England’s pivotal World Cup last-16 meeting with Mexico will go ahead at 1am as originally scheduled, following several chaotic hours of uncertainty over a possible late change.
Thomas Tuchel and his players departed for Mexico City without knowing whether the fixture might be moved forward by six hours because of the risk of severe thunderstorms in the area.
The disruption came as a surprise to the Football Association, which learned of the discussions through Mexican media before it was eventually confirmed that the kick-off time would remain unchanged.
The uncertainty began when it emerged that FIFA had been considering shifting the match from 1am on Monday to 7pm on Sunday night, with an even earlier start also understood to have been discussed due to the weather forecast.
However, after concerns were raised by both the England and Mexico camps, officials concluded that altering the schedule with less than 48 hours’ notice would be too difficult. Any change would have required coordination with police, the military, both teams, match officials and supporters.
Supporters were left trying to work out whether travel arrangements might have to be changed at the last minute, while Daily Mail Sport reported that the FA had been taken aback by the prospect of such a significant switch so close to the planned kick-off. The final decision is understood to be welcomed by England’s squad.
An earlier start would have been far more convenient for viewers in England, as well as pubs hoping for a bigger crowd, with many fans otherwise facing a late night before the start of the working week. Instead, those watching from home will still need to stay up into the early hours to see Tuchel’s side play.
England arrived still awaiting formal confirmation, with Tuchel and his staff mindful that detailed preparations for Sunday — including meal schedules and activation sessions — had already been mapped out and could have been thrown into confusion by a late switch.
Prior to an official announcement, England midfielder Morgan Rogers dismissed the importance over the kick-off time possibly changing: ‘It’s just another obstacle to overcome. We’ll take it how it is.
‘Whatever the task is in front of us, whatever problem we face or different thing that we think might be a bit difficult, we’re just going to attack full front.’
England boss Thomas Tuchel will be relieved to know the last-16 match vs Mexico will stay at its original time following hours of discussions over whether to bring it forward by six hours
The news is a blow for those following back at home with kick-off slated for 1am in the UK
Mexican media claimed the match at the Azteca Stadium would be brought forward six hours
Had the game been moved, England were ready to embrace the ‘VUCA’ principles.
Senior staff have spoken about the acronym that stands for ‘Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity’, and the challenges that have to be negotiated. This is an approach adopted by the US Army and was ready to be relayed to the squad in the next 24 hours had FIFA made the seismic time change.
Asked for his reaction to news of a potential rescheduling, England’s Marcus Rashford dismissed suggestions of it causing major problems for Tuchel’s side.
‘For us, it’s the same,’ Rashford said last night.
‘How we prepare for the game has to remain the same. We have to be focused. We have to be ready for anything, and I think it’s a strength of the group – the players, the staff – we’re ready for whatever challenges get thrown at us. Obviously, it’s not ideal, but also it doesn’t matter.’
A move towards a midday kick-off would have seen a slight rise in temperature although, at 22C, conditions would be cool at the Azteca.
An earlier start – at noon local time – would also have reduced the amount of time Tuchel’s players are subjected to altitude, with the match played at 7,300ft above sea level.
FA insiders were ‘surprised’ to hear of the original news storyy through Mexican media rather than from FIFA itself and attempts to get to the bottom were being made while some were en-route to the airport in Kansas City.
News of the proposed kick-off shift went down particularly poorly with the Mexican team, with manager Javier Aguirre particularly incensed. He will be thrilled at the decision not to change times.
‘It’s like a kick in the gut; now everything has to change,’ he told reporters on Friday.
‘It’s not that all the work is going down the drain, but almost, because you’re swallowing up six hours that you had scheduled. I don’t like it at all. Obviously, we’ll abide by what FIFA says, but neither I nor my players like it.
The tournament has already seen matches delayed by the weather but kick-off times have remained the same. In this instance, the potential duration of the storms triggered discussions over whether bringing the match forward is the only practical solution.
It would have been just the latest logistical adaptation for England prior to their impending visit to Mexico City.
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Officials are planning a so-called ‘ring of steel’ around England’s Mexico City hotel – in an attempt to prevent a repeat of the raucous scenes that marred Ecuador’s visit.
Cars, fog horns, fireworks and loud music triggered a miserable night’s sleep for Mexico’s last opponents – and a complaint to FIFA.
However, it is understood that a series of measures are expected to be put in place to try and ensure Tuchel and his players do not face similar problems on the eve of their last-16 battle.
Keir Starmer has been criticised for a U-turn on pub licensing hours for the England match
The original kick-off time of 6pm local, 1am in England, caused major logistical problems for pubs eager to show the game having had great success for England matches during the tournament so far.
After a drawn out Thursday, departing PM Keir Starmer made a significant u-turn to allow pubs to remain open until 5am to facilitate showing the last-16 match.
But Starmer was today accused of making his U-turn on opening pubs for England’s World Cup game against Mexico too late after he bowed to popular opinion.
The National Police Chiefs’ Council criticised the timing of the Prime Minister’s move to let pubs stay open until 5am on Monday for the match after the Home Office initially resisted calls from inside government to amend licensing hours.
His late announcement means forces are now having to adapt plans and take officers away from community policing, with more than 1,000 venues staying open late.
Chief Constable Mark Roberts, NPCC lead for football policing, and Acting Chief Constable Scott Green, lead for alcohol licensing, criticised the ‘late announcement’ and asked fans to be considerate to others and drink ‘sensibly’ during the game.
Had FIFA ratified the decision to bring the match forward by six hours, it would have been the very first game of the 2026 World Cup to be rearranged to a different time.
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A large police presence is in place ready for England’s arrival in Mexico City later today
Officials have been working to create a ‘ring of steel’ around the team hotel in Mexico City
News of the alleged time change emerged late on Friday night when Andres Vaca, a commentator for Mexican channel TUDN, and newspaper El Universal claimed sources close to the Mexican national team were aware of a change.
England will, however, still have to deal with the altitude in Mexico City, even if the midday kick-off local time has now been shelved.
The decision was made not to travel to Mexico City immediately after their round of 32 win over DR Congo in Atlanta, due to concerns about spying.
Tuchel and his players returned to their Kansas City base following their dramatic 2-1 victory over DR Congo on Wednesday night, rather than heading straight to their next World Cup destination.
And Daily Mail Sport understands that one of the main reasons for doing so is to ensure Tuchel can set out his tactical blueprint and formation in a secure environment, away from prying eyes.
Throughout the tournament England have been returning to their HQ close to the middle of the US. One of the factors behind the decision to be based in Kansas City is logistical, and the fact that it means they do not have to face any long flights.
However, it is understood that Tuchel is adamant that his plans will not be leaked and that vital preparations including team shape can be held in the most well-guarded place possible.
The possibility of others spying on England has been a key part of planning and it is understood that the view within the camp is that a trip to Mexico City comes with increased risks.
