England fans have descended on Mexico City ahead of the Three Lions’ crunch match with the World Cup co-hosts at the imposing Azteca Stadium.

The tie will kick off at 1am UK time on Monday morning – despite talks that it would be moved forward due to bad weather.

England has a lot of history tied to the Azteca Stadium – hosting the 1986 World Cup match against Argentina, where they were knocked out by Diego Maradona‘s cheating Hand of God goal. 

But today, fans are casting the heartbreak 40 years ago to the back of their mind and are raring with excitement in Mexico City.

Retired Andy Allen, from Blackburn, Lancashire, had just arrived at Mexico City airport from Atlanta in the US, after having watched England top Group L and also their dramatic 2-1 knockout win against DR Congo in the round of 32.

He said: ‘It’s going to be fantastic, I can’t wait for it, it’s going to be great, the atmosphere in there will be electric.

‘I think Mexico will be very clever and make us run around a lot and tire us out, they will be using the altitude to their advantage for this one.

‘I’ve been to all the England games so far and have tickets all the way, we just have to hold our nerve and play a bit more like we did in the second half against Croatia.’

The tie will kick off at 1am UK time on Monday morning – despite talks that it would be moved forward due to bad weather

England fan Alan Lewis shows a Mexico national team jersey that he wears underneath his Three Lions shirt ahead of the match

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One happy couple is so fired up they said they would get married if England won the game.

Ben Hammond and Samantha Duffy were among the first followers of Thomas Tuchel’s squad to land in Mexico City also having come from watching the DR Congo game.

Samantha, 35, from Hertfordshire, said: ‘Harry Kane and Thomas Tuchel are under a lot of pressure, Ben has promised he will propose if England win the World Cup, so they had better bring it home.

‘It’s been great fun so far and if they win this game and go onto win the trophy it will be fantastic as we can get married.’

The optimistic couple have still not sourced tickets for the big game however, as Samantha continued: ‘We went to the last game in Atlanta and got in through the resale sites, but we haven’t got tickets for this one yet.

‘We will keep an eye on the websites and see what happens but at the moment they want silly money which we just can’t justify really.

‘So, we will see what happens, and if we can’t get one, just go along to the Fan Zone and watch it there. Whatever happens, it will be a fantastic atmosphere.

‘Everyone keeps saying that Ben looks a little bit like Harry Kane – so he’s my England hero.’

Quantity surveyor and Harry Kane lookalike Ben, 31, from Birmingham, was wearing pristine England trainers.

He said: ‘I was only joking when I said I’d marry Sam, but if England do win the World Cup, I will genuinely think about it. It would be great if we could take the trophy home; it’s been way too long.

‘We just decided at the last minute to come along and so flew in from Atlanta and are looking forward to getting into town and having a look round – if we could get to the match, it would be brilliant as there is so much history in that stadium.’

Offshore worker Danny Thompson, 44, from Ipswich, was raring to go as well, but seemed a little more anxious about how the match would go.

He said: ‘It will be a tough one, but we will stay positive. I’ve been to all the games so far, and the reception from everyone has been fantastic, so warm and welcoming.

‘There’s been a lot of travelling, and the logistics have been a bit of a nightmare. We’ve crossed so many states and seen so many places, but I wouldn’t change it for anything; it’s been fantastic and exceeded expectations.’

Fans of England cheer inside a bar near the Angel of Independence monument in Mexico City

England fans were praised for their ‘excellent’ behaviour at the World Cup in the United state after there were no reports of Three Lions’ supporters being involved in violence or disorder

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England have played six times at the Azteca, twice against Mexico and the results were a draw in 1969 and a loss in 1985

The stadium is 2,240m above sea level, holds 80,000, and will be Mexico’s 12th man. The last time they lost there was in 2013, with the unbeaten run standing at an astonishing 26 games 

Also among the arrivals was former BBC North America editor Jon Sopel, who flew in from London on a packed British Airways flight.

Stepping off the 10-hour flight, John, 67, told the Mail on Sunday: ‘I managed to get tickets for the game, and my son Max is flying in from Australia, and I wouldn’t miss it for the world.

‘We did our first World Cup together in 2006 when he was a lad in Germany, and we did 2010 in South Africa, and we want to be here.’

