England’s crunch last-16 World Cup clash with Mexico is set to be brought forward by six hours on Sunday

England are set to stand out with an unprecedented move in their last 16 clash with Mexico.

Discussions are ongoing to move kick-off from 1 a.m. Monday to 7 p.m. Sunday night, or potentially even earlier, due to the threat of thunderstorms in the area.

FA bosses are urgently seeking clarification before flying from Kansas City to Mexico City today.

FIFA’s governing body is in ongoing talks about postponing kick-off, but Daily Mail Sports He understands the FA was stunned by the prospect of this change just 48 hours before the originally scheduled kick-off.

Such a move would be a big boost for home crowds and bars, but could cause travel chaos for gamegoers who have already made expensive travel plans.

England has made meticulous plans for Sunday’s programme, such as meal times, which may now have to be thrown out the window.

Asked how this would affect England’s chances of winning, midfielder Morgan Rogers said: ‘It’s just another hurdle to overcome. We will accept it as it is.

‘Whatever the task before us, whatever problem we’re facing, or if there’s something different that we think might be a little difficult, we’re going to attack full frontal.’

This would be great news for UK fans facing the prospect of watching at 1am.

Mexican media claim the match at Azteca Stadium will be brought forward by six hours

If the game is moved, England will adopt ‘VUCA’ principles.

Senior staff spoke about the acronym, which stands for ‘Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity’, and the challenges that need to be negotiated. This is an approach taken by the US Army and will be communicated to the team within the next 24 hours.

Asked for his reaction to the news, Englishman Marcus Rashford rejected the claims that this would cause big problems on Tuchel’s side.

“It’s the same for us,” Rashford said last night.

‘The way we prepare for the game must remain the same. We have to focus. We have to be ready for anything and I think that comes from the strength of the group – players, staff – we are ready for whatever challenge comes our way. ‘Obviously it’s not ideal, but it doesn’t matter.’

A move towards a lunchtime kick-off will also cause a slight rise in temperatures, but conditions will be cool at Azteca at 22C.

With the match being played 7,300 ft above sea level, an earlier start at noon local time will also reduce the amount of time Thomas Tuchel’s players are exposed to altitude.

As things stand tonight, FA insiders said they were “surprised” to hear the news through Mexican media rather than FIFA.

Attempts to reach the bottom were being made, with some on their way to the airport.

The tournament saw matches postponed due to weather conditions, but the starting times remained the same. In this case, the potential duration of the storms has triggered debate about whether bringing the match forward is the only practical solution.

This will be England’s latest logistics adjustment ahead of its visit to Mexico City.

Authorities plan to form a so-called ‘ring of steel’ around a Mexico City hotel in England in a bid to prevent a repeat of the rowdy scenes that marred Ecuador’s visit.

Cars, foghorns, fireworks and loud music led to a miserable night’s sleep for Mexico’s latest rivals and a complaint to FIFA.

However, it is understood that a series of measures are expected to be taken to prevent Tuchel and his players from encountering similar problems on the eve of the last 16 matches.

Keir Starmer criticized for U-turn on pub licensing hours for England match

The original kick-off time of 18:00 locally, 01:00 in England, has caused major logistical problems for pubs keen to showcase the game’s great success in England matches throughout the tournament so far.

After a long Thursday, outgoing Prime Minister Keir Starmer made a significant U-turn to allow pubs to stay open until 5am to facilitate screenings of last 16 matches.

But Starmer was today accused of making a U-turn too late on opening pubs for England’s World Cup match against Mexico after bowing to public opinion.

The National Police Chiefs’ Council criticized the timing of the Prime Minister’s move to allow pubs to stay open until 5am for the match on Monday morning, after the Home Office initially resisted calls from within the government to change licensing hours.

Its late announcement means forces must now adapt plans and move officers away from community policing, with more than 1,000 venues staying open late.

Chief Constable Mark Roberts, the NPCC’s head of football policing, and Acting Chief Constable Scott Green, head of alcohol licensing, criticized the ‘late announcement’ and asked fans to be considerate of others and drink ‘sensibly’ during the match.

Mexico’s round of 32 match against Ecuador, where the co-host’s opponent was disturbed the night before the match and triggered a ‘ring of steel’ in Mexico City for England, was postponed due to rain earlier this week.

If FIFA approves the decision to move the match forward by six hours, this will be the first match at the 2026 World Cup to be rescheduled.

A large police presence is on standby for Britain’s arrival in Mexico City later today.

Authorities are working to create a ‘ring of steel’ around the team hotel in Mexico City

News of the alleged time change emerged late Friday night, with Mexican channel TUDN commentator Andres Vaca and El Universal newspaper claiming that sources close to the Mexican national team were aware of a change.

England will have to deal with the altitude currently in Mexico City and any change to the kick-off time at noon local time will result in the match being played in the hottest temperatures of the day.

Immediately after their Round of 32 win over the Democratic Republic of Congo in Atlanta, it was decided not to go to Mexico City due to espionage concerns.

Tuchel and his players returned to their base in Kansas City after Wednesday night’s dramatic 2-1 victory over the Democratic Republic of Congo rather than heading straight to their next World Cup destination.

And Daily Mail Sports He understands that one of the main reasons for doing this is to ensure Tuchel can create his tactical plan and formation in a safe environment, away from prying eyes.

During the tournament, England returns to its headquarters near the middle of the United States. One of the factors behind the decision to be based in Kansas City is logistics and the fact that it means they won’t have to face long flights.

However, it is understood that Tuchel is determined that his plans are not leaked and that vital preparations, including team formation, are carried out in the best protected place possible.

The possibility of others spying on Britain was an important part of the planning, and the view in the camp appears to have been that a trip to Mexico City would bring increased risks.