Josh Widdicombe reveals he’s ‘turning his sofa into a makeshift bed’ for England’s blockbuster World Cup clash with Mexico as the nation faces dilemma of whether to stay up for 1am match despite weather delay fears
Josh Widdicombe has revealed he plans to turn his sofa into a makeshift bed and take a two-hour nap as he prepares to pull an all-nighter for UK blockbuster World. Cup match with Mexico.
The Three Lions kick off at 1am UK time and many fans in England are facing the dilemma of whether to stay up and watch the game live despite fears it could be delayed due to storms in Mexico City.
In a video on Instagram, Josh shared that he has prepared a plan that England manager Thomas Tuchel would be proud of, as he plans to stay alert even if there is a delay in the match due to weather.
Pubs across England will stay open until 5am for the match at Mexico’s iconic Azteca Stadium, while many schools have said pupils will be allowed to arrive later than usual if they are awake to watch the match.
Josh said: ‘Okay, that’s my plan for the England-Mexico game, I’ll stay up to my usual bedtime, which is 10pm, until half-time of the Brazil-Norway game.
‘I’ll make a bed on my couch, set an alarm for five o’clock, wake up. If the weather says the match will continue, I’ll watch it.
Josh Widdicombe has revealed he plans to turn his sofa into a makeshift bed as he plans to pull an all-nighter for England’s World Cup match against Mexico
‘If it’s really rainy, I’ll turn around, leave the TV on and naturally wait for kick-off. Of course, this is the biggest plan yet. ‘Is everyone with me?’
Preparations for England’s Round of 16 clash with Mexico were dealt a blow by confusion over the kick-off time on Friday, when FIFA considered bringing the match forward by six hours to avoid storms predicted to delay the game.
The game has been proposed to start at noon local time or 19:00 UK time.
Official contact was made with both the FA and the Mexican Football Federation on Friday and both are believed to have reacted negatively to the proposals.
An earlier kick-off time would have a significant impact on the players’ preparations for the match, which is usually organized in minute detail.
The threat of adverse weather, which was initially thought to be the main driver of the negotiations, was also taken into account; Storm forecasts are currently forecast to start at 18:00 local time, starting at 20:00. Flash flooding was particularly worrying.
At one point on Friday evening, the game looked likely to be played at a rescheduled time, and Brazil’s game against Norway in New Jersey had to be postponed by half an hour to 4.30pm to avoid any clashes.
In the end, FIFA’s attempt to bring forward England’s kick-off was halted by a number of obstacles, including the reluctance of officials in New York and New Jersey to change their own fixtures.
The Three Lions kick off at 1am UK time, with many fans in England facing the dilemma of whether to stay up until the early hours to watch the game live.
The Daily Mail understands that the decision to move the game is ‘almost complete’, according to those with knowledge of the situation.
The proposals, which the FA were astonished to learn of through the Mexican media, were met with an angry reaction from both England and Mexico, with the coach publicly criticizing the prospect.
Authorities in Mexico City are now preparing for what could be an incredibly challenging day, with more than a million people expected to be on the streets.
England will face a tough test against Mexico at the Azteca, with the co-hosts boasting a formidable record at the stadium.
Thomas Tuchel admitted his team was at a disadvantage with little time to prepare for the altitude in Mexico City.
It is stated that the match may face delays due to predicted storms, which may lead to delays due to rules stipulating that the match will be postponed if lightning strikes anywhere within a five-mile radius of the stadium.
Victory will take the Three Lions into the quarter-finals against either Brazil or Norway.
England played at the Azteca six times, twice against Mexico, with results ending in a draw in 1969 and defeat in 1985.
Mexico is guaranteed to have fanatical support, while England’s support will be limited to just 4,000.
