Hong Kong school rearranges overnight World Cup watch party after feedback
A Hong Kong primary school that earlier suggested hosting an overnight World Cup viewing event has watered down the plan and opted for a weekend morning timeslot in response to feedback from parents. The school clarified that its initial circular, which slated the event for the very early hours of J
By William Yiu
A Hong Kong primary school that earlier suggested hosting an overnight World Cup viewing event has watered down the plan and opted for a weekend morning timeslot in response to feedback from parents.
The school clarified that its initial circular, which slated the event for the very early hours of July 15, sought to gauge parental interest, while its shift to daytime aimed to allow for more parents and students to watch the match together.
In a statement on Wednesday – about a week after the initial notice was issued – Chi Lin Buddhist Primary School in Tseung Kwan O announced that the event had been brought forward to Sunday, July 12.
“After careful consideration and based on parents’ preferences, the school has decided to reschedule ‘World Cup Night’ to the morning of Sunday, July 12, 2026, and host it as a ‘Fun Day’,” the circular read.
“We hope this will allow more parents and children to watch the matches together, engage in interactive experiences, and visit learning booths.”
The school stated that the change was made in response to valuable feedback from parents and the wider community.
A teacher, who only gave his name as Lui, told the South China Morning Post that the number of parents who had expressed interest in attending the original late-night event was “not that sufficient”.
He added that the school then decided to opt for a Sunday morning timeslot to boost participation.
When asked about the exact number of parents who approved or disapproved of the overnight event, Lui said he had not followed the survey closely and could not share such figures.
He added that the rescheduled event would now take place at 9am on July 12, with the time lining up with the World Cup’s quarter finals.
The school’s circular said the previous notice sent to families was only a “preliminary survey of parents’ preferences”.
“The school sincerely expresses its gratitude for the community’s attention and discussion regarding this event,” it said.
Last week, the school’s initial circular triggered a wave of excitement online, with some internet users commenting that staying on campus in the middle of the night to watch a match would be a “once-in-a-lifetime” experience.
At the time, the school stated its goal was to let students experience the atmosphere of a major sporting event.
Under the original plan, students and parents were invited to arrive at the school at 2.30am, with attendees encouraged to wear either school sports uniforms or football jerseys. The event was expected to wrap up at 6am.
The SCMP contacted the Education Bureau for comment on Tuesday, with the bureau saying its reply was not yet ready. It told media outlets on Wednesday to refer to the school’s latest press release.