England's World Cup last 16 clash with Mexico will STAY at 1am UK time after a farcical few hours in which it was reported the game kick off at 7pm UK time.
The risks of weather disruption with thunderstorms and flooding likely led to suggestions from Mexican media the match could instead begin seven hours earlier at 12noon local time (7pm UK time).
FIFA had yet to confirm any change when the reports surfaced and both the Mexican FA and The Football Association were unaware of the potential timing changes.
Gary Neville hits out at FIFA amid potential Mexico-England change
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Thomas Tuchel and his squad took off from their Kansas City base for Mexico City not knowing if their last-16 showdown would be brought forward six hours or not.
But after backlash from both teams, it was determined that any such change inside 48 hours was logistically impossible at such short notice due to planning alongside police, military, both teams, officials and supporters.
An earlier kick-off time would have risked a detrimental impact on the Three Lions' plans due to the air quality in Mexico City being denser earlier during the day.
It was later confirmed that the game would kick off at 6pm local time (1am UK time) and not be moved.
When the news initially broke the Mexican coach Javier Aguirre was angry at the idea the game could be moved.
In an interview with Radio Formula, he raged: "It's a kick in the stomach. This changes everything.
"They informed me about it here, I don't agree, FIFA calls the shots and we have to swallow garlic and water."
Amid the confusion, former Manchester United and England defender Gary Neville hit out at FIFA for the unprecedented situation just two days before the game.
"I would find it disruptive as a player. Conditions are huge for England in a tournament. We know that. We talk about heat a lot," he told ITV.
"Playing at 12pm in Mexico versus playing at 6pm is very, very different. So for the players, for our players, it's worse - let's be really clear. It's a sporting disadvantage to England.
"I've never seen it before. FIFA are just willy nilly moving a game."@GNev2 discusses England's potential Round of 16 schedule change... pic.twitter.com/CNFukRU9XrJuly 3, 2026
"There's a sporting integrity issue here as well because I've never seen a League Two game moved. I've never seen a Sunday league game moved back. FIFA are just willy-nilly sort of making it up and moving a game, it just feels a little bit sort of strange.
"You can put fan safety at the heart of it but ultimately this is a stadium that's had these type of conditions before where they would have a procedure in place to be able to deal with that.
"We know there might be disruptions in games. My brother was managing Inter Miami a couple of years ago. I came to watch a game over here in the middle of the summer and it was disrupted for an hour.
"Everyone's used to that, they all go underneath [the stands] and get shelter. But to move a game two days out, I've never seen that at any level of football ever."
Mexico's last-32 tie with Ecuador was delayed due to an electrical storm while France's group stage encounter with Iraq was also held up for two hours by thunderstorms.
