A severe thunderstorm has forced a pitch access ban at the Azteca Stadium ahead of the England vs Mexico World Cup last-16 match, with weather experts warning of a 90% chance of a "killer storm" that could disrupt the fixture.
The stadium issued a shelter-in-place order due to electrical storm protocol, which prohibits anyone from accessing the pitch for health and safety reasons. As of now, the game is still scheduled to kick-off at 1am BST on Monday, July 6.
Weather Expert Warns of Violent Storms
Forecaster John Kettley told GB News presenter Dawn Neesom that the situation is "very bizarre" because matches are typically played at midday to avoid storms that develop with afternoon heat. He stated there is a "90 per cent chance of a storm at some point during the day" and described these storms as "killer storms" that are "pretty violent affairs" lasting one to two hours.
"They are 7,200 ft above sea level, and it's very humid there, so they are proper storms, not the little ones we get sometimes in this country," Kettley added.
Altitude Adds to Challenges
Beyond the weather, the England squad must adapt to Mexico City's high altitude. England boss Thomas Tuchel noted that players feel the effects even without training. "I felt, for example, a slight headache in the hotel room throughout the day. I didn't sleep as well as the days before," Tuchel said on Saturday.
"The players felt it in the first minutes of the training session. And the longer it went on, the better they could cope with it. We cannot physically adapt, it's just impossible. But we are here one day before to experience it, at least."
Match Implications
If England beats Mexico and then wins the quarter-final against Brazil or Norway, they would face one of the remaining four teams in the semi-final on Wednesday, July 15, at 20:00 BST in Atlanta. A potential final would be against the winner from the other group on Sunday, July 19, at 20:00 BST in New Jersey.
