FIFA's Executive Committee, meeting in Zurich, announced that the opening game in São Paulo on June 12 will kick off at 5pm, which is a palatable 10pm in most of central Europe.

But several other matches will kick off even later.

Group-stage games will be played at 1pm, 4pm, 5pm, 6pm, 7pm and 9pm local time, with knockout stage matches at 1pm and 5pm.

The semi-finals will be played at 5pm and the final, on July 13 at the iconic Maracanã stadium (pictured top), at 4pm.

It's the first time that since 1994 in the United States that World Cup finals matches will be spread over different time zones.

São Paulo is five hours behind Central European Time – and four behind the United Kingdom – with Cuiaba and Manaus further west and consequently an hour further back.

FIFA says it has taken local temperatures, global television scheduling and equal rest periods for teams into consideration, among other factors, when determining kick off times.

FIFA is due to hold a news conference at the end of the two-day Executive Committee later today.

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