The Mexican Football Federation has confirmed that England's World Cup round of 16 match against Mexico will still kick off at 1am BST, after FIFA made a U-turn on plans to bring the game forward by six hours. The decision came following an angry reaction from the Mexican camp, with head coach Javier Aguirre describing the proposed change as 'a kick in the stomach'.
Proposed Schedule Change and Backlash
Talks were reportedly taking place between FIFA, the Football Association, and the Mexican Football Federation on Friday, with forecasts of heavy rain and thunderstorms cited as reasons for the potential shift to midday local time (7pm BST). At one stage, it appeared inevitable that the game would be moved, but the schedule now remains unchanged.
Mexico's head coach, Javier Aguirre, voiced strong opposition to the proposed change in an interview with Mexican network Radio Formula. 'It's like a kick in the stomach,' he said. 'Now we have to change the entire work plan. I'm not saying it goes completely out the window – but almost, because you're losing six hours that were already scheduled.'
Aguirre's Criticism of FIFA's Decision-Making
Aguirre further criticised the lack of consultation, stating: 'Nobody asked me. At 6pm we were perfectly fine. We've performed very well at that time. It's an ideal kick-off, and I love it because we play well then.' He added that playing at noon is uncommon for his team, noting: 'Noon is not a common time for us. I don't think we've played at 12pm in 40 years. This team has never played at that hour under me.'
'I don't agree with it, and nobody asked me, but FIFA decides, and I comply,' Aguirre said. 'I don't see any advantage, none at all. Ever since the match against Ecuador ended, we knew we were playing at 6pm, and now this really hits us hard.'
FIFA's Reversal and Match Details
Despite the initial speculation and reported talks, FIFA ultimately decided not to alter the kick-off time. The match between England and Mexico will proceed as originally scheduled at 1am BST, avoiding the disruption that a six-hour shift would have caused to both teams' preparations.
