Van der Bellen Asks Parents: Children May Stay Up Later for World Cup Match Against Spain

An Unusual Step by the Federal President

Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen addressed parents directly on Wednesday in a video published on Facebook. "Liebe Eltern, heute wende ich mich als Bundespräsident direkt an Sie", the 82-year-old began his address, according to dpa. He explained that he knew that watching television late into the night was not good. "Ja, bis spät in die Nacht hinein Fernsehen ist nicht gut. Ich weiß das."

Despite this insight, Van der Bellen asked parents for an exception: "Lassen Sie sie heute, also am Donnerstag, ein wenig länger aufbleiben." He justified the request with the historic dimension of the match and added: "Aber drücken Sie diesmal ein Auge zu, damit die Kinder, die das wollen, unser Nationalteam live anfeuern können."

The Federal President also pointed to the timing during the holiday season. "Und obendrein haben wir derzeit die letzten Tage vor den Ferien." According to the logic of his request, the late match falls in a phase in which less strict bedtimes apply anyway than during the school routine. Van der Bellen wished all children "viel Spaß beim Anfeuern" and concluded with the remark that such shared experiences remain in one's memory for a lifetime: "Solche Erinnerungen nimmt man doch sein Leben lang mit."

Historic Significance of the Match

The round-of-16 match is the first knockout match for Austria's team at a football World Cup since 1954. Back then, at the World Cup in Switzerland, the Austrian team had reached the semifinal against the Federal Republic of Germany and was eliminated there. Since then, Austria had taken part in a total of eight World Cups but had always been eliminated in the group stage. Reaching the round of 16 in 2026 represents the first qualification for the last 16 in over seven decades.

The opponent in the round of 16 is the Spanish national team. The match will be broadcast live on Austrian free-to-air television, as announced by, among others, the channel ServusTV. This means the match is accessible to everyone interested without additional paywalls. The broadcast begins with pre-match coverage in the early evening, with kickoff at 9:00 p.m. CEST.

Rangnick Sees Chances Against Spain

Before the match, Austria's team coach Ralf Rangnick had described the duel as the "nächstes Endspiel." "Wir haben noch nicht unser Leistungsmaximum erreicht", Rangnick said with a view to his team's tournament record so far. After the 3:3 draw against Algeria, which had prevented elimination in the group stage in the final seconds, new forces had been unleashed. "In dem Spiel können wir tatsächlich nur gewinnen", Rangnick said about the encounter with the Spaniards.

The Federal President's video triggered numerous reactions on social networks. Many users were amused by the unusual step by a head of state and shared the appeal hundreds of times. Others pointed to everyday school life and questioned whether a TV exception for a football match was really justifiable. Overall, however, approval prevailed, especially since many families will be spending the coming days on holiday anyway.

With this move, Van der Bellen joins a series of public statements on major sporting events. In the past, the Federal President had already accompanied Austrian teams in video messages. What is new, however, is the direct appeal to parents to deviate from usual rules. The fact that a head of state interferes with family routines is unusual and made the story known beyond sports reporting.

Reactions on Social Media

The Austrian team had advanced to the knockout round after three group-stage matches. The draw produced a difficult but manageable task for the round of 16 in the form of Spain. Spain has been one of the top nations in world football for years but had fluctuated at times during the 2026 group stage. For Austria, the encounter is, regardless of the outcome, the biggest stage in many decades.

The time difference between Los Angeles and Vienna is nine hours. When the match kicks off at 12:00 p.m. local time at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, it is already 9:00 p.m. in Austria. This means the closing phase falls in the late evening hours, well past the usual bedtime of younger children in many households.

Time Difference and Broadcast

Van der Bellen concluded his video with a direct address to the children. He wished them "viel Spaß beim Anfeuern" and encouraged them to watch the match together with their families. He thus combined sporting enthusiasm with an appeal across generations: the shared experience of a historic moment should not fail because of a fixed bedtime.

For parents, the decision naturally remains voluntary in the end. Van der Bellen made it explicitly clear that he was asking for an exception "diesmal." Responsibility for shaping the family evening continues to lie with the legal guardians. The video is merely a wish and not an order.

How many families will actually follow the request remains to be seen. What is clear is that the broadcast on ServusTV is accessible to a broad audience. The late hours could also become a topic in schools and youth homes, because Thursday marks the final days before the summer holidays and many classes are starting the break with a relaxed program anyway.

Parents' Voluntary Decision

Overall, the episode shows how much a single sporting event can mobilize an entire society. The unusual step by a Federal President underlines the significance attributed to the first knockout match since 1954 in the public perception. On Thursday evening, it will become clear whether the Austrian team will also do justice to the historic opportunity on the pitch.

The excitement over reaching the round of 16 had already erupted after the final group match against Algeria, when the decisive 3:3 prevented elimination. Since then, many fans have been looking forward with great anticipation to the duel with Spain. Van der Bellen's video reinforces this mood and gives it an official, state framing.