Meanwhile, another England fan, who would only give his name as Matthew, 29, from Falmouth, Cornwall, said: ‘I’ve flown in straight from London and to be honest I am confident about this one, even though most of the games we have been awful but we’ve got the results.

‘I think it’s a question of getting better as the tournament progresses. We just need to play like we did against Croatia, granted we played badly the last couple of group games and the DR Congo match, so it’s time for a stellar performance from England and I’m sure it will come.

‘This one has been in the diary since the draw in December. I got my ticket for £300 through the England Travel club, and it was a no-brainer. This is a bucket list game, Mexico in the Azteca with all the history England has at the stadium, it’s going to be sensational.

‘When I was younger, it was the first thing you learned in football at school, about Maradona and the Hand of God game, and I wasn’t even born when it happened. 

‘There was no way I was going to miss this game, and I also have a ticket for the next game if we get through, which could be Brazil in Miami.’

Matthew added: ‘I don’t think there will be as many England fans here as there were in America, it’s expensive, and there are hardly any tickets as the locals have them all, and to be honest, I don’t think I would part with the £4,000 minimum that’s being asked, it’s crazy prices.

‘I would be surprised if there are more than 8,000 at the match, and even that’s being optimistic, I think a few will definitely come to Mexico City for the atmosphere, and if they get lucky, they might snap up a ticket at a decent price before kick-off because that’s what happened in Atlanta.

Initially, the tickets were $1500 for the DR Congo game, but then they started coming down, and I heard people got them for $500, which is a bargain.’

The match, which kicks off at 6pm local time, will be a tough one as El Tri are ranked 10th in the world and have not lost a match so far and not conceded a goal and as a host nation have played all their games in Mexico.

England fans hold a St. George’s Cross flag near the Angel de la Independencia on Saturday

England fans are pictured cheering inside a bar near in Mexico City

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One England supporter is wearing a half England and half Mexico football jersey gestures inside a bar in Mexico City

Englands fans hold up a large St George’s Cross while out in Mexico on Saturday night 

The stadium is 2,240m above sea level, holds 80,000, and will be Mexico’s 12th man. The last time they lost there was in 2013, with the unbeaten run standing at an astonishing 26 games.

They have played ten World Cup games in the Azteca dating back to the tournaments in 1970 and 1986, as well as the current one, and have never lost, winning eight and drawing two, plus they kept eight clean sheets.

England have played six times at the Azteca, twice against Mexico and the results were a draw in 1969 and a loss in 1985.

Mexico is guaranteed to have a fanatical backing while England’s support will be limited to just 4,000.

Meanwhile, Oasis rocker Liam Gallagher has fuelled a war of words with one of Mexico’s biggest musicians, Fernando Olvera, after the Mancunian legend wrote that England would win 5-0.

Olvera said:’ The Oasis singer said Mexico is going to lose to England 5-0. Come on… no way, get real, dude! 5-0? Calm down. See you Sunday, let’s see how we do.’

While another local who posted a video of another Mexican classic singer was sarcastically told by Liam: ‘I sing that in the shower first thing every morning.’

The Wonderwall star added:’I just want to clarify one thing: obviously I was joking when I said England was going to beat Mexico 5-0. I think it’ll be more like 3-0 in favour of England.’

Wimbledon was hit by its hottest day of the Championships so far on Sunday as temperatures climbed towards 30C, turning SW19 into a sweltering test of endurance for players, officials and spectators alike.

Attendees used fans and umbrellas to cope with the heat as they queued from the early hours to watch players including Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka.

Players were offered specialised ice towels on court to help cool off and more than 100 water stations were dotted across the grounds for spectators.

Temperatures soared towards 30 degrees for the first time this Championships, as a yellow heat health alert was issued for London by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) until 8pm next Saturday.

Wimbledon operations director Michelle Dite said organisers had stepped up welfare measures but stressed that spectators also needed to take responsibility for coping with the conditions.

She said: ‘It’s about people preparing for their day. It’s about putting your sun cream on, about bringing your own water. We let people bring their own water in, their own food and drink. It’s about taking time out and asking people to take some responsibility.’

She added: ‘We have upped our shade and shelter here for the public. A lot of people will go and sit and get some cooler air in the restaurants, for example, but we encourage people to take personal responsibility.’

