England are set to face Mexico in the World Cup 2026 Round of 16 during the early hours of Monday, but the 1am UK kick-off time could be delayed due to thunderstorms in Mexico City
The eagerly awaited World Cup 2026 last-16 match between England and Mexico is officially set to kick off at 1am UK time on Monday, July 6.
Despite a flurry of recent speculation suggesting the contrary, FIFA has confirmed that the timing remains entirely as per the tournament’s original broadcast schedule – but now it appears that weather conditions in Mexico could potentially affect the start time.
The two countries are due to face off at the legendary Azteca Stadium, nestled in the heart of Mexico City. Severe thunderstorms and highly disruptive weather conditions are currently predicted to strike the Mexican capital just as the match is scheduled to commence.
The Sun reported that supporters have already begun posting photos and videos of the heavy weather, with one individual commenting: “24 hours before #ENGMEX biblical rain in Mexico City – forecast more of the same tomorrow around same time. Game should be done by breakfast time Monday morning..”, reports the Manchester Evening News.
Another added: “Heavy rains are being reported this afternoon in the City of #Mexico, and tomorrow the likelihood of rain remains high, just like this afternoon and evening. So it’s no surprise that there are updates regarding the match.”
And another added: “Torrential rain and thunderstorms here in Mexico City ahead of tomorrow’s R16 game between England and Mexico. With a similar forecast tomorrow, there are concerns the match scheduled for Sun 1800 local (Mon 0100UK) could be disrupted.”
While FIFA has yet to officially comment to confirm or refute these reports, their regulations state that they reserve the right to “cancel, reschedule or relocate” matches “at its sole discretion”.
This comes as hundreds of pubs were gearing up to extend their opening hours to accommodate fans keen to watch the match, following Sir Keir Starmer’s decision to allow them to remain open until 5am.
The match is due to kick off at 6pm local time, which equates to 1am on Monday for those tuning in from the UK, despite initial plans to alter the timings. FIFA had intended to bring the start time forward by six hours due to the impending threat of thunderstorms around kick-off.
However, following vehement objections from both Mexico and England, a reversal was made and the original kick-off time stands. This means that England supporters will have to stay up into the wee hours to catch the match, although due to the weather conditions, it may not commence at 1am.
Mexico’s national weather service, the Servicio Meteorologico Nacional, has stated that as of Sunday afternoon, there is an 80 per cent likelihood of thunderstorms from 4pm in Mexico City – two hours prior to kick-off.
This is expected to persist throughout the day, and according to Talk Sport, there remains a genuine possibility that kick-off could be postponed. Mexico are well-acquainted with delays, having seen their 2-0 last 32 clash against Ecuador pushed back by an hour due to a thunderstorm.
The primary worry is lightning, with regulations in the United States dictating that play must cease if a strike occurs within eight miles of a stadium. Players would then exit the pitch and supporters would take cover in the stands, with a 30-minute countdown beginning.
Should another lightning strike happen within eight miles of the stadium, this countdown restarts. Once 30 minutes have elapsed without a strike, supporters can return to their seats and players can head back onto the pitch.
FIFA apparently cannot establish their own regulations regarding these situations and must adhere to guidance from local authorities.