England’s Mexico City World Cup tie could be brought forward over storm fears

England’s World Cup round of 16 tie against hosts Mexico could be moved to an earlier kick-off time, with organisers reportedly weighing up a switch prompted by forecasts of thunderstorms in Mexico City.

The match at the Mexico City Stadium is currently scheduled for 6pm local time on Sunday, which translates to a punishing 1am kick-off on Monday in British Summer Time. That overnight slot is the latest of the tournament so far for the Three Lions and led manager Thomas Tuchel to publicly ask parents to let their children stay up to watch.

Storm fears prompt rethink

According to Mexican broadcaster Claro Sports, thunderstorms are forecast in the area around the stadium on Sunday evening, raising concerns that the fixture could be hit by weather delays if it goes ahead as planned.

Claro Sports reports that FIFA and local authorities are looking at bringing the match forward to minimise the risk of disruption. “The match will now be played at 12:00pm Central Time (Mexico), instead of 6:00pm as originally planned,” the outlet stated. “This is due to the National Meteorological Service’s forecast of thunderstorms in Mexico City on Sunday.”

Were the change confirmed, it would represent a six-hour shift earlier in the day. Based on the existing time difference between Mexico City and the UK, that would mean England’s tie kicking off at around 7pm in British Summer Time on Sunday evening rather than the early hours of Monday morning.

Tuchel’s plea to parents

Tuchel had already flagged the awkward scheduling of England’s latest World Cup fixture, urging parents to allow youngsters to stay up through the night to follow the match given its significance. A change to a Sunday evening kick-off in the UK would come as welcome news to supporters who had been braced for a bleary-eyed watch in the small hours.

Any switch would need to be confirmed with little notice, given the match is due to take place within 48 hours of the report emerging. FIFA has not yet issued official confirmation of a change, and the original 6pm local kick-off remains the scheduled time for now.

What happens next

Weather-related disruption has already been a feature of this summer’s tournament in Mexico, with storms in the region a familiar risk factor for matches at this time of year. Organisers will be keen to avoid a repeat of delays seen earlier in the group stage as the knockout rounds intensify.

England supporters, both in Mexico and back home, will be watching closely for official word from FIFA on any change to kick-off time. A confirmed switch to a midday local start would spare fans an overnight vigil and offer some certainty amid the uncertain forecast hanging over one of the biggest fixtures of England’s World Cup campaign.

Read more: England to get ‘ring of steel’ security in Mexico City after Ecuador sleep sabotage