 Temperatures soared towards 30 degrees for the first time this Championships, as a yellow heat health alert was issued for London

Ms Dite said Wimbledon continued to invest in long-term infrastructure changes as extreme heat becomes more common in British summers.

‘We’re always trying to make sure that we can provide as much shade and shelter as we can, not just for our temporary structures but also when we’re doing permanent upgrades here.

‘We’ve got our own retractable roof on the Tea Lawn, we’ve got cover down in the Southern Village, we’ve got cover now for the Hill. Every year we’re looking to improve it. It’s been working really, really well and it’s something we continue to focus on.’

Winston Sedgwick, the assistant manager of the court services team, said that his team is poised to help ball boys and girls who wilt in the heat.

‘One of the biggest challenges they have is the temperature,’ he said. Sedgwick said that last Thursday one of the ball boys on court 7 was escorted off court when they ‘become quite unsteady in the heat’.

‘Our team had to take her off, pack ice on her wrists, shade her, make sure she was drinking enough and look after her,’ he said.

‘That’s something we have to do and we’re quite happy to do it. And if the weather next week is to be like it was during the last heatwave, that would be something we’d be very, very involved in doing.’

It was also confirmed that for the first time this year Wimbledon has introduced handheld fans for sale on site, priced at £20, as demand for heat-relief items surged during the warm spell.

And it is even stretching resources to protect those in the heat in the queue and on the grounds – handing out hundreds of thousands of free sun cream samples as part of their partnership with La Roche-Posay

Wimbledon operations director Michelle Dite said organisers had stepped up welfare measures but stressed that spectators also needed to take responsibility for coping with the conditions

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Sunday’s heat came close to triggering Wimbledon’s Extreme Heat Rule, which allows a 10-minute break during singles matches when the tournament’s heat stress index passes a set threshold.

The pause can be taken before the fourth set in men’s matches and ahead of the deciding third set in women’s singles, with officials using a combination of air temperature, humidity and court conditions rather than the thermometer alone to decide whether the rule comes into force.

The hottest day ever recorded at Wimbledon remains July 1, 2015, when temperatures reached a blistering 35.7C.

And it is even stretching resources to protect those in the heat in the queue and on the ground – handing out hundreds of thousands of free sun cream samples as part of their partnership with La Roche-Posay.

There is also an on-site pharmacy where you can buy a 50 SPF suncream for £27.50.

Nearly 200 workplaces have now signed up as “Vanguard” employers under the Government’s Keep Britain Working programme, part of a wider strategy aimed at tackling the UK’s growing economic inactivity crisis.

The initiative, led by former John Lewis chairman Sir Charlie Mayfield, brings together more than 250 employers, local authorities, NHS organisations and disability groups to test new ways of supporting staff before health problems force them out of work.

At the heart of the latest plans is a new Workplace Health Intelligence Unit, which will, for the first time, collect standardised data on sickness absence, return-to-work rates and disability participation across UK workplaces.

The Government believes better data, earlier intervention and personalised “stay in work” plans could help address one of Britain’s biggest labour market challenges, with 2.8 million people currently out of work because of long-term sickness.

But while ministers argue the reforms are about offering support earlier, disability advocates have long warned that any attempt to reduce welfare spending or increase workforce participation must avoid placing additional pressure on people whose health limits the work they can do.

Sir Charlie Mayfield said the current system intervenes too late: “For too long, the system has been organised around supporting people after they get ill or face barriers.

“We need to shift the emphasis to earlier action, better integration, and a genuine, shared commitment to keeping people healthy and in work.”

He argued that employers should become active partners in workplace health rather than leaving responsibility solely to the NHS or benefits system: “It’s rare to find an opportunity that benefits employers, improves people’s life chances, and reduces government spending – all without large up-front investment.”

Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said businesses had embraced the programme: “The response from employers has been remarkable. Across every region and every sector, businesses want to do better by their workforce; they just need the right framework and the right support.

“Keep Britain Working is delivering both. A new national standard, better data, and real accountability. This is how we fix the broken system, keep people in work and grow our economy.”

The plans form part of the Government’s wider £3.5 billion employment support package, which includes expanded WorkWell services, Connect to Work and more than 1,000 specialist advisers helping disabled people and those with long-term health conditions remain in employment.

