GEORGE TOWN: Football lovers are paying for their passion with a lack of sleep as the FIFA World Cup 2026 moves into the knockout stages.
After nearly two weeks of late nights and early mornings, eye bags and a groggy state at the office are not enough to put the faithful off.
Many are itching for the do-or-die battles, starting with the Round of 32 and then 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals before the grand finale at 3am (local time) on July 19.
Office worker Ryan Mohan confessed to fighting to stay awake at his desk after watching late night or early morning matches.
Ryan, 30, said he has watched at least one match every night since the tournament began, with several ending barely hours before he has to get to work.
“I get up to four hours’ sleep on some nights. The World Cup only comes once every four years, so I don’t want to miss the big matches,” said the England fan.
Bank executive Mahathir Jamal, 47, said the match timings have forced him to be selective due to work commitments.
“Most of the time, I follow the matches on my smartphone,” he said, adding that he will prioritise his favourite team, Argentina.
Meanwhile, Malaysian Employers Federation president Datuk Dr Syed Hussain Syed Husman said as of now, there have been no reports of a significant increase in workers’ medical leave amid the World Cup.
“Some employers got requests for emergency or annual leave, with isolated cases of absenteeism and questionable medical certificates,” he said.
He said attention should be on safety-critical sectors such as manufacturing, transportation, construction and healthcare, where employees must be rested and fit for duty.
Small and Medium Enterprises Association of Malaysia northern region chairman Calvin Kwan said productivity concerns have been manageable so far.
