalia suggest fewer large fan zones this year because of late starts, costs, and noise concerns.