England were due to play Mexico in the last 16 clash at 1am UK time

England’s last-16 World Cup clash with Mexico has been delayed by one hour due to thunderstorms at the Estadio Azteca.

The match was due to kick-off at 6pm local time (1am UK), but with the threat of lightning in the area, the stadium activated its thunderstorm protocol less than an hour before then and the game will now commence at 7pm (2am UK).

A FIFA statement read: “Due to adverse weather conditions in Mexico City, including risk caused by lightning in the vicinity of the stadium, the kick-off of the FIFA World Cup 2026 round of 16 match between Mexico and England has been delayed to 19.00 local time (21:00 EDT).

“The safety and security of all individuals is FIFA’s priority. We thank all fans for their understanding and cooperation.”

The delay is another challenge for England to deal with ahead of a crunch match, where they have to battle Mexico’s home advantage and the altitude.

The storm has at least cooled the air down, with temperatures at 20 degrees.