This will be one of England’s most challenging matches. And not just because they are facing the joint hosts Mexico in the iconic Azteca Stadium.

It has taken months of planning, a year’s worth of preparation and now, finally, England face Mexico in the last 16 tie of the World Cup.

England have known since the draw was made in Washington there was a string possibility they could face Mexico in Mexico City in the last 16.

The draw mapped it out that if England won their Group then that was the path facing Thomas Tuchel’s men in this World Cup. So, here are the challenges - and what England have done in preparation in line with FIFA protocol.

READ MORE: Inside England's six-stage preparations for Mexico World Cup clash in 'hell'

Egypt fans have clashed with police following the team's win over Australia.

Traffic was brought to a standstill in Edgware Road after Egypt saw off the Socceroos in a penalty shootout.

But some fans were seen climbing on buses to celebrate with others getting into altercations with the police.

Some Egypt fans clashed with police

Mohamed Salah made sure to shake hands with the Australian team after Egypt dumped the Socceroos out of the World Cup on Friday via penalties.

The former Liverpool star let out a celebration that he swiftly curtailed as he then carefully addressed each of his opponents, with his behaviour not going unnoticed by fans and the media alike.

The Pharaohs took the lead in the last-32 tie thanks to Emam Ashour's 13th-minute strike.

Australia hit back through a Mohamed Hany own goal midway into the second half.

However, the two sides couldn't be separated and the game was sent to penalties.

The Aussies had even brought on substitute goalkeeper Mat Ryan at the expense of Patrick Beach, who started the tie, but failed to progress.

READ MORE: Mohamed Salah's behaviour after Egypt's penalty shootout win at World Cup doesn't go unnoticed

Cole Palmer believes he would have offered ‘something different’ to ’s squad.

The playmaker was among the names surprisingly left out of the Three Lions’ squad ahead of the tournament.

His omission came after a difficult season at Stamford Bridge in which Palmer scored 11 goals in all competitions.

Some have since suggested that the former Manchester City star would have been a useful inclusion given their attacking issues against Ghana, Panama and DR Congo.

Speaking to The Times, Palmer believes he would have made a difference to the squad. He said: “Well, of course I do.

“Every player that plays football wants to be at the World Cup, but it’s a decision that I cannot change and a hard one, for whatever reason. But I’m just trying to enjoy the summer off — the first summer I’ve ever had off.

“Yeah, of course it’s nice [fans suggesting Palmer should have been included], but I’m not there. I know what I could have offered, you know — something different to what the manager has picked. But like I said before, I can’t change the decision and I wish everyone all the best.

“Naturally. It’s like anything: if you’re told you’re, essentially, not good enough then you’re going to want to prove people wrong. So yeah, I guess so.”

READ MORE: Cole Palmer sends message to Thomas Tuchel ahead of England’s clash with Mexico

Cole Palmer sent a message to England's manager(Image: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

The 2026 World Cup has seen a flurry of goals and an impressive race to win the Golden Boot race.

Stars are hammering home shots in front of fans in the USA, Canada and Mexico.

But it is Lionel Messi who has taken the lead with seven, ahead of Kylian Mbappe on six followed by Erlind Haaland and Harry Kane on five each.

Lionel Messi is leading the Golden Boot race(Image: Getty Images)

Ecuador have released a statement calling on FIFA to launch an investigation following their World Cup exit at the hands of Mexico.

The South American country were comfortably beaten by the co-host nation last month with action taken on their poor treatment even before the game was played.

That started with their flight into the country being mysteriously delayed by several hours and continued at their hotel with civilians attempting to cause maximum disruption through loudspeakers, horns and motorcycles.

In the wake of those incidents and their 2-0 defeat, Ecuador have issued a new statement on Mexico, who are set to face England in the last-16.

Part of their statement read: "The Federation filed a formal complaint with FIFA, requesting a detailed investigation into the events that occurred before and during the match—including all those that may have compromised safety and security issues for our fans and players.

READ MORE: FIFA told to launch Mexico investigation in statement as England set for World Cup chaos

The eagerly awaited World Cup 2026 last-16 clash between England and Mexico is officially set to get underway at 1am UK time on Monday, July 6.

Despite a flurry of recent speculation suggesting a potential change, FIFA have confirmed the kick-off time remains completely unaltered from the tournament's initial broadcast schedule.

Just before midnight on Friday, FIFA officially ended the chaotic and stressful speculation by firmly stating that no scheduling change would occur.

Governing body sources adamantly insisted that while informal discussions about the weather were held, no formal executive decision was ever taken to alter the scheduled 1am start.

In a bid to accommodate the extremely unsociable early hours kick-off, the UK government has intervened and granted special legal dispensation for pubs and bars to remain open until 5am on Monday.

The extraordinary licensing extension means supporters back home can watch the entirety of the vital knockout clash together at their local venues, after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer stepped in to ensure establishments could keep their doors open.

READ MORE: What time do England kick off vs Mexico in World Cup? Is the match still at 1am?

England face Mexico early on Monday(Image: Getty)

The winner of the match between Australia and Egypt would make history.

While it was unlucky for the Socceroos, who went out on penalties, Egypt can now be proud of their history-making side.

