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Wimbledon organizers have banned World Cup broadcasts from the tournament's screens, but the football has proven impossible to keep out.
Spectators are following matches on their phones between points, and the roars from the football carry into the tennis grounds regardless.
The split attention became obvious on Wednesday, when Harry Kane equalized for England against the Democratic Republic of Congo with 15 minutes left.
A roar followed by applause rippled through Centre Court and No. 1 Court, thousands of miles from the match itself, which was being played in Atlanta.
Czech player Barbora Krejcikova, who beat French Open champion Mirra Andreeva in the second round, joked that she assumed the noise was meant for her.
Wimbledon began on June 29 and runs until July 12, overlapping with most of the month-long World Cup, which is being held across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
On the tournament's opening day, Wimbledon chief executive Sally Bolton said football would not be shown on the outdoor screens where fans gather to watch tennis, nor in the players' area.
She acknowledged that spectators with phones in hand could not be stopped from following the football regardless of the policy.
Tournament director Jamie Baker said the presence of phones has not disrupted the atmosphere at the grounds, framing the moments of crossover attention as light-hearted rather than distracting.
Other, smaller sporting events have rearranged their schedules to avoid direct clashes with World Cup fixtures.
A T20 cricket match between Derbyshire Falcons and Lancashire Lightning was delayed until after the England v DR Congo match had finished.
Wimbledon organizers have shown no indication they would consider similar adjustments, despite some player requests.
Baker said he has received numerous requests from players linked to the World Cup and other matters, adding that scheduling decisions remain guided primarily by competition needs, including ensuring players get equal rest between rounds.
The World Cup has also become a frequent topic of conversation in the locker room.
Spanish player Rafael Jodar, ranked 26th in the world, said he enjoys discussing the tournament with fellow players who follow football, though he avoids the subject with Italian players, whose national team failed to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup. He described a recent practice session with Matteo Berrettini, who did not want to discuss the tournament.
Jodar said he tries to watch some matches, particularly those that do not run too late into the night.
England's last-16 match against Mexico is scheduled to kick off at 3 a.m. (GMT+3) on Monday, a time unlikely to interfere significantly with the day's tennis schedule. The British government has granted pubs special permission to remain open until 7 a.m. (GMT+3) for the occasion.
Asked whether he was concerned staff might arrive hungover the following day, Baker said a few tired people would likely be expected.
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