England's World Cup fate hangs in the balance as a severe storm forecast threatens to disrupt their crucial last-16 clash against co-hosts Mexico at the iconic Estadio Azteca. Despite earlier reports of potential kick-off time changes, the match remains set to begin at 6pm local on Sunday, with UK viewers tuning in from 1am BST on Monday.
The Mexican Football Association and FIFA had reportedly considered advancing the kick-off by six hours, but this proposal was withdrawn after both England and Mexico lodged objections. Sources close to FIFA confirmed that no official decision to reschedule was made, and the governing body will closely monitor the developing weather situation.
Current forecasts paint a worrying picture for the match period in Mexico City. Temperatures are expected to hover around 17C at kick-off, with a 69% chance of rain escalating to 70% by 7pm local time. AccuWeather predicts a 49% chance of rain at kick-off, but highlights a risk of thunderstorms hitting around 8pm local time.
Thousands of fans are expected to arrive at the 80,000-seater Estadio Azteca from 3pm local time, coinciding with a rise in the chance of rain above 50%. The probability of a thunderstorm is estimated to be around 80% during this pre-match window. Notably, the stadium's canopy only covers about 80% of the seating area, leaving the pitch exposed to the elements.
Tournament safety regulations stipulate that any lightning strikes detected within an eight-mile radius will trigger an automatic 30-minute delay. This protocol has been triggered in previous matches, including Mexico's recent game against Ecuador at the Azteca, which was delayed by an hour due to dangerous lightning activity.
FIFA regulations grant the organisation flexibility to "cancel, reschedule or relocate" matches at its "sole discretion". Discussions on potential contingency plans are reportedly ongoing as the storm forecast continues to intensify.