England defeated Mexico 3-2 in a match shrouded in scheduling controversy, securing a quarter-final tie against Norway in Miami on Saturday.
Fifa had planned to bring the game forward by six hours due to a forecast of storms, with concerns centred on the potential impact of lightning and flooding around the Azteca Stadium, which holds more than 87,000 spectators. Both the English and Mexican football associations objected to the proposed change, citing the disruption it would cause to fans’ travel plans and the teams’ preparations. Mexican manager Javier Aguirre did not hold back, describing the proposals as a “kick in the gut”.
The situation also drew intervention at government level. Foreign Office officials contacted British diplomats in Mexico City, asking them to make representations against the change in a bid to protect the plans of around 3,000 travelling England supporters. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, speaking at a Downing Street reception, acknowledged the unusual nature of the situation. “We had to battle with the FA to get it back to where it was, which was counterintuitive,” he said.
After more than five hours of uncertainty, Fifa confirmed the match would go ahead at the originally scheduled time. Kick-off was ultimately delayed by an hour due to the weather conditions.
Image credit: BBC Sport / BBC Sport
