Tanzania, July 4 -- Dar es Salaam. As the 2026 FIFA World Cup enters its knockout stages, millions of Tanzanian football fans are sacrificing sleep to catch live matches from North America, with health experts warning that the month-long trend could affect productivity, mental wellbeing and road safety.

With Tanzania eight hours ahead of many World Cup host cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico, some of the tournament's biggest fixtures are kicking off well after midnight, forcing supporters to choose between sleep and football.

From Dar es Salaam and Arusha to Mwanza, Mbeya and Zanzibar, bars, restaurants and makeshift viewing centres have remained packed into the early hours as fans gather to watch their favourite teams. Othe...