4 July 2026
England's Mexico Kickoff Could Switch to Beat the Heat
The Guardian reports that England's last-16 clash in Mexico City may be moved to a much earlier local time to avoid dangerous afternoon temperatures.
England's round of 16 meeting with Mexico could be moved from its original evening slot to noon local time in Mexico City, according to The Guardian. The reported change would shift the UK kickoff from the early hours to a more watchable 7pm, but the real driver is the sweltering heat that has already caused problems at this tournament.
The Guardian notes that storm disruption earlier in the competition, including a two-hour delay to France's group stage fixture in Philadelphia, has informed officials thinking about flexible scheduling. No official announcement confirming the change had been made at the time of the report.
England's coaching staff appear ready to embrace whatever comes. The Guardian quotes assistant manager Anthony Barry, who laid out a philosophy of total adaptability last November, repeating the phrase bring it on for every obstacle a deep World Cup run can throw at a squad.
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