England’s World Cup date with Mexico is trending toward a kickoff six hours earlier than planned, with FIFA racing to finalize a decision before Sunday’s Round of 16 showdown at Estadio Azteca.
A second match, Brazil against Norway in New Jersey, is now tangled up in the same scheduling scramble, leaving four federations waiting on word from Zurich with less than 48 hours to go. England’s own federation was reportedly caught off guard by the timing of the proposal, with planning for the original evening slot still underway deep into Friday.
According to Alex Crook of TalkSport, “backlash” from both the England and Mexico sides could prevent the kickoff time change. “Now looks like kick off will revert to the original time following a backlash from both Mexico and England camp,” Crook wrote at about 7:20 ET. But still, FIFA had made no announcement by that time, and it is FIFA who will have the final say.
Why Mexico-England Kickoff Time May Move
The Mexico-England match was set for 6 p.m. local time in Mexico City. That’s 8 p.m. ET in the United States, and 1 a.m. in the United Kingdom. Mexico City is one hour behind U.S. Central Time while the United States observes daylight saving time, because most of Mexico does not observe daylight saving time.
Sources told ESPN’s Mark Ogden and Tom Hamilton the England-Mexico kickoff is now on track to shift to noon local time, a six-hour jump designed to dodge a forecasted band of severe weather. FIFA is weighing the move after a string of storm-related delays hit last year’s Club World Cup, according to those same sources.
The move would move kickoff up to 2 p.m. ET in the United States on Sunday, 7 p.m. in the UK.
FIFA’s own tournament rules mandate a minimum 30-minute stoppage any time lightning strikes within eight miles of a stadium, a threshold Mexico’s group-stage match against Ecuador already triggered earlier this week at the same venue.
Forecasts point to temperatures between 73 and 77 degrees Fahrenheit under a high UV index at noon in Mexico City, meaning that there will be a more intense sun than at the originally scheduled evening window, layered on top of Azteca’s altitude of roughly 7,200 feet above sea level.
England forward Marcus Rashford said the squad’s preparation will not change regardless of when the whistle blows.
“It has to remain the same. We have to be focused; we have to be ready for anything,” Rashford told reporters in Kansas, as quoted by Reuters.
Midfielder Morgan Rogers went further, suggesting an earlier kickoff might actually help.
“I don’t think it really affects us,” Rogers said, according to ESPN. “Earlier the better because you want to play.”
Brazil vs. Norway Faces Possible Delay
Brazil’s Round of 16 match against Norway at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, originally slated for 4 p.m. ET, could get pushed back roughly an hour to 5 p.m. if the Mexico City switch is confirmed. A Brazilian Football Confederation spokesperson told Reuters the five-time champions’ match could shift to accommodate broadcast and travel logistics tied to the earlier Mexico kickoff.
FIFA has not yet issued a formal announcement on either match. Both fixtures still show their original start times on official schedules, though decisions are expected quickly given Sunday’s approaching kickoffs.
FIFA’s World Cup regulations give the governing body wide latitude to alter matches for safety reasons, a power it has increasingly leaned on after a tournament-marring stretch of weather postponements during last summer’s Club World Cup. Whatever time the whistle blows Sunday, England and Mexico will do so with FIFA poised to make a change right up until the last minute.
Like HEAVY’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
The post Is England-Mexico’s Sunday Kickoff Time Changing? When Will the Game Start? appeared first on HEAVY.