The match went to penalties, where Hossam Abdelmaguid eventually hammered hom the winning penalty for Egypt.

Not all heroes wear capes, some wear Cape Verde jerseys.

Despite being a small nation of around 530,000, the African nation punched far above their weight in this year's World Cup.

Few were expecting to be stunned by the side's brilliant performances, but that all changed when they announced themselves on the world stage in a thrilling 0-0 draw against previous World Cup winners Spain.

They would later nab the second spot in Group H, after securing draws against Uruguay and Saudi Arabia.

But it was their performance against holders Argentina that would cement their place in World Cup lore.

Argentina were pushed into extra time when Cape Verde matched them 2-2 at the end of 90 minutes.

But a deflected header Cristian Romero secured Argentina's place in the round of 16.

Cape Verde fans can be proud over their nation's performance at the World Cup(Image: Chris Urso/Tampa Bay Times/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock)

England were given a rowdy welcome at 2.15am this morning when their team bus arrived in Mexico City.

The crowd booed and jeered as the players got off the coach at their hotel in a city suburb. When they entered the exclusive hotel dozens of drinkers sitting at the bar immediately burst into a chant of “Mexico, Mexico, Mexico.”

But the players shrugged off the abuse and smiled and waved as they walked through the lobby to reach their rooms. Jude Bellingham, Reece James and Jordan Henderson were among those who turned and smiled at the crowd.

When they arrived at the hotel there were over 300 police officers on duty - many with riot shields. Others were heavily armed.

Darkness had fallen and as they moved into position they banged their shields on the ground.

It had already been a chaotic 24 hours with the kick-off time for the big game being brought forward by six hours and then changed back again.

But it didn’t seem to affect the Three Lions stars as they got off the bus after flying in from Kansas City to Mexico.

They were welcomed by a local band and several of the players took the time to acknowledge the musicians.

READ MORE: England players booed and get rowdy welcome with chants of 'Mexico, Mexico, Mexico' as they reach World Cup hotel

Pressure will be on England to make it through to the quarter finals(Image: The FA via Getty Images)

England players were booed and jeered after they arrived in Mexico.

There had been conerns among FIFA bosses that the match would need to be moved due to storms, but the same kick off was ultimately kept.

Mexico v England in Mexico City will begin at 1am (UK time).

England players were booed and jeered after arriving in Mexico(Image: Milenio)

Here is everything you need to know about what happened in the World Cup overnight following some England vs Mexico kick-off time chaos...

1. In the last few hours, England arrived in Mexico and were greeted by boos and shouting from the co-host nation's supporters. It was not quite the level of atmosphere they will face at the Azteca, but it was certainly a hostile welcome ahead of their last-16 tie.
2. The Three Lions had been hoping the location of their hotel would remain unknown, but it has seemingly been leaked almost immediately.
3. The BBC, meanwhile, have been forced to deny they were involved in any talks to have the kick-off time changed of England and Mexico's match. A spokesperson for the broadcaster confirmed that they were ‘not involved in these discussions’ after reports in Mexico claimed they were.
4. FIFA held an emergency meeting over bringing the clash forward by six hours to a new time of 12pm in Mexico (7pm BST). Both England and Mexico were against the proposed alteration with FIFA later performing a U-turn on their potential plan.
5. Though there are thunderstorms forecasted, The Athletic have claimed that FIFA's talks to change the kick-off time centred around fan safety, with those in attendance more likely to be involved in pre-game drinking and post-match gatherings if it were played in the evening.
6. All of the last-32 matches have now taken place, with Colombia and Argentina the final two to confirm their spot. Argentina defeated Cape Verde 3-2 in extra time while Colombia beat Ghana 1-0 overnight. The Three Lions could face either of these teams in the semi-final, but will first have to get past one of Brazil or Norway, assuming they beat Mexico.
7. The latter beat Ecuador in convincing fashion to get to this point, but the South American nation are still far from pleased over their treatment ahead of that clash. They have since released a new statement demanding a "detailed investigation," issuing a clear warning to England about the disruption they might face.
8. Paraguay's surprise win over Germany was very nearly overshadowed by Cape Verde in the early hours of Saturday morning. They took Argentina to extra-time courtesy of two stunning strikes before an unfortunate own goal eliminated them.
9. Lionel Messi was key in two of his side's goals and he was extremely complimentary of Cape Verde both on and off the pitch. Following one of his interviews, the footballing icon was more than happy to pose with some players from the national team that had pushed Argentina to the absolute limit.
10. He stated to Tyc Sports: "They asked for my jersey, everything... On the field, they kick the crap out of me, ha." And that statement was certainly proven as being the case with Messi fouled five times in the game.
11. Earlier in the day, Argentina discovered they would be facing Egypt, assuming they advanced, with Mohamed Salah scoring in their penalty shoot-out victory. When the final spot-kick was converted, he showed his true colours by shaking hands with several Australian players before joining the celebrations.
12. READ MORE: England booed as hotel leaked and BBC deny accusations after FIFA chaos - World Cup round-up

The last 16 have been confirmed following a host of impressive performances.

