England's round-of-16 match against Mexico will kick off as originally scheduled after FIFA reversed course on a plan to move the game. The match is set for 18:00 local time Sunday in Mexico City, which is 01:00 BST Monday morning.
According to BBC Sport, FIFA had proposed moving the fixture to 19:00 BST on Sunday, which is 12:00 local time. Weather forecasts suggested there could be thunderstorms at that time, though FIFA provided no official explanation for the proposed change. Sources told BBC Sport that FIFA had been set to reschedule the match and confirm it in a statement before the plan became public.
News of the proposal angered officials from both the English and Mexican football associations. The Football Association requested time to review the weather forecast in more detail. Talks between FIFA and the two associations followed, and concerns were raised over the impact on player preparation, fan travel, and the logistics of moving a match of that scale on short notice.
FIFA maintained throughout that no decision had been made. After pushback from both associations, the governing body confirmed the match would remain at its original kickoff time. FIFA regulations for the 2026 World Cup state that it has the right to cancel, reschedule, or relocate matches at its sole discretion.
BBC Sport first contacted the FA at 19:00 BST Friday following reports the fixture was being rescheduled. At that point, the FA had not received any information suggesting a change was planned. Within half an hour, FIFA informed the FA it was exploring the possibility. The reports broke as England's players were finishing training at their Kansas City base.
Officials felt it was too late to reschedule and were upset they had been left without information. England's players were more measured in their public responses. Winger Marcus Rashford, asked about the possible move as he left the training pitch, called it "not ideal" but said the squad would manage. "I think for us it's the same how we prepare for the game," he said. "It has to be the same."
Reports in Mexico claimed the BBC was involved in lobbying around an earlier kickoff time. A BBC spokesperson said the corporation was "not involved in these discussions."
The match will be broadcast live on BBC TV, BBC iPlayer, BBC Radio 5 Live, and the BBC Sport website and app.
