The kickoff time for cohost Japan's final first-round group match may be switched to 6 p.m. from 3:30 p.m. as scheduled at next year's World Cup finals, informed sources said Wednesday.

Japan Consortium (JC), made up of Japan Broadcasting Corp. (NHK) and major commercial networks, recently made the request for the change to soccer's world governing body FIFA in an attempt to broadcast the June 14 match at Nagai Stadium in Osaka in prime time.