The World Cup last-16 match between Mexico and England will kick off at 6pm local time on Sunday, as originally scheduled, after a tumultuous 24 hours in which FIFA considered, and then abandoned, a plan to move the game forward by six hours. The governing body never issued a public statement, but by Friday evening both federations had been informed that the evening slot would stand, ending a sequence of leaks, denials and recriminations that had engulfed the tournament’s knockout phase.

The initial push for a midday start, first reported by Mexican media, was driven by forecasts of severe thunderstorms and flooding in Mexico City, conditions that had already delayed Mexico’s round-of-32 victory over Ecuador by an hour. Behind the scenes, however, multiple sources indicated that commercial considerations also played a role: an earlier kick-off would place the match in prime time for British television audiences, rather than the small hours of Monday morning. The proposal drew immediate fire from both camps. Mexico manager Javier Aguirre, speaking to Radio Fórmula, described the change as “a kick in the gut” that would force his staff to rip up meticulously laid plans for meals, rest and activation. “Nobody consulted me and I’m quite angry,” he said, adding that the team had performed superbly in the evening slot throughout the tournament.

England’s reaction was equally sharp. Manager Thomas Tuchel had already flagged the altitude of the Azteca — 2,240 metres above sea level — as a “big disadvantage” that his squad could not physiologically adapt to in four days. The prospect of losing further preparation time, and of playing in hotter midday temperatures, was seen by the English camp as an unacceptable sporting handicap. British media noted that the Football Association was caught off guard by the reports, learning of the potential switch through Mexican outlets rather than official channels. Former England defender Gary Neville called the episode “disruptive” and questioned FIFA’s “willy nilly” approach, arguing it created a sporting integrity issue.

The reversal, confirmed by sources close to the discussions, came after both federations formally objected. Brazilian officials had also been monitoring the situation, as any change to the Mexico-England kick-off risked compressing the schedule with Brazil’s own last-16 tie against Norway in New York, which could have been pushed back by an hour. The episode is the latest weather-related disruption at a tournament already marked by lengthy delays: France’s group match against Iraq was suspended for over two hours due to lightning, and FIFA’s own regulations grant it broad discretion to reschedule matches for safety reasons. Yet the chaotic handling of the Mexico-England affair has left a sour taste, with Aguirre’s blunt language capturing a sense of powerlessness felt by teams on the ground.

With the schedule now settled, England will travel to Mexico City on Friday evening, keeping their hotel location secret after Ecuador’s squad was kept awake by noisy fans before their match. The winner of Sunday’s contest will face either Brazil or Norway in the quarter-finals in Miami.