Sources: Mexico vs. England to KO six hours early

play Gomez: Mexico should be favorites vs. England (1:56), Tom Hamilton Close Tom Hamilton Senior Writer• Joined ESPN in 2011 • Covered two Olympics, a pair of Rugby World Cups and two British & Irish Lions tours • Previously rugby editor, and became senior writer in 2018, Lizzy Becherano Jul 3, 2026, 03:29 PM ET MEXICO CITY -- FIFA is in ongoing discussions about potentially bringing forward the kickoff time for Mexico and England's World Cup round-of-16 clash Sunday because of the risk of weather disruption including flooding, sources told ESPN. World soccer's governing body is considering switching the kickoff time at Mexico City's Azteca Stadium to noon local time (2 p.m. ET and 7 p.m. in the U.K.), sources said. That's six hours earlier than originally planned. FIFA took lessons from last year's Club World Cup, which was blighted by six major weather delays in 63 matches. And it is keen to avoid a repeat of Mexico's clash with Ecuador at the same venue in the round of 32, when the kickoff time was delayed by an hour because of thunderstorms. - 2026 FIFA World Cup match schedule: Fixtures, results, features - Mexico insider: This is how England can break down World Cup co-hosts - England World Cup philosophy, made famous in the NBA, faces agonizing examination at Mexico altitude Article 6.9 of FIFA's World Cup regulations states: "FIFA has the right to cancel, reschedule or relocate one or more matches (or the entire FIFA World Cup 2026) for any reason at its sole discretion, including as a result of force majeure or due to health, safety or security concerns." Mexico coach Javier Aguirre spoke out against changing the kickoff time. "It's a kick in the gut; now we must change everything. It's not that all the work goes down the drain -- though it's close -- because you're having to scrap six hours of scheduled planning. I don't like it at all," Aguirre told Radio Formula. "Obviously, we'll abide by what FIFA says, but neither my players nor I are happy about it." Rescheduling the match could also affect England's preparations. The Three Lions are scheduled to arrive late Friday and will hold their Saturday training session at the UNAM Pumas grounds in the south of the capital, leaving them with significantly less time to acclimate to the Mexican capital's high elevation before kickoff. Azteca Stadium sits at more than 7,300 feet above sea level. For elite athletes to perform at their peak at high altitude, a period of adaption is required to reduce fatigue caused by lower atmospheric pressure and reduced oxygen availability, experts say. Sports scientists generally recommend an extended acclimation period of at least two weeks, or the "fly-in, fly-out" method of arriving as close to game time as possible before acute symptoms set in. "My understanding is that we cannot adapt to the altitude," England coach Thomas Tuchel said Wednesday. "That is just a huge advantage that Mexico will have. It just takes too much time. "We have only three days in between [the round-of-32 win over Congo DR and the Mexico game]. This is physically just not possible to adapt to the altitude, which is quite high." However, reacting to news of the potential time change, England playmaker Morgan Rogers played down the impact. "It's just another obstacle to overcome. We'll be ready regardless of the time," he said. "Earlier the better because you want to play. There is enough thinking about what is going to happen and the buildup -- you just want to play the game. "Getting that adrenaline out there will help us and get us going and playing. We're looking forward to it whatever the time is. "I'm not concerned about it, but won't be happy if it wakes me up, I'll be honest," Rogers added. "We'll deal with it as best as possible. It's another obstacle to get over." PA and The Associated Press contributed to this report.