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The weather takes over the ball
The hours leading up to kick-off in the 2026 World Cup round of 16 clash between England and Mexico turned into anticipation and confusion after the weather took its toll and forced organizers to delay the kick-off, a scene that dashed the hopes of thousands of fans preparing for the Azteca Stadium and millions of supporters.
And it was decided The start of the England-Mexico match has been delayed by an hour Thunderstorms in the Mexican capital, Mexico City, raised concerns about the safety of players and fans, forcing organizers to postpone the match until the weather improved.
As the storm intensified, thousands of fans at Azteca Stadium scrambled to seek shelter from the torrential rain and lightning, while journalists and media professionals were told to stay indoors and stay inside the media center, given the ongoing yellow weather warning issued by authorities.
England’s players arrived at the stadium on time, giving everyone hope that the match would be played at its original time, but this optimism was short-lived after the weather conditions worsened an hour before kick-off.
Lightning sightings near the Azteca Stadium led to the official decision to postpone the match, which will be played at 4am instead of 3am Saudi time, amid protests inside the stands as fans booed shortly after the postponement decision was announced.
The impact of the delay was not limited to the fans inside the stadium, but extended to the millions of England fans who were planning to watch the match at home or in pubs.
Meteorologists had warned of the possibility of thunderstorms and unsettled weather in Mexico City since Friday, prompting fans to brace for the possibility in the evening before dawn.
British authorities, on the other hand, have taken exceptional measures to monitor the event, as the government has granted special permission to bars, allowing them to remain open until the early hours of Monday morning so fans can watch the full match unfold.