Today, Canada will go head-to-head against controversial Africa Cup of Nations winners Morocco at Houston Stadium, Texas, at 6pm (UK time).

They will be followed by Paraguay vs France, with the Europeans considered the favourites by a wide margain. Kick off for that game is at 10pm (UK time) and it will be played at the Philadelphia Stadium.

France's Mbappe is among the greatest football players in the world(Image: Getty Images)

Amidst all the uncertainty surrounding when England vs Mexico in the World Cup would kick off, the BBC were forced to deny they were involved in any talks to have the kick-off time changed. A spokesperson for the broadcaster confirmed that they were ‘not involved in these discussions’, via the Metro

The accusation came from Fox Sports in Spanish, who stated that the BBC had pushed for it in order to secure a more favourable kick-off time for their viewing audience. However, that has been denied by the BBC.

Despite worries over thunderstorms, The Athletic have claimed that fan safety was the primary concern of FIFA which led to discussions over changing the kick-off time.

FIFA held an emergency meeting to discuss moving the game forward by six hours but opted to keep it at 6pm local time and 1am on Monday morning in England.

Another 16 nations have now been eliminated with the remaining sides set to compete for eight spots. Here is the last-16 line-up in full:

• Canada vs Morocco
• Paraguay vs France
• Portugal vs Spain
• USA vs Belgium
• Brazil vs Norway
• Mexico vs England
• Argentina vs Egypt
• Switzerland vs Colombia

There are some jubilant scenes on the pitch and in the stands with Colombia deserved winners.

The Ghana players meanwhile, have fallen to their knees and are visibly emotional following their exit.

Colombia players celebrate after beating Ghana at the World Cup(Image: (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images))

There is the final whistle and that completes the line-up for the last-16 with Colombia taking the last spot!

Colombia think they have gone two goals in front but Luis Diaz is denied by an offside flag.

Thomas Partey loses possession and they break at speed with the Bayern Munich man sliding Jefferson Lerma's cross. However, the former is an offside position which has seen the goal disallowed.

Ecuador have released a statement confirming their demands to FIFA following their World Cup exit at the hands of Mexico. The South American country were comfortably beaten by the co-host nation last month with action taken on their poor treatment even before the game was played.

That started with their flight into the country being mysteriously delayed by several hours and continued at their hotel with civilians attempting to cause maximum disruption through fireworks and other loud noises.

In the wake of those incidents and their 2-0 defeat, Ecuador have issued a new statement on Mexico, who are set to face England in the last-16.

Part of their statement read: "The Federation filed a formal complaint with FIFA, requesting a detailed investigation into the events that occurred before and during the match—including all those that may have compromised safety and security issues for our fans and players.

"This is the correct and official channel to clarify any situation related to a match of this magnitude."

Ecuador have provided an update on their FIFA complaint ahead of facing Mexico in the World Cup(Image: (Photo by Cesar Gomez/Jam Media/Getty Images))

Argentina captain Lionel Messi was full of praise for Cape Verde following their thrilling World Cup clash.

Lionel Messi has praised Cape Verde after they forced Argentina to extra-time at the World Cup(Image: (Photo by Steph Chambers - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images))

Colombia have been forced into an early sub here with Jhon Cordoba pulling up due to an issue in his groin. Luis Suarez has been introduced as his replacement.

Just minutes later, Ghana have also been forced to make a change with Marvin Senaya suffering a hamstring injury. Alidu Seidu has come on in his place.

Ghana will certainly pose a tough test for Colombia, however, with a fearsome frontline of Antoine Semenyo, Jordan Ayew and Inaki Williams likely to cause problems...

Following all of that chaos, it would be easy to forget that another World Cup match is on the horizon but there is one more round of 32 tie with Colombia taking on Ghana.

The South American side are arguably the favourites with all of their big-hitters starting again after being rested for the goalless draw against Portugal.

A World Cup classic has taken place in Miami.

Which has seen the minnows of Cape Verde come within a whisker of creating the biggest shock in the tournament's history. Twice Argentina went ahead - and twice Cape Verde came back off the canvas with some punches of their own, including a sensational one from Sidny Lopes Cabral in extra time to make it 2-2.

In the end a cruel own goal has kept Lionel Messi's dream of a World Cup double alive. While ending the one belonging to Cape Verde in truly heartbreaking fashion. Everyone had come to see the GOAT.

But what unfolded on this astonishing evening in Florida, was a team of lions stealing the show. Argentina have offered deserved congratulations to their previously unheralded opponents at the final whistle.

Before skulking off down the tunnel, knowing their air of invincibility no longer exists. Cape Verde have exposed the limitations and vulnerabilities of Lionel Scaloni's defending champions.

Which will offer genuine hope to those in the same side of the draw as them, including England. The Cape Verde squad don't want to leave the pitch. They want to savour every moment of the occasion - even if it turned out to be a losing one. What a story they have provided at this tournament.

They will be sorely missed - but given what's happened, never forgotten.

These are some rather special full-time scenes with Argentina players celebrating while the Cape Verde stars are in tears...

They have all been a joy to watch at this tournament and will be greatly missed. Argentina meanwhile, advance to the next round where Egypt will be their opponents.