Background Poor sleep quality in children can lead to physical and psychosocial problems. The FIFA World Cup has been shown to impact adult behaviors, but its effect on children’s sleep patterns is less understood. The study aimed to evaluate the impact of the FIFA World Cup 2022 (FWC-2022) on children’s sleep patterns.

Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted between 27 November and 25 December 2022, targeting parents in Saudi Arabia (Arabia standard time) and countries with a +6-hour time difference. Participants completed the validated Children’s Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ), alongside demographics, time spent watching matches, and parental perceptions on sleep.

Results A total of 848 parents participated, with 60.6% being mothers. The study found that children averaged 9.10 hours of sleep; 64.2% of parents observed no change, while 10.4% reported substantial changes. Parents aged ≥45 and those noticing shifts in sleep habits reported higher problematic sleep scores. Larger families reported fewer sleep issues, with a negative correlation between family size and sleep problems. Children’s CSHQ scores indicate mild to moderate sleep difficulties across domains. No significant differences were observed between Saudi Arabia and countries with +6-hour time difference. However, one-third of children experienced delays in sleep onset exceeding one hour on weekdays during the World Cup.

Conclusion Sociodemographic factors, family dynamics, and major events like the FWC-2022 influence parental perceptions of child sleep issues. Older parents and smaller families reported more challenges, while higher socioeconomic status was linked to fewer bedtime difficulties. Our findings may be particularly relevant for FIFA 2026, where transcontinental hosting across North America will expose children globally to matches at even more variable times. Subtle impacts of prolonged event schedules highlight the need for interventions supporting healthy routines during such events, potentially through engaging, sleep-friendly technologies.

The authors have declared no competing interest.

This study did not receive any funding

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The study protocol was reviewed and approved by the Institutional Review Board of King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (reference number: 19/0953/IRB)

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