A choice on whether to shift the final round of The Open and prevent overlap with the World Cup final will follow England's semifinal clash against Argentina on Wednesday.

Victory for England over Argentina, which begins at 20:00 BST and airs live on the BBC, would place the team in Sunday's World Cup final for the first time since their 1966 triumph.

Play at Royal Birkdale on Sunday is set to conclude roughly 90 minutes before the football final starts in New Jersey at 20:00, with Spain already confirmed for that match.

A playoff in golf would risk the two events overlapping and create difficulties for viewers and media outlets alike.

BBC Sport has learned the World Cup final will not appear on large screens around the Southport course.

"As an England football supporter, it would represent a welcome issue," R&A chief executive Mark Darbon told BBC Sport.

"Our existing timetable has us wrapping up near 6:40pm, which we believe allows room to finish any playoff if needed.

"Right now, no alterations to the schedule are planned."

Rescheduling the final round of a major is uncommon and usually occurs only to dodge poor weather.

In 2019 the Masters final round began at 07:30 local time to avoid storms, allowing Tiger Woods to claim his fifth Green Jacket.

As recently as May the fourth round of the Cadillac Championship was moved earlier on the PGA Tour to escape bad weather, yet altering a major to sidestep another sporting event would mark an unusual step.

The R&A aims to settle the matter before the weekend.

"Should a change arise, we would announce it within the next 48 hours," Darbon said.

"Currently we remain satisfied with the timings. Any adjustment would stay minor.

"Talks with broadcasters matter greatly, as does managing the on-site crowd safely and securely.

"We do not anticipate major revisions and will keep the situation under review before confirming plans after the semifinal."

The Open employs a three-hole playoff decided by aggregate score, followed by sudden-death holes if players remain tied.

Golf's oldest major last required a playoff 11 years ago when Zach Johnson prevailed at St Andrews in 2015.

Supporters who breach conduct rules at Birkdale will be removed from the venue, Darbon reiterated on Wednesday.

Recent crowd behaviour has drawn criticism, notably at last year's Ryder Cup where Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry endured verbal abuse in New York.

This year's US Open on Long Island also saw champion Wyndham Clark targeted by unruly spectators.

Criticism has extended beyond American galleries.

At the 2023 Open at Royal Liverpool, winner Brian Harman faced heckling from home supporters backing local favourite Tommy Fleetwood.

"We have stated clearly that behaviour falling short of standards will result in removal from the site," Darbon said.

"We hope it does not reach that point. Passion and energy from supporters are welcome, yet action will follow any breach."

Players likewise understand their duty to model proper conduct and may incur penalties for unacceptable displays of frustration.

At last month's US Open, Chile's Joaquin Niemann became the first player penalised under the new code of conduct for major championships introduced in 2026.

Niemann received a two-shot penalty for throwing his sand wedge and nearly missed the cut.

"Any incident we view as egregious and contrary to the sport's values will prompt action," Darbon added.

"Our procedures are clear, with walking referees assigned to every group so we can assess and respond promptly."