The last-16 World Cup meeting between England and Mexico will kick off at 6pm local time on Sunday, after a late intervention by the football associations overturned a proposal to bring the match forward by six hours. The threatened move, intended to avoid a band of thunderstorms sweeping across Mexico City, had been floated by broadcasters and local media before being rejected following consultation with both teams. FIFA confirmed that no formal rescheduling decision had been made, but the episode laid bare the meteorological uncertainty hanging over the tournament’s highest-stakes fixture at the Estadio Azteca.

Mexico’s national meteorological service (SMN) and the capital’s civil protection agency (SGIRPC) issued aligned warnings: between 4pm and 8pm, a 60-80% probability of electrical storms, hail, and gusts of up to 50 km/h. Hourly projections show the storm band intensifying around 4pm, with peak severity coinciding with the scheduled kick-off. British models, cited by the BBC and AccuWeather, painted a similar picture, with a 70% chance of rain and thunderstorm activity near the stadium, which sits in the south of the sprawling metropolis. The Azteca, unlike many modern arenas, has no full roof; its canopy shields only 80% of seating.

FIFA’s tournament safety protocol, drawn from NOAA guidelines, mandates an automatic 30-minute suspension for any lightning strike within an eight-mile radius. The clock resets with each new strike, meaning a prolonged electrical storm could push play deep into the night. Mexico’s previous match at the same venue, a group-stage win over Ecuador, was delayed by an hour under the rule. Indonesian media noted that last year’s Club World Cup in the USA saw six matches halted by storms, sometimes for more than two hours. A similar sequence on Sunday would test both squads’ readiness and the patience of an 80,000-strong crowd.

Local authorities urged fans to arrive early, carry waterproofs rather than umbrellas, and identify emergency exits. Forecasters warned of flash flooding and slippery surfaces around the stadium. For England supporters, a delay of even an hour would push the climax of a potential penalty shoot-out beyond 3am BST. The meteorological context adds an extra layer of tension to an already taut knockout tie: England reached this stage by edging DR Congo 2-1, while Mexico have yet to concede a goal at home in the tournament.