England World Cup tie with Mexico could be moved earlier for storms

England’s last-16 World Cup tie with Mexico at the Estadio Azteca could be moved six hours earlier to beat thunderstorms and heavy rain forecast for Mexico City around the original evening kick-off. The match is scheduled for Sunday, July 5, 2026, and the reported change would bring it forward from 6 p.m. local time, 0000 GMT and 1 a.m. BST on Monday, to noon local time, 1800 GMT and 7 p.m. BST.

Local media reported the shift on Friday, July 3, 2026, and Reuters said FIFA had not publicly confirmed it at the time. The Independent said the move was being prepared to avoid potential storms, while The Telegraph said it would be bad news for England’s travelling supporters who had planned around the later start. For viewers in the United Kingdom, however, the earlier kick-off would be a major improvement, turning an overnight match into an evening broadcast that could draw far bigger home audiences and pub crowds.

The weather risk is not theoretical. Mexico’s knockout match against Ecuador at the same stadium was delayed by thunderstorms earlier in the tournament, giving organisers a direct precedent for acting before conditions worsen. One report said the storm threat was expected to be strongest in the late afternoon on Sunday, exactly when a 6 p.m. kick-off would leave the match exposed to disruption at a packed, high-stakes venue.

The tie has also taken on added weight because it comes after England advanced past DR Congo and Mexico reached the knockout stage unbeaten. That has made the fixture one of the tournament’s most anticipated, and the decision over the start time now sits at the intersection of player safety, broadcast schedules and tournament integrity. A knock-out match at the Estadio Azteca can be moved in a matter of hours when the weather turns, but the stakes of the choice are much larger than convenience: once the rain arrives, every delay ripples through fans, television plans and the competitive rhythm of the World Cup.