England’s game against Mexico to stay at 1am UK kick-off after day of chaos

• Fifa held discussions about game kicking off earlier

• Risk of thunderstorms in Mexico had caused concern

England have avoided the prospect of their World Cup match against Mexico on Sunday being brought forward by six hours after a chaotic day that saw Fifa engaged in discussions with multiple stakeholders over a new kick-off time.

The eagerly anticipated last 16 clash in Mexico City will still be played at 6pm local time (1am Monday BST), but only after a period of intense confusion in which both camps were left scrambling for clarity. Fifa were wrong footed when news leaked in Mexico during the afternoon that negotiations to make the switch, which would ostensibly have been down to the prospect of thunderstorms and flooding on Sunday evening, were taking place but ultimately decided to keep the status quo.

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