One of the most anticipated matchups of the World Cup knockout round will have to wait, for now. The Round of 16 match between Mexico and England has been delayed due to inclement weather in Mexico City.

The match was supposed to kick off at 8 p.m. ET (7 p.m. local time) at Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium, but has now been reportedly pushed back one hour to 9 p.m. ET.

England‘s World Cup last-16 match with Mexico has been delayed by one hour because of severe weather and is set to kick off at 02:00 BST (19:00 local time).

There has been heavy rain in Mexico City during the day and reports of lightning above the Azteca Stadium, which is staging the match.

Advertisement

Play cannot begin until 30 minutes have passed since lightning was last detected within an eight-mile radius of the stadium.

Fifa held talks with the English and Mexican football associations on Friday after proposing the match be moved to 19:00 BST on Sunday (12:00 local time) before a U-turn resulted in the kick-off time remaining unchanged.

The game will be broadcast live on BBC One, BBC iPlayer, BBC Radio 5 Live and the BBC Sport website and app.

More to follow.

The Mick Van Gestel-trained Dark Glitter, under the guidance of apprentice Anna Roper, recorded its first win in 494 days with a brilliant performance in the Ranvet Handicap (1200m) at Rosehill.

This victory occurred on a program featuring other notable winless streaks being broken: General Salute ended a 458-day gap in the Winter Stakes, Polyglot snapped a 525-day drought in the Kia Ora Handicap, and Anythink Goes trumped them all with his first win in 856 days in the TAB Handicap.

Dark Glitter’s success meant female jockeys had claimed six of the first eight races at the Rosehill meeting. Roper rode a double, having earlier saluted on Nullarbor Jane, while Siena Grima also rode two winners on Omolong and Hello Captain. Izzy Neale was successful on It’s A Tata, and Alysha Collett partnered Anythink Goes.

Van Gestel disclosed that he had contemplated entering Dark Glitter for the Listed Winter Stakes but opted for the easier path of the Ranvet Handicap.

“This race was short of her best but the Winter Stakes was a much stronger field,” Van Gestel commented. “I decided to go for the 1200m race because it was probably the easiest race she has contested for ages.”

Dark Glitter, priced at $14, finished strongly to run down the leader Smashing Time ($2.70 favourite) by one-and-a-quarter lengths. Midnight Opal ($9) secured third place, just over a length behind.

The mare’s return at attractive odds was noted by leading betting apps Australia, with Smashing Time starting as the $2.70 favourite after significant market support.

Smashing Time, attempting its third consecutive winter win, appeared to have the race won when it broke clear from the pack at the top of the straight, but it could not match Dark Glitter’s superior closing speed.

Dark Glitter had been placed four times at stakes level since her last win over two years ago, and her Rosehill triumph brought her career earnings close to $650,000.

Van Gestel had attempted to sell Dark Glitter as a broodmare earlier this year, but when she failed to meet her reserve price, the trainer decided to continue racing her.

“She’s a very good mare and obviously still racing as well as ever,” Van Gestel said. “Hopefully we won’t have to wait as long for her next win.”

For those keen on the racing action, check out the available racing betting markets for this and other upcoming events.

Monday, 6 July – 01:00 BST (live on BBC One and iPlayer, radio and online)

England face a tough test in the last 16 as they have the daunting task of going to Mexico to play the tournament co-hosts at the Azteca Stadium.

Mexico’s competitive record at the iconic venue is 70 wins from 89 games, with 17 draws and only two defeats. They are also unbeaten in 10 World Cup games there.

They have been in excellent form at this World Cup, too, with the tournament co-hosts having won all four games, scored eight goals and conceded none.

Mexico are ranked ninth in the world and have not lost a competitive fixture since a 2-0 defeat by Honduras in the first leg of the Concacaf Nations League quarter-final in November 2024 – a run of 13 unbeaten matches.

They produced a high-energy and intense first half against Ecuador in their last-32 match, establishing a two-goal lead after just half an hour against a side that had not conceded more than one goal in any match in more than two years.

The Azteca sits more than 7,000 feet above sea level, with that kind of altitude potentially causing shortness of breath, increased heart rate and fatigue for players who are not used to it.

Are you staying up for England v Mexico? Struggling to stay awake? Then keep yourself busy with this quiz.

How many previous sides can you name that the Three Lions have faced in World Cup knockouts?

If that’s not enough, get all your World Cup quizzes in one place and sign up for notifications to get the latest ones sent straight to your device.

FIFA cleared US star striker Folarin Balogun to play in the World Cup co-hosts’ showdown with Belgium despite his red-card ban after a personal phone call from President Donald Trump, it emerged Sunday, igniting a furious row that has rocked the tournament.

Balogun had been set to miss Monday’s last-16 knockout clash with the Belgians after receiving a straight red card following video review for stepping on the foot of a Bosnian defender in a round-of-32 clash that the US won 2-0.

Advertisement

Under FIFA rules, a straight red card automatically triggers a one-game ban, which cannot be appealed by the player’s team.

But world football’s governing body said Sunday the ban will now be suspended for a year, in a stunning move for which no specific explanation was offered.

Two sources familiar with the matter told AFP that Trump personally called FIFA President Gianni Infantino asking him to review Balogun’s punishment.

“Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

The decision was immediately slammed by Belgian football officials, who released a statement saying they are “astonished” by a move that is in “direct contradiction” with FIFA’s own rules.

Advertisement

The Royal Belgian Football Association is “investigating all potential options” to “safeguard the legitimate rights of all participating teams and to protect the fundamental principles of fair play in our sport,” it said.

“I didn’t know that at the FIFA World Cup, the 5th of July is now the 1st of April, and that it’s April Fool’s Day,” added Belgium coach Rudi Garcia, at a press conference.

Trump spoke with Infantino on Wednesday, the same day that the red card was given, sources told AFP on condition of anonymity.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also publicly called for the card to be rescinded.

Advertisement

The decision to suspend the ban was taken by FIFA’s disciplinary committee.

– ‘Boost’ –

Top scorer Balogun has been key to the USA’s progress in the tournament, netting three times, and his absence against Belgium would have been a blow to the team in the game in Seattle.

The stakes are huge for the co-hosts. Playing on home soil, a strong US start to the tournament has raised expectations to fever-pitch levels among the American public.

The co-hosts are targeting a historic run to at least the quarter-finals, which they have not reached since 2002, or even further.

Balogun himself had said Friday the red card ban was “something I have to just accept.” 

Advertisement

But US players and officials welcomed the news Sunday.

“It’s a fair decision because it should have never been a red card,” said head coach Mauricio Pochettino, calling the punishment “too big” for an uninentional foul.

“It’s not that we are victims, but we are not the bad men, the mean ones here,” he said.

Star forward Christian Pulisic called the decision a “boost” while governing body US Soccer said it was “pleased.”

– ‘Surprise’ –

In its statement, FIFA pointed to “article 27 of the FIFA disciplinary code” which allows the suspension to be “suspended for a probationary period of one year.”

Balogun would serve the ban only if he commits another similar foul in the next year, it said.

Advertisement

There is some precedent for the decision.

Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo earned a three-game ban for an elbow during qualifying last year, but had two matches of his ban suspended.

The move, which allowed Ronaldo to play in Portugal’s World Cup opener, drew criticism at the time.

“We’re not defending the national team or the federation. We are defending football, whether it’s ethics or integrity,” said coach Garcia on Sunday, as Belgium protested the latest U-turn.

Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois said it was “a bit of a surprise” that Balogun was cleared to play just a day before the match.

“Had it been done earlier, we’d have been able to be mentally more prepared, perhaps,” he said.

amz/rcw