The Mexican government has thrown the kick-off time of tonight's England match into chaos, demanding it be moved six hours earlier due to safety fears following a fatal crowd crush that killed four people at Mexico's previous game against Ecuador.
Original Schedule and Proposed Change
Originally, the match between England and Mexico was scheduled for 1am on Monday morning local time. However, citing concerns over a thunderstorm and the recent tragedy, Mexican officials proposed moving the kick-off six hours earlier to noon in Mexico (7pm in the UK). This would have disrupted travel plans for thousands of England fans who had already booked flights based on the original time.
Fatal Crowd Crush Prompts Government Intervention
At Mexico's previous match against Ecuador, four people were killed after police failed to control fans, leading to a fatal crowd crush. In response, senior Mexican officials contacted FIFA on Thursday to discuss preventing another tragedy. According to The Sun, the gravity of Mexico's concerns forced world chiefs to take a strong plea into account.
The development led to official contact with the Football Association (FA) and their Mexican counterpart on Friday. However, FIFA performed a U-turn after the FA and the Mexican federation pushed back against the move, leaving the kick-off at 1am Monday morning – much to the disappointment of England fans.
Managers Outraged by Uncertainty
The chaos has enraged both managers. Mexico manager Javier Aguirre told radio station Grupo Formula that the proposed switch was "like a kick in the stomach because clearly you change everything, the game plan, everything." He added: "Not that everything goes down the drain, but almost because you're changing six hours. I don't like it at all, but evidently we will abide by what FIFA says. But I especially don't like any of it, and neither do my players."
England's manager was also left irate by the uncertainty, though specific comments were not reported. The disruption to travel plans for thousands of England fans was another key factor weighed up before the decision to keep the original time.
Match Proceeds as Scheduled
Despite the frantic discussions, the game will kick off at 1am Monday morning as originally planned. The Mexican government's safety concerns, while acknowledged, did not lead to a change, leaving fans and managers to contend with the late-night start.
