Mexico-England World Cup match delayed an hour by severe weather

Mexico-England World Cup match delayed an hour by severe weather

A thunderstorm in Mexico City forced a one-hour delay for the World Cup round of 16 match between Mexico and England on Sunday, July 5, 2026. The fixture at Estadio Azteca, originally scheduled for 18:00 local time, was pushed back to 19:00 local time (9 p.m. ET).

The delay followed a shelter-in-place order issued at the stadium as severe weather moved into the area. Big screens inside the Azteca alerted attendees to an approaching electrical storm, directing fans to remain in their seats or move to the concourse to seek cover from a heavy downpour. According to reporters on site, loud thunder echoed across southern Mexico City shortly before the warning appeared.

Under the safety protocols followed in Mexico and the United States—which utilize recommendations from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)—play cannot begin until 30 minutes have passed since lightning was last detected within an eight-mile radius of the stadium. If a new strike is detected within that distance, the 30-minute countdown resets. Once the time has elapsed, players are permitted a short warm-up before the game starts.

This is the second time Mexico has faced such disruptions in this tournament. During a group-stage match against Ecuador, El Tri's contest was also subject to a one-hour delay due to lightning and stormy conditions. Other tournament games have seen similar issues; a match between France and Senegal experienced a half-time delay of nearly two hours because of thunderstorms and heavy showers.

The scheduling of the Mexico-England tie was a point of contention leading up to the match. Fifa held talks with the English and Mexican football associations on Friday after proposing the game be moved to 12:00 local time (19:00 BST). This proposal reportedly angered officials from both nations.

According to sources, the English Football Association requested time to review weather forecasts in detail while both associations discussed logistics, fan travel, and the impact on player preparation. Although local media in Mexico first reported the proposed change, Fifa eventually reversed the decision and maintained the original kick-off time after pushback from the two federations.

Separate from weather concerns, organizers had previously considered moving the kick-off to midday due to crowd safety. This followed an incident where four people died during celebrations after Mexico defeated Ecuador.

Despite the weather delays, team lineups have been set. Mexico manager Javier Aguirre will use the same starting eleven from the 2-0 victory over Ecuador, featuring 17-year-old creative midfielder Gilberto Mora and leading scorer Julian Quiñones on the left wing.

England will implement three changes to their squad. Jarell Quansah will start at right back, while Anthony Gordon and Bukayo Saka will feature on the wings.

The match will be broadcast via BBC TV, BBC iPlayer, BBC Radio 5 Live and the BBC Sport website and app. While the start has been delayed by one hour, officials noted that the game can be further delayed by half-hour intervals if the storm safety protocol remains in effect.