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Mexico vs. England is likely to be moved six hours earlier to avoid potential storms and flooding in Mexico City on Sunday, which will be welcome news for English supporters watching from home.
The round of 16 fixture at the Estadio Azteca—the iconic venue where England famously succumbed to Diego Maradona's 'Hand of God' and what many consider the greatest World Cup goal ever scored by the same player 40 years ago—was originally set for 6 p.m. local time (8 p.m. ET, 1 a.m. BST) on Sunday, July 5.
However, forecasts of heavy rainfall and possible thunderstorms in the evening have prompted speculation, first reported by local outlets, that the kickoff could be shifted forward by several hours.
Earlier in this tournament, lightning and thunderstorms delayed Mexico's round of 32 victory over Ecuador—also held at the Azteca—before the match even began. France vs. Iraq during the group stage was suspended for two hours at halftime. England also experienced a weather-related delay before a warmup match against Costa Rica in Orlando due to a storm.
A revised kickoff time of 12 p.m. (2 p.m. ET, 7 p.m. BST) would see the game played under more favorable conditions, with a significantly reduced risk of the rain and stormy weather that could disrupt the originally scheduled slot.
For millions of England supporters back home, this represents a major improvement in watchability. Late-night kickoffs have been an unavoidable reality for European fans throughout this World Cup, though England had managed to avoid any start time beyond 10 p.m. BST across their first four games. The round of 16 against Mexico was a different story, originally set to kick off at 1 a.m. BST—in the early hours of a regular working Monday.
The U.K. government acted quickly to accommodate communal viewing, permitting pubs and bars to stay open until the unusually late hour of 5 a.m. BST. Nevertheless, many fans would still have been compelled to skip the live broadcast in favor of sleep, catching up later—with the BBC helpfully planning to air an 'as live' full replay at the more reasonable time of 7:10 a.m. BST.
A rescheduled noon kickoff in Mexico City translates to 7 p.m. in the U.K. (2 p.m. ET), potentially setting the stage for the country's largest live television audience of the year to date. The current 2026 record was set just days ago when a peak of 16.3 million viewers tuned into the BBC to watch the victory over DR Congo.
England's FA Left 'Stunned' by Late Change
Yet while this is significant news for enthusiastic fans at home, it presents a real challenge for those already in North America, as well as for the squad itself.
The Guardian reports that the FA has been left "stunned" that a six-hour shift in kickoff time is even being considered this close to matchday. There was apparently no advance notice from FIFA, with English football's governing body only learning of the anticipated change through media coverage.
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For the England players, the earlier start will disrupt their Sunday routines—including meal timing and the amount of rest they can get beforehand. Travel is less of a concern since FIFA mandates that teams train near the stadium the day before the match. England had always planned to fly from their base in Kansas City to Mexico on Friday and hold training on Saturday.
Traveling supporters, however, face a tougher adjustment. England has played all of their matches so far on U.S. soil, and some fans had reportedly planned to cross the border and arrive in Mexico City on Sunday morning, avoiding the cost of an extra night's stay. With a midday kickoff now on the cards, flying in on the day of the match is simply no longer a viable option.