England and Mexico met in the Round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, held at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City on 5 July. England, managed by Thomas Tuchel, entered the knockout tie hoping to emulate the country's 1966 World Cup-winning side. The fixture was scheduled to kick off at 6pm local time, corresponding to 8pm EDT, 1am BST and 10am AEST.

Preparations for the match were disrupted by severe weather, as an electrical storm moved towards the stadium. Officials responded by issuing a shelter-in-place order for supporters who had already arrived at the venue, while the teams' scheduled arrival was delayed by the conditions. The adverse weather created operational uncertainty in the build-up to the crucial knockout game.