According to The Athletic, FIFA considered adjusting the kick-off time for England's round of 16 match against Mexico due to fan safety concerns, but ultimately proceeded as planned.

The match is still scheduled to take place at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City at 0：00 UTC Time on Monday. However, before this, event organizers had urgently discussed whether to move the match forward by six hours.

FIFA sources initially attributed the potential time adjustment to the risk of weather disruptions, including flooding.

Discussions about adjusting the match time accelerated after four Mexican fans died during celebrations following the national team's round of 16 victory over Ecuador. Organizers prioritized avoiding a repeat of the tragedy, which had seen 15,000 police officers maintaining order. Related meetings intensified on Thursday, with parties concerned about whether local organizers could ensure the match proceeded safely. Many participants believed that moving the kick-off time forward would be a safer option for all attendees. The reasons supporting an earlier time were: a late evening kick-off would mean fans would have a full day of drinking and revelry, exacerbating concerns about post-match incidents late at night.

Despite the significant logistical challenges of a last-minute match adjustment and the criticism it would draw from multiple stakeholders, FIFA still discussed it, which in itself indicated the high level of concern regarding the risks of the original kick-off time.

The refusal of figures like Mexico coach Aguirre and the inconvenience to fans ultimately led to the match proceeding as originally planned, with these factors prompting FIFA to abandon a decision that had almost been finalized internally.

Logistical stakeholders in various FIFA World Cup host cities were caught off guard by FIFA's consistent lack of clear communication. Another round of 16 match on Sunday, Brazil vs. Norway (at MetLife Stadium), also faced the risk of adjustment to avoid conflict with the England-Mexico match. Even the offices of the New York and New Jersey governors were notified of a potential kick-off time change to 4:30 PM ET, but it was ultimately confirmed to proceed at the original time of 4:00 PM.

FIFA's regulations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup stipulate that FIFA "reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to cancel, adjust or move one or more matches (or the entire 2026 FIFA World Cup) for any reason, including force majeure or health, safety or security considerations." Any decision to adjust a match must be signed off by FIFA's senior leadership team, including President Infantino.

The England team arrived in Mexico City a day early on Friday to prepare. Some FA staff only learned about the potential kick-off time adjustment through media reports earlier that day, and the team did not have complete clarity on when the match would take place when they boarded their flight from Kansas City to Mexico City.

AF's PC site is now live! Browse full news, comments, match details and stats on your computer. Visit: www.allfootballapp.com