Health Secretary James Murray said the Government wanted to move beyond a system centred around issuing fit notes: “For too long, too many people have been handed fit notes without any extra support. What they really need is help to stay in work or get back to work safely.

“A piece of paper that so often closes doors is no substitute for a plan that opens them.”

Supporters argue that good work can improve health outcomes, reduce isolation and prevent people falling permanently out of the labour market.

Business leaders involved in the programme say earlier intervention, better-trained managers and more flexible workplace adjustments could stop short-term sickness becoming long-term absence.

But the initiative also arrives amid wider debate over disability benefits and welfare reform, with campaigners increasingly concerned about whether policies designed to increase employment risk blurring the line between encouraging work and expecting it regardless of an individual’s circumstances.

The Government insists the programme is centred on voluntary support, prevention and better workplace practices rather than forcing people back into employment.

Whether that balance can be maintained as wider welfare reforms continue to develop may become one of the defining questions of Britain’s disability and employment policy over the coming years.

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Companies signed up to the Government’s ‘Keep Britain Working’ programme

The Government says nearly 200 workplaces have now signed up as “Vanguard” employers, with major businesses including:

• Tesco
• Royal Mail
• John Lewis Partnership
• Marks & Spencer
• Google UK
• British Airways
• Jaguar Land Rover
• BT Group
• Lloyds Banking Group
• Sainsbury’s
• Burger King
• PwC UK
• BP
• Ford UK
• Aviva
• AXA Health
• Bupa UK
• Currys
• Nando’s
• Sky UK

The programme also includes NHS trusts, disability charities, insurers, local authorities and regional mayoral authorities across England, alongside all three devolved administrations.

Anita, who opened up about her “spiritual home”, has been busy of late, launching a new podcast and a travel, food and wellness-themed YouTube channel, Anita Rani Explores

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Anita Rani has confessed that she’s keen to embark on a road trip across Ireland, calling it her “spiritual home”. The Countryfile presenter has been busy lately, having recently unveiled her new podcast Sisters of Defiance, alongside her travel, food and wellness-focused YouTube channel Anita Rani Explores.

On the YouTube series, Anita will be accompanied by her father Bal, who featured with her on last year’s Celebrity Race Across the World. It was Bal and Anita’s mother Lakhbir who ignited her love for the outdoors.

While her parents hail originally from India, Anita was born and brought up in Bradford, West Yorkshire. However, it’s another location that seems to have captured her heart — the Emerald Isle.

She told Country Living : “People talk about India being their spiritual home, but for me it’s Ireland. There are many similarities between Punjabis and the Irish.

“There’s something about that kind of yearning, melancholy, naughty sense of humour, pride in their culture and their arts, so I want to do a road trip across Ireland.”

Lakhbir, who was reported to have worked as a liaison officer at Bradford Royal Infirmary, is of Sikh descent, while Bal is Hindu. He came to the UK when he was just four years old.

Last year, Rani discussed entering a “new phase of life”, revealing she was keen to become “wilder” and “more outrageous”. She split from her husband of 14 years, technology executive Bhupi Rehal, in 2023.

In an interview with Best magazine, Anita revealed: “Definitely. I’m in a new phase of life now. I don’t know what that means, but it’s a new chapter, and I’m excited about that. I almost have a new appreciation for my life and more gratitude, too.”

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She continued: “As a woman who is getting older, I can honestly say that the wisdom, confidence and the lack of caring is amazing. I’ve been brought up to worry about what people think and say.

“Now, I couldn’t care less. In fact, I want to get wilder and more outrageous. I want to shock more!”

It comes after Anita disclosed how she regressed to her “teenage” self and found herself “stomping and pouting” on Celebrity Race Across the World, which she joined to “spend time” with her father.

Speaking to Radio Times Magazine, she explained: “Maybe an hour into the race, the cameras were rolling and Dad was telling me off about something, and I turned into teenage me, stomping and pouting.”

Bal recalled: “She was running into the road, and I just told her to step back!”

Catch Anita on Countryfile, Anita Rani’s East Coast Road Trip: Northey Island tonight (July 5) on BBC Two, from 6pm to 7pm.

Police Scotland confirmed a knife was found in the Dysart Road area of Kirkcaldy at around 2.30pm on Sunday after being found by a member of the public.

Police officers were pictured recovering a large blade from a park after a man was allegedly spotted in a Scots street with a weapon.

