There's nothing quite like when the world comes together to celebrate a sporting competition, and it gives you a great excuse to have your friends over for some fun football viewing. And while we don't wish to halt the excitement, with late kick-offs, the fun does come with some considerations.
With this year's World Cup being hosted in the USA, Canada and Mexico, most kick-offs are much later than usual. England's matches start as late as 11 pm, and Scotland's start even later at 2 am. That means some pretty late watch parties will be taking place, and much like garden bonfire laws, there are some noise considerations you may want to keep in mind.
Whether it's shouting at the referee, cheering for your nation's team or singing along with chants, it's no secret that football viewing can get pretty loud. So to keep you on good terms with your neighbours, here's some friendly advice from a neighbour and property dispute expert.
Watching the World Cup at home? Here's how to avoid noise complaints
Inside or out, viewing the footie is more than likely going to get lively, and that means one thing: noise. If you are hosting a garden viewing party, then the usual common garden etiquette rules, of course, still apply. But thanks to the time difference with matches, you'll also need to be cautious of how late your party goes on.
"The World Cup is one of those rare events where people who would normally be in bed early suddenly have friends' round, the TV on loud and the windows open at midnight," starts Ian Bradford, neighbour and property dispute expert at John Fowlers.
“There is nothing wrong with enjoying the football. Nobody expects people to watch a last-minute winner in complete silence. But problems usually start when the match becomes an all-night party," he adds.
Football fan or not, the chances are that you'll hear some celebrations in your neighbourhood, so it's a good idea to know what's acceptable and what's offside.
"It is reasonable to expect some extra noise during a World Cup. People may have friends over, cheer goals, react to penalties or watch games later than they usually would," says Ian. “That does not automatically make them bad neighbours. One-off excitement, occasional cheering and a TV at a sensible volume are all part of normal life."
However, when the noise becomes persistent, excessive or impossible to escape, that's when trouble can occur. And if you've resolved a tree dispute with a neighbour or argued over boundary lines, you'll know this is best avoided.
"That could include loud music after the match, people shouting in gardens or communal areas, banging on floors or walls, cars arriving and leaving noisily, or groups spilling into the street in the early hours," Ian points out. “It can also become more serious if someone ignores polite requests to keep it down, deliberately ramps up the noise."
Upgrade your watch party
Level up your match viewing by simply plugging your smartphone into this portable projector with an impressive 1920 x 1080 resolution.
Feel like you're right there in the crows with this powerful TV speaker. Just be sure to turn it down once the games get a little later.
Get into the football spirit with this flag banner sporting all 48 teams in the competition. No World Cup viewing party is complete without one really.
To avoid angering your neighbours and consequently having to figure out how to block their view from your home, here's what Ian suggests.
"What helps is keeping windows closed during late games, moving inside from the garden after 10 pm or 11 pm, avoiding speakers or soundbars against shared walls, and winding things down once the game has finished," he recommends.
The easiest way to avoid a row is to plan before it starts. Ian adds. "Let neighbours know if you are having people round, keep the volume down, close windows for late kick-offs, avoid outdoor noise after 11 pm and ask guests to leave quietly. Football should bring people together, not leave the whole street furious by morning."
Enjoying the match shouldn't end in tears, well, not sad ones anyway.
