The Mexican Football Federation has confirmed that the World Cup round-of-16 match between England and Mexico in Mexico City will kick off at its originally scheduled time of 1 a.
m. BST on July 4, 2026.
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The announcement ends hours of confusion over a possible schedule change.
Discussions had taken place between FIFA, the Football Association, and the Mexican federation about moving the match six hours earlier to midday local time.
The talks were prompted by thunderstorm forecasts and concerns over supporter safety.
Security and Weather Concerns
Armed police have been deployed around the England team's hotel after fans directed hostile chants at the squad upon their arrival.
Organizers initially struggled to manage the situation while private negotiations continued.
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Local residents noted that afternoon storms are common in the host city during summer. A Mexican broadcaster cited the thunderstorm forecast as the reason for the potential rescheduling.
Locals described the severe weather as "like clockwork."
Tournament organizers cited the "risk of flooding" as a key factor in the discussions. FIFA sources indicated that internal talks faced logistical complications.
The BBC stated it was not involved in the scheduling discussions. Reports from The Athletic suggested FIFA aimed to reduce fan drinking by avoiding an evening fixture.
In other tournament news, Argentina advanced after an extra-time win over Cape Verde, with Lionel Messi scoring his seventh goal.
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Argentina will face Egypt, who beat Australia on penalties. Colombia defeated Ghana 1-0 to set up a round-of-16 match against Switzerland.
