The Open Championship's Schedule Shake-Up Looms as FIFA World Cup Final Nears
The 152nd Open Championship 2024 An Open sign out on course during the Preview of The 152nd Open Championship 2024 Royal Troon Golf Club, Troon, Ayrshire, Scotland. 15/07/2024. Picture Thos Caffrey / Golffile.ie All photo usage must carry mandatory copyright credit Golffile Thos Caffrey Troon Royal Troon Golf Club Ayrshire Scotland Copyright: xThosxCaffreyx
The 152nd Open Championship 2024 An Open sign out on course during the Preview of The 152nd Open Championship 2024 Royal Troon Golf Club, Troon, Ayrshire, Scotland. 15/07/2024. Picture Thos Caffrey / Golffile.ie All photo usage must carry mandatory copyright credit Golffile Thos Caffrey Troon Royal Troon Golf Club Ayrshire Scotland Copyright: xThosxCaffreyx
The final round of the 154th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale falls on the same day as the FIFA World Cup final.
It will be on Sunday, July 19, 2026. The R&A is already addressing the overlap, and the situation grows more complicated if England advances deep into the tournament.
The World Cup final takes place at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, kicking off at 3 p.m. local time, 8 p.m. in the U.K. The concern is not the match itself. It is what happens if The Open extends into a playoff.
At last year's Open at Royal Portrush, the final pairing of Scottie Scheffler and Haotong Li finished at around 6:40 p.m., with the trophy presentation running well past 9 p.m.
Jul 20, 2025; Portrush, IRL; The Claret Jug on the first hole during the final round of The 153rd Open Championship golf tournament at Royal Portrush. Mandatory Credit: Mike Frey-Imagn Images
Jul 20, 2025; Portrush, IRL; The Claret Jug on the first hole during the final round of The 153rd Open Championship golf tournament at Royal Portrush. Mandatory Credit: Mike Frey-Imagn Images
R&A chief executive Mark Darbon addressed the scheduling question at an Open media day at Birkdale, per Today's Golfer. He said the governing body is "obviously conscious of other events happening on that date."
He added, "As we approach the championship, we'll ensure we try and avoid that clash wherever possible. Of course, some things are out of our control in terms of playoffs and the like, but we will attempt to avoid a clash."
The England factor adds weight to the discussion. Thomas Tuchel's side are still in the tournament and face Norway in the quarterfinals on Saturday.
A win sets up a semifinal against Argentina or Switzerland. If England reach the final, the scheduling pressure on the R&A increases further.
This is not the first scheduling adjustment Darbon has overseen. The 156th Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes in 2028 has already been moved to August to avoid a conflict with the Los Angeles Olympic Games.
What the Open Championship Weather Looks Like at Birkdale
Conditions are expected to be favorable for the early part of Open Week.
Per AccuWeather as reported by Today's Golfer, temperatures are forecast to reach 26°C (79°F) on Thursday, July 16. It's with no rain and winds of just 4 mph.
Friday remains warm at 25°C (77°F), but clouds begin to build, with sunshine dimmed by high cloud in the morning and a 7% chance of rain.
Monday and Tuesday both forecast "very warm with plenty of sunshine," with highs of 26°C (79°F) and 25°C (77°F), respectively, and a zero chance of rain. Wednesday also comes in warm and sunny at 25°C (77°F).
Saturday and Sunday represent a significant shift. Rain arrives for the weekend, with Saturday forecast to have a 57% chance of rain and winds picking up to 12 mph. Sunday carries a 55% chance of morning showers, 8 mph winds, and a high of 22°C (72°F).
What do you think about the potential schedule clash between The Open and the World Cup final? Let us know in the comments!
Written by
Sneha Abraham
Edited by
Koushik Biswas