England's preparations for their colossal World Cup last 16 showdown with Mexico in the early hours of Monday morning have been significantly disrupted over the past 24 hours.
The clash, at the iconic Azteca Stadium, is pencilled in for an 01:00 (BST) start, however, due to thunderstorms and heavy rain, there was speculation that FIFA would move kick-off back six hours to avoid any potential lengthy delays.
But following FIFA's discussions with both the English and Mexican Football Associations', it's now been decided that the initial start will remain in place.
That said, given the severity of the storms that have been forecast, it still remains to be seen as to when the match will actually get underway, with some Mexican outlets reporting that it could realistically be after 03:00 (BST) that play starts due to FIFA's current player and supporter safety thunderstorm protocols.
FIFA rules say that any lightning within a six-mile radius of the stadium will result in an immediate postponement, regardless of whether play has started or not.
The Three Lions are no stranger to weather disruptions having seen their final World Cup warm-up fixture with Costa Rica delayed by an hour due to inclement weather, whilst France's group stage meeting with Iraq was also delayed for two hours.
Mexico v England weather forecast
- 20 Degree Celsius (90% chance of rain & thudnerstorms)
It's not looking great, with heavy rain and severe thunderstorms anticipated in Mexico City shortly before the scheduled 01:00 (BST) kick-off.
Temperatures are expected to be around 20 degrees celsius, which shouldn't b e too taxing for the players, although the tropical downpour of rain will be problematic.
Of course, the big issue lies in the thunderstorms, with lightning expected to impact the match at some stage, whether it be prior to kick-off or during the match itself.
Check out the latest England odds on bet365.
