Don’t know why it took so long for this to dawn on me, but it did, finally, tonight, whole waiting for the midnight kickoff of Game 1 of the World Cup.

This tournament could lead to some sort of planetary record for work absenteeism, lethal hangovers, alcohol poisoning, sleep deprivation and random hookups over a 10-day period.

Why?

Brazil 2014, that’s why!

To explain:

This World Cup is an afternoon/early evening concept in the Americas.

But on the eastern side of the Atlantic … in Europe, Africa and even the Middle West … Brazil 2014 games are scheduled at prime partying time for 10 consecutive days, June 13-22.

Here in the UAE (as well as western Russia), the three-games-every-day thing means kickoffs at 8 p.m., 11 p.m. and 2 a.m. (“Come over after dinner, and we’ll watch the games and have a few beers!”)

In western Europe, the kickoffs are at 6 p.m., 9 p.m. and midnight.

In Britain, where you may have heard they have a bit of a problem with overindulging in alcohol, the kickoffs are at 5, 8 and 11. Pubs there usually close at 11, but the government has allowed taverns to stay open till 1 a.m. when England’s national team plays in a game starting at 8 or later BST. Which is two of their three games in the group stage.

Even in the UAE, which is semi-dry, hotels are offering packages that allow people into tents on their grounds, offering three alcoholic drinks after payment of an entrance fee of perhaps 100 dirhams — or $27 dollars.

Also, coffee shops and cafeterias, which typically stay open late, are staying open later than usual. Certainly through the end of the 11 p.m. game, and often through the end of the 2 a.m. game — which means a 4 a.m. finish, here.

The social ramifications are just now hitting me, as I can hear people running around in the hall of our apartment tower.

The World Cup comes around only once every four years, and it is a very big deal for the casual fan, with people assembling and perhaps imbibing in all sorts of ways that are not healthy.

By June 23, the part of the world from Ireland and Africa to, say, St. Petersburg and Finland and the UAE … could have tens of millions of people trying to rally back from 10 days of World Cup overindulgence.