England vs Mexico World Cup kick-off delay explained as storm hits | Football | Sport
A severe weather warning on the big screen ahead of the FIFA World Cup Round of 16 match at Mexico City Stadium, Mexico (Image: undefined)
England’s World Cup last-16 showdown against Mexico is under threat of disruption after fierce thunderstorms prompted officials to suspend access to the pitch at the Azteca Stadium just hours ahead of kick-off.
Thunder, lightning and torrential downpours swept through Mexico City approximately three hours before the scheduled start of the fixture, triggering the venue’s electrical storm safety protocol.
Under those regulations, no one is permitted onto the playing surface while the storm persists, with members of the media instructed to remain within the stadium’s media centre until conditions improve.
Fans have also been barred from entering the ground, despite the gates having been due to open three hours before kick-off. Players are anticipated to arrive roughly 90 minutes prior to the match.
Officials are believed to be keeping a close eye on the weather, with no decision regarding a potential delay expected until approximately 30 minutes before the scheduled kick-off.
Should conditions remain hazardous, the match would initially be postponed by 30 minutes before being reviewed once more. Additional 30-minute delays could subsequently be enforced until it is considered safe for play to commence.
Those already inside the stadium have described the thunder as deafening, with crashes echoing around the venue. Journalists already seated within the media facilities have been told to remain under cover until the storm passes.
BBC meteorologist Tomasz Schafernaker said: “Thunderstorms and shower clouds have been developing around Mexico City in the last few hours.
“On social media there are reports of downpours affecting parts of the city, however it is difficult to verify if lightning has been occurring close to the football ground itself.
Fans are doing their best to enjoy the build-up to the highly anticipated match (Image: Getty)
“The showers are likely to continue to grow, threatening disruption.
“All eyes on the horizon and fingers crossed the storms stay well away, but it’s a close call. Any storms are likely to linger for hours.
“The severe weather follows a similar incident during Mexico’s round-of-32 victory over Ecuador at the same stadium, when kick-off was delayed by an hour because of storms.”
Earlier in the week, proposals had been tabled to bring Sunday’s fixture forward to midday local time owing to forecasts warning of severe weather later in the day.
However, both England and Mexico rejected the suggestion.
According to reports, worries stretched beyond the weather forecast, with Mexican government officials also understood to have flagged security concerns following the crowd crush that took place after Mexico’s victory over Ecuador, in which four people died.
Senior officials approached FIFA on Thursday to discuss altering the kick-off time in a bid to minimise the risk of a repetition of those tragic scenes. The Football Association is understood to have pushed back against the proposal due to the disruption it would have created for England fans’ travel arrangements, while the Mexican Football Federation similarly objected to the change.
FIFA ultimately resolved to maintain the original kick-off time, though the recent severe thunderstorms mean the scheduling of the fixture remains subject to the prevailing weather conditions in Mexico City.
