Azteca Shelter-in-Place Before Mexico-England
Get the Sports newsletter
Daily sports — scores, transfers, the storylines from the leagues you actually follow. Free.
- Azteca Stadium issued a shelter-in-place order because of severe weather ahead of the last-16 World Cup tie between Mexico and England
- The match is set to kick off at 18:00 local time on Sunday (01:00 BST Monday) despite heavy rain in Mexico City and reports of lightning above the stadium
- Supporters and media inside the ground were advised to remain in their seats while the weather threat continued
- FIFA held talks with the English and Mexican football associations on Friday after proposing the match be moved to 19:00 BST on Sunday (12:00 local time)
- A FIFA U-turn left the original kick-off time unchanged after the proposed rescheduling was walked back
- The article promises further updates as the situation develops
Why it matters: Lightning above an open-air stadium holding tens of thousands creates a direct safety-versus-schedule tension for organizers, with FIFA now holding the kick-off at 18:00 local — the exact time it tried to shift just a day earlier before reversing. If weather worsens, Mexico City authorities and FIFA face the prospect of a second U-turn on the same fixture within 48 hours.
