England vs. Mexico has reportedly been moved forward by six hours by FIFA, but after an evening of speculation, the World Cup final will now be played from 1am on Monday.
England’s last-16 kick-off against Mexico has been rescheduled (Image: The FA via Getty Images)
England’s match against Mexico will remain at its original kick-off time despite talk of late changes from FIFA, leaving both teams angry and clouds gathering.
The Three Lions were due to play their last round of 16 match in Mexico City at 1am on Monday, but due to a threat of storms, the match was moved up by six hours to kick-off at 7pm.
This irritated England. Firstly, because they were left in the dark and found out about the change through the media, but also because it greatly hindered their preparation. Meanwhile, the Three Lions arrived at the team hotel in Mexico on Friday to a hostile reception from supporters, with heavy security also in place at the site.
However, even after England’s players voiced changes regarding the kick-off time, the kick-off time has not yet been confirmed, and FIFA actually decided to stick with the original kick-off time, despite discussing possible adjustments to the running of the match.
Mexican national team coach Javier Aguirre slammed FIFA after hearing that the Azteca match would kick off at noon local time on Sunday.
he told Spanish-Mexican journalist Joaquín López Doriga on Radio Formula. “You’re right. It’s like a punch in the gut. Everything, the plan changes. It’s not completely ruined, but it’s almost ruined, because I have to swallow the six hours of training that I had scheduled.”
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“Of course, we’re going to follow what FIFA says. I don’t like it at all, and neither do the players. Of course, eating, napping, sleeping, physical therapy, everything, everything, it seems trivial, but it’s not.”
England striker Marcus Rashford said: “I think for us it’s the same as preparing for a game. We have to focus. We have to be ready for anything. I think that’s one of our strengths as a group. Everyone, including the players and staff… are ready for whatever challenges are thrown at us. So obviously it’s not ideal, but it doesn’t really matter.”
The original kick-off time means the hotel industry is poised to create a unique atmosphere and amass huge amounts of cash with an unusual start time, following Chancellor Keir Starmer’s decision to keep pubs open until 5am.
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