England vs Mexico World Cup last-16 kick-off time plunged into chaos before U-turn
FIFA considered moving the match forward by six hours due to storm risk, sparking protests from both football associations, before confirming the original 18:00 local time on Sunday.
Match time chaos
England's World Cup last-16 tie against Mexico was thrown into uncertainty on Friday after a chaotic five-and-a-half-hour period. FIFA initially planned to bring the kick-off forward by six hours, from 18:00 local time (01:00 BST Monday) to 12:00 (20:00 French time), because of a risk of thunderstorms and flooding in Mexico City. The proposal drew immediate anger from the English and Mexican football associations. By the end of the day, FIFA reversed course and confirmed the match would start as originally scheduled.
- FIFA proposes moving England-Mexico kick-off from 18:00 to 12:00 local time due to storm risk.
- English and Mexican football associations protest the change.
- FIFA confirms the match will stay at the original 18:00 kick-off time.
Weather threat
The move was prompted by forecasts of severe storms. A source close to the matter told AFP that FIFA was "conducting discussions to bring forward the kick-off time due to the risk of weather disruptions, particularly flooding." The Azteca stadium had already seen a one-hour delay during Mexico's round-of-16 win over Ecuador on Tuesday because of heavy storms. The earlier start would also have affected the scheduling of the day's other last-16 tie, Brazil vs Norway in East Rutherford.
Security and fan fervour
Local authorities announced that more than 17,000 police officers would be deployed to prevent unrest in the streets of Mexico City on Sunday. The match has ignited huge enthusiasm across the country after Mexico's historic qualification for the knockout stage. A slogan, "Y si sí?" ("And why not?"), has gone viral on social media, capturing a generation of supporters daring to dream of a World Cup triumph.
And why not? And if Pumas are champions?
The phrase was first uttered by Pumas UNAM coach Efraín Juárez during the Clausura 2026 season and has since been adopted by the national team's fans, appearing on Adidas merchandise and in thousands of celebratory videos online.
