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The 2026 World Cup clash between England and co-hosts Mexico will not see any alteration to its scheduled kick-off time.

The fixture between Mexico and England in Mexico City will begin at 6:00pm local time on Sunday, corresponding to a 1:00am start on Monday in British Summer Time. This late-night schedule marks England’s latest kick-off of the tournament, prompting Three Lions manager Thomas Tuchel to urge parents to allow their children to stay up into the early hours to watch the game.

Weather forecasts predict thunderstorms around Mexico City Stadium on Sunday evening, leading to speculation that the round of 16 tie could face disruptions due to adverse conditions.

Reports from Mexican broadcaster Claro Sports suggested that FIFA and local officials had considered adjusting the schedule to avoid potential weather-related delays during a period known for frequent storms.

According to the broadcaster, “The match will now be played at 12:00pm Central Time (Mexico), instead of 6:00pm as originally planned.”

They added, “This is due to the National Meteorological Service’s forecast of thunderstorms in Mexico City on Sunday.”

A six-hour shift would have meant a 7:00pm kick-off in the United Kingdom, which would have been welcomed by many England fans watching from home but created significant logistical challenges for those attending the game in person.

The proposed change would have mirrored the kick-off time of the 1986 World Cup meeting between England and Argentina—famously remembered for Diego Maradona’s two goals, including the controversial Hand of God strike—also held at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City.

England have previously benefited from fixture relocations in World Cup history. In the 1966 tournament, their semi-final against Portugal was originally scheduled for Goodison Park in Liverpool but was later moved by FIFA to Wembley Stadium. In that match, Bobby Charlton scored both goals for England, while Eusébio netted a late penalty for Portugal.

Goodison Park instead hosted the other semi-final between West Germany and the Soviet Union.

Had Sunday’s match between Mexico and England been rescheduled, it would have overlapped with the round of 16 encounter between Brazil and Norway, set for 9:00pm UK time in New Jersey. Any change might have forced further adjustments to that game’s timing. The Brazil match will be televised on ITV, while the BBC holds broadcasting rights for England’s fixture.

Claro Sports reported, “This would affect the plans of both teams, as they would also have to modify their activities already planned for Saturday, the day before the match, as well as their training sessions and travel arrangements.”

They further noted, “The situation is not new for the Mexican national team at the 2026 World Cup. The match against Ecuador, played last Sunday at the Azteca Stadium, was delayed by an hour due to an electrical storm in the capital, before the side led by Javier Aguirre secured a 2-0 victory.”

England, meanwhile, face the challenge of competing at high altitude and have chosen to prioritise recovery at their base in Kansas City over extensive acclimatisation efforts ahead of their visit to the Azteca.

Although FIFA retains the authority to reschedule World Cup fixtures, it has now been officially confirmed that the Mexico vs England kick-off will remain unchanged.