ไทย
English
中國人
The 2026 World Cup round of 16 clash between Mexico and England at the Estadio Azteca on Sunday is still set to begin at the originally scheduled time of 6 p.m. (local), 7 p.m. ET.
The World Cup schedule was thrown into disarray on Friday when local reports first indicated that FIFA was seriously considering moving the kickoff forward by several hours. Soccer's global governing body holds the authority to unilaterally modify the schedule, and the threat of thunderstorms and flooding in Mexico City during the match prompted a proposal to shift the start time from 6 p.m. to noon.
That would have likely meant sidestepping the worst of the anticipated weather later in the day.
The midday temperature in Mexico City on Sunday is expected to reach 70F (21C), with humidity sitting at a comfortable 59% at that hour. Playing in those conditions would have posed no issues, a sharp contrast to the sweltering heat currently gripping several American host cities.
There was certainly a silver lining for England supporters back home as well. The match kicks off at 1 a.m. BST on Sunday night into Monday morning, requiring fans to either stay up through the night or catch up afterward. The proposed change would have moved the start to 7 p.m. BST instead.
Why Mexico vs. England Will Kick Off As Planned
Complications emerged when it became apparent that neither England's Football Association nor the Mexican Football Federation had been informed by FIFA before news of the expected change went public. It was only after journalists pressed both bodies for comment and reaction that either organization became aware, leaving them scrambling to seek clarification from FIFA about what was happening.
The extremely short notice was a significant point of contention, with knock-on effects for logistics and English supporters, some of whom had arranged to arrive in Mexico City on the morning of the match. The England squad boarded a flight out of Kansas City on Friday without knowing what time the game would be played. Mexico manager Javier Aguirre publicly criticized the decision to change the kickoff on national radio.
Questions were also raised as to why no similar weather-related accommodation had been considered for Paraguay vs. France, scheduled to be played in intense heat in Philadelphia on Saturday. Temperatures in the city are forecast to peak at 100F (38C) two hours before kickoff, barely easing by the time the match begins.
The scheduling overlap between Mexico vs. England and Brazil vs. Norway was also something organizers and broadcasters were keen to avoid.
In the U.K., the BBC stood to benefit significantly from an earlier kickoff, given the potential to attract the largest live television audience of the year so far, but was compelled to deny allegations of "lobbying" FIFA to adjust the schedule in England's favor as conspiracy theories began to spread.
Following frantic and reportedly "heated" discussions between FIFA and both national federations, the proposed change was reversed and the original match schedule was reinstated.
For England fans at home who won't be staying up through the night, a full replay of the match will be available to watch as though it were live, starting at 7.10 a.m. BST on Monday morning.
WIN FIFA WORLD CUP 2026™ FINAL TICKETS & OTHER PRIZES
How Weather Conditions Could Affect Mexico vs. England
Should thunderstorms — a routine daily occurrence in Mexico City at this time of year — strike during the match, play could be subject to delays.
In the interest of player, staff, and spectator safety, any lightning detected within an eight-mile radius of the stadium triggers an automatic 30-minute delay, with the clock resetting if further strikes occur. A full 30-minute window free of lightning is required before play can resume.
Enable functional cookies to see this feature.
England's final pre-tournament friendly against Costa Rica in Orlando last month was held up by an hour due to an electrical storm. Up to six matches at last summer's Club World Cup in the United States also suffered weather-related interruptions, while one game each in the U.S. and Mexico have already experienced weather delays at this summer's World Cup.