Tournament organizers for The Open at Royal Birkdale will not broadcast any World Cup matches on their large screens throughout the course this weekend. This decision is set to remain in place even if England advances to the final.
The possibility of a scheduling conflict exists between the final round of the golf major in Southport and the World Cup final's 8 p.m. BST kick-off. While adjustments to tee times on Sunday are being discussed with broadcasters to potentially bring them forward, the screening of the football matches for spectators has been ruled out.
This approach mirrors a similar decision made at Wimbledon earlier in July. Further clarification on the final round's tee times is anticipated on Wednesday morning, when R&A chief executive Mark Darbon is scheduled to address the media on the eve of the tournament. R&A sources indicated that any potential alteration to the start times would be minimal, less than an hour, to accommodate the possibility of the golf competition's conclusion overlapping with the football match. Typically, the leading groups at The Open begin their play around 2:30 p.m., which usually provides ample buffer time. However, a playoff scenario could potentially lead to some attendees leaving before the Claret Jug is awarded. Consultations with broadcasting partners, including Sky Sports and NBC, are underway to assess the feasibility of adjusting the schedule, with a final decision pending the outcome of England's semi-final match.