Van Gaal finds it remarkable that FIFA is manipulating the World Cup schedule so late at the moment

FIFA’s decision to reschedule Orange’s first World Cup match has led to mixed feelings with national coach Louis van Gaal.

The Netherlands will now meet Senegal on Monday 21 November at 7pm (5pm Dutch time). Initially, the Orange team got into action at 1:00 pm local time for the opening match of the World Cup.

FIFA Qatar-Ecuador, a duel between the members of the Orange Group, has moved forward, with this match serving as the opening match on November 20. In this way, a party can be organized in the evening.

“It is remarkable that the fixture schedule is still being adjusted shortly before the tournament,” Van Gaal replied via the KNVB website. It has been proven for nearly a dozen years that Qatar will host the 2022 World Cup, and the match schedule has already been set on July 15, 2020, which was filled with all participants on April 1 after the World Cup draw.

According to the orange coach, FIFA’s decision has both advantages and disadvantages. “It’s fitting for us that it’s less hot on the court in the new time, because the sun has already set. But the flip side of the medal – and I think that has a big impact – is that our groupmates Ecuador and Qatar get an extra day off in the run up The second group match.

Van Gaal expects the Dutch public will not find it too difficult to adjust. “At five in the afternoon you watch a football game a little better than you see on Monday at eleven.”

Team Orange will play Poland and Belgium in the Nations League in September.

Van Gaal misses a special scoop

Incidentally, Van Gaal is first through the nose: he could have become the first national orange coach in one World Cup opening match. In 1934, the Netherlands also played the first match, but then all eighth finals started at the same time. Then Switzerland eliminated the Orange team.

Van Gaal’s team will play the other group matches on November 25 (against Ecuador) and November 29 (against Qatar). The top two nations in each group qualify for the eighth finals.