MEXICO CITY — England's World Cup round-of-16 match against co-host Mexico at the Estadio Azteca will kick off earlier than originally scheduled because of the threat of severe storms, according to local media reports citing sources familiar with the decision, although FIFA had not officially confirmed the change on Friday.
The match had been due to begin at 6 p.m. local time (0000 GMT Monday), but local reports said kickoff would be brought forward to noon (1800 GMT) amid forecasts for heavy rain, thunderstorms and possible flooding in Mexico City. Mexico's previous World Cup match against Ecuador at the same venue was delayed by an hour because of adverse weather.
When contacted by Reuters, FIFA neither confirmed nor denied that the kickoff time had been changed, leaving uncertainty over the fixture despite multiple reports that preparations were being adjusted for an earlier start.
Weather concerns have become an increasing challenge during the expanded 2026 World Cup, with organizers monitoring forecasts across host cities and applying tournament regulations that allow matches to be rescheduled or relocated when necessary for safety. Forecasts for Sunday indicated a heightened risk of afternoon thunderstorms over Mexico City.
The prospect of an earlier kickoff drew criticism from Mexico coach Javier Aguirre, who said such a late scheduling change would significantly disrupt his team's preparations.
"It's a kick in the gut; now we must change everything," Aguirre told Radio Formula, according to media reports. "Obviously, we'll abide by what FIFA says, but neither my players nor I are happy about it."
Any schedule adjustment would also affect England, whose squad was due to arrive in Mexico City on Friday before holding a final training session on Saturday. England coach Thomas Tuchel has already acknowledged the challenge posed by the Mexican capital's altitude, with limited time available for players to acclimatize before facing the hosts.
The match is one of the marquee ties of the knockout stage, with Mexico seeking to capitalize on home support at the historic Estadio Azteca against an England side that advanced after defeating Democratic Republic of Congo in the previous round. Thousands of traveling England supporters were also expected to be affected by any last-minute schedule alteration.
As of Friday, FIFA had not issued an official statement confirming whether the kickoff time would be changed.
