India, May 25 -- For months, Delhi's football fanatics were staring at the ultimate own goal: the FIFA World Cup 2026 with no broadcaster, no telecast and no game plan. But just before World Football Day today, relief has finally arrived. FIFA is reportedly close to locking in an India broadcast partner and Delhi's fans have instantly switched from panic mode to tactical preparation. Because this World Cup is not just a tournament. It is a six-week endurance league. Out of 104 matches, only around 13 land at remotely civilised timings. The rest? Brutal 12.30am and 3.30am kick-offs. Delhi's football faithful are not complaining though. Paid leave applications are no longer being saved for weddings or vacations. They are now tournament assets to be strategically deployed during quarter-finals and semi-finals. "I have six leaves left for the year and I'm spending four on football. My wife knows. My manager suspects. Nobody has said anything yet," laughs Arjun Mehta, an IT professional from Gurugram. Recovery plans are equally tactical: "After a night game I'm not taking calls before 11am. I've negotiated a recovery buffer into my own job description. Nobody approved it officially. It's just happening." Students are creating unofficial football rotation systems to survive both. "Whoever stays awake for the midnight game gets covered for morning notes by the rest. You watch, we cover. Next match, roles reverse. Nobody misses football and nobody fails exams," says Priyansh Ratra, a final-year student at Ramjas. Vikram Singh, manager at a sports bar in Hauz Khas Village says, "We've already started redesigning staff shifts around the fixtures and extending closing hours. Even the menu is changing. Nobody wants to wait 40 minutes for food at 1am during penalties, so we're moving towards fast dishes under 10 minutes." The post-match strategy is equally localised: "After the final whistle, people don't want cocktails. They want chai, Maggi, sandwiches and recovery food. From June 12 to July 20, Delhi is basically on tournament time."...