Police Scotland confirmed a knife was found in the Dysart Road area of Kirkcaldy at around 2.30pm on Sunday after it was found by a member of the public.

The discovery was made after a man was alleged to have been seen in possession of a weapon on the town’s Cross Street in the early hours of the morning.

A 32-year-old man has been arrested and charged and is expected to appear in court on Monday in connection with the incident.

Locals reported seeing officers carrying the blade away from the beach at the town’s Ravencraigs Park.

A Police Scotland spokesman said: “Around 2.30pm on Sunday, 5 July, 2026, we received a report that a member of the public found a knife in the Dysart Road area of Kirkcaldy.

“Officers attended and it was recovered safely. Enquiries are ongoing.”

Commenting on the earlier alleged incident, a spokesman said: “Around 1.25am on Sunday, 5 July, 2026, officers received a report of a man believed to be in possession of a weapon on Cross Street, Dysart, Kirkcaldy.

“A 32-year-old man was arrested and charged in connection and is due to appear at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court on Monday, 6 July, 2026.”

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By BEN WILLCOCKS, ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

Published: 16:35 BST, 5 July 2026 | Updated: 16:44 BST, 5 July 2026

A wedding anniversary turned sour after a couple travelled 160 miles to Wrexham. Following a three-and-a-half-hour journey with their two young daughters, the couple claim they arrived to find their hotel was “nothing like” the photographs they had viewed online.

“In the pictures we’d seen, it looked lovely, a nice country hotel,” said Jaye Grainge, a nurse from Stockton-on-Tees in County Durham. “When we arrived, we wondered if we’d got the right place.

“The lawns weren’t being cut, so it looked unkempt, and the render was coming off the hotel walls. We thought, well, it doesn’t matter what it looks like on the outside, so long as the hotel is nice on the inside.”

To their dismay, the couple alleged the hotel’s interior was in an even worse state. Full story here

Djokovic, meanwhile, now 39, had to overcome a sticky first-round against unknown Chinese player Yibing Wu – who took a set off the veteran – before he breezed past Stefanos Tsitsipas in straight sets in the second. He was stretched to four sets by French 25th seed Arthur Rinderknech in his most recent outing, but his star quality showed in a flawless tiebreak to seal a morale-bolstering win. Keep up to date with all the latest on Centre Court with our live blog below, with expert insight and analysis from Oli Gent at Wimbledon.

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Despite police blockades, dozens of Mexican fans gathered outside the England national team’s hotel until the early hours of Sunday morning, hoping to disrupt players’ sleep ahead of their World Cup round-of-16 match against co-host Mexico.

Armed with loudspeakers, horns and fireworks, the crowd gathered outside the JW Marriott hotel in Santa Fe, in the western part of Mexico City and did its best to disturb the guests.

Earlier in the week, “El Tri” supporters deployed the same tactics before a crucial match against Ecuador — Mexico won 2–0 — prompting the Ecuadorian football federation to file a formal complaint with organizers.

England manager Thomas Tuchel anticipated the disruption but downplayed its potential impact.

“We have a 6 p.m. (Sunday) kickoff, so if we miss some hours of sleep, we’ll make them up in the late morning,” Tuchel said on Saturday.

These late-night hotel “serenades” are an entrenched and polarizing tradition in Latin American football. While they began as a passionate display of support for the home team, they have increasingly evolved into a psychological weapon designed to deprive opponents of sleep.

___

See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here

City of York Council is closing roads to vehicles for the parade linked to the popular Haxby Carnival scheduled for Saturday, July 11.

The closure will be in effect from 10:45am to 11:25am.

The town parade is traditionally led by hundreds of children and group leaders finishing in a makeshift carnival showground in Ethel Ward Playing Field in York Road. In 2024, the City of York pipe band led the procession.

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The affected areas include The Village, between its junctions with Westfield Road and Station Road.

York Road from its junction with Station Road to its junction with Calf Close is also affected, as is the section of Calf Close number 110 and the junction with York Road.

Alternative routes for diverted traffic will be signposted and will include Station Road, Usher Lane, Crossmoor Lane, Moor Lane, and The Village, the council said.

Emergency vehicle access will be maintained throughout the event.

Traffic signs and barriers will be in place to mark the extent of the restrictions.