England v Mexico to kick off as scheduled

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England's World Cup last-16 tie against Mexico will kick off as scheduled at 01:00 BST on Monday 

This announcement comes after Fifa reversed plans to bring the match forward.

Author | George B

Football's world governing body held talks with the English and Mexican football associations on Friday after proposing the fixture be moved to 19:00 BST on Sunday (12:00 local time).

Weather forecasts indicated there could be thunderstorms at that time, although Fifa did not provide an explanation for the proposed change.

Sources told different media outlets that Fifa had been preparing to reschedule the match and confirm the decision in a statement, but the proposal prompted a strong reaction from officials representing both England and Mexico.

The Football Association requested additional time to examine the weather forecast in greater detail.

As discussions continued, concerns were raised over the impact on player preparation, supporter travel and the logistical challenges of rearranging a World Cup knockout match at such short notice.

Back to where we started

The game in Mexico City will now go ahead at its original kick-off time of 18:00 local time on Sunday.

Fifa's regulations for the 2026 World Cup state that it has the authority to "cancel, reschedule or relocate" matches "at its sole discretion".

The proposed change was first reported by local media in Mexico.

Fifa insisted that no final decision had been made and, following objections from both football associations, opted to keep the fixture at its original kick-off time.

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