England's World Cup last-16 clash against Mexico is facing disruption after severe thunderstorms forced officials to suspend access to the pitch at the Azteca Stadium just hours before kick-off. Thunder, lightning and torrential rain swept across Mexico City around three hours before the scheduled start of the match, triggering the venue's electrical storm safety protocol.
Safety Protocols in Effect
Under those rules, nobody is permitted onto the playing surface while the storm continues, with media representatives instructed to remain inside the stadium's media centre until conditions improve. Supporters have also been prevented from entering the stadium, despite gates being due to open three hours before kick-off. Players are expected to arrive around 90 minutes before the match.
Officials are understood to be monitoring the weather closely, with no decision on a possible delay expected until around 30 minutes before the scheduled kick-off. If conditions remain unsafe, the match would initially be delayed by 30 minutes before being reassessed. Further 30-minute delays could then be implemented until it is deemed safe for the game to go ahead.
Eyewitness Accounts and Forecast
Those inside the stadium have described the thunder as deafening, with crashes echoing around the venue. Journalists already seated in the media facilities have been instructed to remain under cover while the storm passes. BBC meteorologist Tomasz Schafernaker said: "Thunderstorms and shower clouds have been developing around Mexico City in the last few hours. On social media there are reports of downpours affecting parts of the city, however it is difficult to verify if lightning has been occurring close to the football ground itself. The showers are likely to continue to grow, threatening disruption. All eyes on the horizon and fingers crossed the storms stay well away, but it's a close call. Any storms are likely to linger for hours."
Previous Incidents and Controversy
The severe weather follows a similar incident during Mexico's round-of-32 victory over Ecuador at the same stadium, when kick-off was delayed by an hour because of storms. Earlier this week, there had been discussions about bringing Sunday's fixture forward to midday local time because of forecasts predicting severe weather later in the day. However, both England and Mexico opposed the proposal. According to reports, concerns extended beyond the forecast, with Mexican government officials also said to have raised security issues following the crowd crush that occurred after Mexico's victory over Ecuador, in which four people lost their lives.
Senior officials approached FIFA on Thursday to discuss moving the kick-off time in an effort to reduce the risk of a repeat of those scenes. The Football Association is believed to have resisted the proposal because of the disruption it would have caused to England supporters' travel plans, while the Mexican Football Federation also opposed the change. FIFA ultimately decided to keep the original kick-off time, although the latest thunderstorms mean the timing of the match remains dependent on the weather conditions in Mexico City.
