England vs Mexico World Cup Clash Delayed by Hour Due to Severe Weather
The Round of 16 match between England and Mexico at the 2026 FIFA World Cup was delayed by one hour on Sunday due to adverse weather conditions. The game, originally scheduled to kick off at 6 pm local time at the Mexico City Stadium, was pushed back to 7 pm (6:30 am IST).
FIFA had earlier considered moving the kickoff to noon to avoid the forecasted storms but ultimately decided to keep the original schedule. However, as the storm intensified, match officials determined a delay was necessary for player and spectator safety.
This was not the first weather-related disruption at this venue. Earlier in the tournament, a thunderstorm over the Mexico City Stadium area delayed the Round of 32 clash between Mexico and Ecuador. According to the Associated Press, the storm began two hours before that knockout match was set to begin.
The delay forced fans to wait out the rain under shelter, while grounds crews worked to keep the pitch playable. Both teams used the extra time for last-minute preparations. The match eventually got underway without further incident.
The encounter was highly anticipated, with England aiming to build on their group-stage performance and Mexico hoping to capitalize on home support. The winner would advance to the quarter-finals.
