Storms push – Streets around England’s hotel were blocked as Mexico fans gathered, while storms near Estadio Azteca forced an hour-long delay to the Round of 16 match. Kickoff is now 7 p.m. Mexico City time, with teams also carrying lineup decisions shaped by earlier game r
For England’s players, the night wasn’t just about nerves—it was about noise. Police blocked off the hotel where England’s players were staying as Mexico fans gathered to blow their sleep, turning the lead-up to the Round of 16 into an overnight test of focus.
The disruption followed a separate headache for organizers: storms in the area of Estadio Azteca have pushed the Mexico vs. England match back by an hour. The Round of 16 will now kick off at 7 p.m. Mexico City time, which is 9 p.m. ET and 2 a.m. in London.
That timing shift comes after the tournament’s earlier pattern of weather-related delays. Mexico’s Round of 32 match against Ecuador was also subject to an hour-long weather delay, triggered by lighting strikes in the area and stormy conditions that made it unsafe to start as planned.
Kickoff times themselves have already been a point of friction. The start time became the subject of debate when organizers nearly moved kickoff to midday because of crowd safety concerns after four people died in celebrations following Mexico’s victory over Ecuador. After both federations expressed their opposition to the change, the original start time—6 p.m. local—was maintained.
When play begins, Mexico coach Javier Aguirre is expected to stick with the same starting lineup from the 2-0 win over Ecuador. In midfield, 17-year-old Gilberto Mora will again start as a creative player. Julian Quiñones, El Tri’s leading scorer at the World Cup, is also set for the left wing.
England’s response is sharper at the edges. The team makes three changes, with Jarell Quansah stepping in at right back while Bukayo Saka and Anthony Gordon come in on the wings.
The sequence is stark: first. weather forced Mexico to delay its earlier match; now. storms near Estadio Azteca are reshaping when England and Mexico will finally step onto the field. Across both cases, the same question hangs over everything—how to balance safety and timing when conditions don’t cooperate.
Mexico vs England Estadio Azteca World Cup weather delay kickoff time Mexico City time ET London time Javier Aguirre Gilberto Mora Julian Quiñones Jarell Quansah Bukayo Saka Anthony Gordon storms lightning strikes