World Cup 2026: England v Mexico could move because of storm threat

England had been set to take on Mexico at the Azteca at 6pm local time

England's World Cup last-16 tie with Mexico is set to be moved to 19:00 BST on Sunday.

Fifa is understood to be bringing forward the game at Azteca, Mexico City, which had been scheduled to kick off at 01:00 BST on Monday (18:00 local time on Sunday).

Forecasts suggest there could be thunderstorms and heavy rain around that time, though Fifa is yet to provide any explanation for the change.

Under tournament safety rules, any lightning strikes detected within eight miles of the stadium result in an automatic 30-minute delay to play.

France's group-stage fixture against Iraq was delayed for over two hours because of safety concerns amid adverse weather conditions in Philadelphia.

Fifa regulations for World Cup 2026 state it has the right to "cancel, reschedule or relocate" matches "at its sole discretion".

'Not ideal but it doesn't really matter'

Asked at England's training session on Friday about the possibility of the game being moved, winger Marcus Rashford said the change was "not ideal" but the squad would deal with it.

"I think for us it's the same how we prepare for the game," he said. "It has to be the same.

"We have to be focused. We have to be ready for anything. I think it's one of our strengths as a group.

"Everyone, including the players and staff... we are ready for whatever challenges get thrown at us. So obviously it's not ideal but also it doesn't really matter."

The build-up to Sunday's fixture has been dominated by talk about Mexico's record at the Estadio Azteca and how England's players will deal with the altitude.

The arena sits 7,220ft (2,240m) above sea level, and Mexico have lost just twice in 89 matches at the iconic stadium.

At that altitude, the Earth's barometric pressure is lower, making the air thinner and meaning less oxygen is taken into the bloodstream with each breath.

Even for professional footballers, that has a potentially significant impact - increased heart rate, shortness of breath, dehydration, quicker and more intense fatigue.

The fixture had been set to start in the early evening, when temperatures were forecast to be about 20C.

However, a midday kick-off is expected to see temperatures hit highs of about 26C, which will theoretically make conditions even more difficult.

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