England vs Mexico World Cup knockout match to go ahead as scheduled
The Mexico vs England round of 16 match will take place on Saturday at 6pm local time as originally planned, despite rumors of rescheduling due to inclement weather.
Saturday's World Cup round of 16 match between Mexico and England will proceed as originally scheduled, kicking off at 6pm local time in Mexico City, sources confirmed to Al Jazeera. No decision was made to change the kickoff time, despite earlier media reports suggesting the fixture could be rescheduled due to possible severe weather.
Several outlets reported on Friday that the match might be moved to avoid inclement conditions, but FIFA did not confirm any change. The game will be played at the iconic open-air Estadio Azteca.
If the time had been changed, it would have affected Brazil's match against Norway in New York, which is scheduled for 4pm local time. Mexico's previous match against Ecuador was delayed due to rain.
Forecasts for Sunday indicate temperatures around 25°C (77°F) at midday with a high UV index. Combined with the stadium's altitude of approximately 2,200 meters, an earlier start would have placed greater physical demands on players due to thinner air.
Mexico, having played three of their four World Cup matches at the Azteca and being accustomed to altitude, would have benefited from such a change. England manager Thomas Tuchel had previously acknowledged the hosts have "a huge advantage."
England forward Marcus Rashford said: "We're ready for whatever challenges get thrown at us... it doesn't matter." Midfielder Morgan Rogers added: "I don't think it really affects us. We'll be ready regardless of the time."
Thus the match will kick off at 6pm local time on Saturday (00:00 GMT Sunday).
