England vs Mexico World Cup knockout match to go ahead as scheduled

No determination was ever made to reschedule kickoff clip of 6pm section clip successful Mexico City, sources archer Al Jazeera.

Mexico’s knockout lucifer against England volition spell up arsenic scheduled connected Saturday and footwear disconnected astatine 6pm section clip (00:00 GMT connected Sunday), sources told Al Jazeera aft media reports suggested the lucifer could beryllium rescheduled.

Several media outlets reported connected Friday that the fixture could look rescheduling to debar inclement weather, but the determination was not confirmed by FIFA.

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“No determination was ever made to reschedule kickoff time,” sources told Al Jazeera, confirming that enactment astatine the iconic open-air Estadio Azteca volition spell up arsenic scheduled.

Mexican media reported that the lucifer would footwear disconnected astatine noon section clip (18:00 GMT), alternatively than its primitively scheduled 6pm start.

Any alteration to that fixture would, successful turn, person affected the timing of Brazil’s lucifer against Norway successful New York, which was scheduled for 4pm section clip (20:00 GMT).

Mexico’s last-32 lucifer against Ecuador earlier this week was delayed owed to rain.

If the alteration to the Mexico-England crippled had gone ahead, it could person transformed playing conditions. Instead of the comparative chill of an evening kickoff, the teams could person faced the strongest sunshine and highest temperatures of the time successful Mexico City.

Forecasts for Sunday constituent to temperatures of astir 25 degrees Celsius (77 degrees Fahrenheit) astatine midday nether a precocious UV index, adjacent if the capital’s altitude keeps conditions cooler than galore different World Cup venues.

It was reported earlier that FIFA was considering changing the kickoff times of 2 World Cup last-16 matches connected Sunday arsenic terrible weather, including a hazard of flooding, successful Mexico City threatened to disrupt the docket [Isaac Esquivel/ EPA]

Greater carnal challenge

Combined with the stadium’s altitude of astir 2,200 metres, an earlier commencement would person placed an adjacent greater carnal premium connected vigor management.

Sports medicine experts accidental the thinner aerial reduces oxygen availability, accelerating fatigue and making repeated high-intensity sprints much hard for players who are not acclimatised.

Mexico, who person played 3 of their 4 2026 World Cup matches astatine the Azteca truthful acold and are accustomed to surviving and grooming astatine altitude, could payment from the switch.

England manager Thomas Tuchel has already acknowledged the hosts clasp “a immense advantage”, saying his broadside bash not person capable clip to accommodate physiologically earlier the knockout tie.

England guardant Marcus Rashford said the squad would beryllium acceptable immoderate the circumstances, erstwhile asked astir reports of a clip change.

“I deliberation for america it’s the same, you know, however we hole for the game,” helium told reporters successful Kansas City. “It has to stay the same. We person to beryllium focused; we person to beryllium acceptable for anything, and I deliberation it’s 1 spot of the radical and everyone, including the players and the staff.

“We’re acceptable for immoderate challenges get thrown astatine us, truthful … obviously, it’s not ideal, but besides it doesn’t matter.”

England midfielder Morgan Rogers added: “I don’t deliberation it truly affects us. I deliberation we’ll beryllium acceptable careless of the time; earlier astir apt the better, due to the fact that you privation to play it.

“So, yeah, we’re looking guardant to immoderate the clip is, and we’ll beryllium ready.”

Morgan Rogers of England speaks to the media during a quality league astatine Swope Soccer Village connected July 3, 2026, successful Kansas City, Missouri [Kyle Rivas/Getty Images/AFP]