UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer blocks FIFA kickoff change for England-Mexico World Cup match

On 6 July 2026, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer intervened through diplomatic channels after the Football Association warned that FIFA intended to move the England‑Mexico round‑of‑16 World Cup match to an earlier time. Starmer argued that advancing the start would give Mexico a height‑advantage by reducing the England squad’s acclimatisation to the 2,240‑metre altitude of Mexico City’s Azteca stadium.

The government instructed officials to contest the proposal, and FIFA retained the original 18:00 local kickoff (1 am BST). The match was later delayed an hour because of thunderstorms, beginning at 19:00 local time. England defeated Mexico 3‑2 and progressed to a quarter‑final against Norway. The intervention was reported by The Guardian, The Sun, BBC and other outlets, alongside a note that US President Donald Trump also contacted FIFA regarding a separate red‑card issue.