Mexico's coach is furious because FIFA changed the match time.

Coach Aguirre expressed his frustration with FIFA's unexpected decision. Photo: Reuters .

Just days before Mexico's clash with England in the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup , the International Football Federation (FIFA) was forced to consider changing the kick-off time due to the risk of thunderstorms and heavy rain around the Azteca Stadium. Instead of taking place at 7:00 AM on July 6th, the match will likely be moved up to 1:00 AM, six hours earlier and around 12:00 PM in Mexico.

This decision immediately drew a strong reaction from coach Javier Aguirre. The coach was completely unhappy because Mexico's entire training plan was disrupted.

"It was like being kicked in the stomach. We had to change everything, from our match schedule to our daily routines. FIFA makes the decisions and we have to follow them, but they ruined all our preparations," Aguirre said angrily.

He said the coaching staff had already scheduled lunch, tactical meetings, and warm-ups according to the old schedule. If the match were moved to lunchtime, the players would have to wake up many hours earlier and also change their pre-match menu.

You may also like

LIVE Argentina vs Cabo Verde: The two teams drew 1-1Argentina enters the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup with a perfect winning record, while Cabo Verde is confident with an unbeaten streak. The match at Hard Rock Stadium promises to be dramatic as one of the two teams will be eliminated.

Mohamed Salah's Panenka penalty sends Egypt into the Round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup.Following their nail-biting victory over Australia, Mohamed Salah explained his decision to take the risky penalty kick that sent Egypt into the World Cup Round of 16 for the first time.

Opening Ceremony of Vietnam's Biggest Youth Football TournamentOn the afternoon of July 3rd, at the Lach Tray Stadium, the final round of the Yamaha Cup 2026 National Youth Football Tournament (U13) officially opened in a vibrant atmosphere, marking the beginning of the most anticipated football festival for teenagers nationwide.

Mexico's plans have been completely disrupted. Photo: Reuters.

"We have to eat in the morning instead of the afternoon. Eating pasta at 8 a.m. is completely different from eating it at 3 p.m. 6 p.m. is the ideal time to play and create a great atmosphere with the fans. Now we have to play at midday, which has never happened since I took over the team," Aguirre said.

The 67-year-old strategist revealed that FIFA only announced the change on the afternoon of July 3rd and did not consult the Mexican coaching staff at all. "This is not a small change. Six hours is a huge difference. I understand FIFA's reasons, but nobody asked for our opinion. I am really disappointed," he emphasized.

The change in match time also forced coach Thomas Tuchel and the England team to adjust their preparation plans. However, fans in England benefited as the match is now likely to take place on Sunday evening instead of Monday morning as originally scheduled.

United States - Vietnam: Don't miss

Strengthening the friendship between Vietnam and the United States.On July 3rd, as part of the Pacific Partnership - Friends of the Pacific 2026 program, the U.S. Army Pacific delegation, led by Lieutenant General Joel Vowell, Deputy Commander of the U.S. Army Pacific, paid a courtesy visit to the Quang Tri Provincial Military Command.

The U.S. Army Pacific delegation visits the Quang Tri Provincial Military Command.2026 marks the first time the Pacific Partnership-Friends of the Pacific program will be jointly organized in Quang Tri, creating a large-scale cooperation framework with 25 activities.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs received a copy of the Letter of Credence for the U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam.On the afternoon of July 2nd, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs headquarters, Mr. Le Cong Dung, Director of the State Protocol and Foreign Interpretation Department, received a copy of the Letter of Credence from Ms. Jennifer Wicks, Ambassador of the United States of America to Vietnam.

Highlights Mexico 2-0 Ecuador: On the morning of July 1st, Mexico defeated Ecuador 2-0 to secure their place in the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup.

Source: https://znews.vn/hlv-mexico-noi-gian-vi-fifa-doi-gio-dau-post1666030.html