BBC makes big England vs Mexico decision before 1am World Cup match
The BBC has some great news for fans watching England’s World Cup round of 16 match against Mexico. The game at the Azteca Stadium starts at 1am on Monday, which is really tough timing for viewers back home. Even coach Thomas Tuchel has encouraged parents to let their kids stay up late to watch!
Because of the late kick-off, outgoing Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that pubs can stay open until 5am, so fans don’t have to cut the fun short. But many people still have work the next day, and staying up that late isn’t easy.
That’s why the BBC came up with a clever idea. They’ll show the game live as usual, but if you can’t watch it at 1am, they’ll replay it at 7:10am on BBC Two without any spoilers. Plus, the full game will be available to watch on BBC iPlayer from 6am, so you can catch up whenever you want.
This means you can avoid checking your phone, put on the replay, and enjoy your breakfast without knowing the score in advance. The BBC calls this new plan “Stay Up or Catch Up” and says it’s their best World Cup catch-up service yet, so you don’t have to choose between sleep and seeing one of the tournament’s biggest games.
Kelly Cates will host the coverage, with experts like Wayne Rooney, Joe Hart, and Micah Richards giving their thoughts from the studio. Commentators Guy Mowbray and Alan Shearer will call the action live from the Azteca Stadium.
The previous game against Congo, which kicked off at 5pm, drew a huge audience of 16.3 million viewers. The Mexico game will likely end around 3am or later, especially if there’s extra time or penalties.
There might even be some weather delays: thunderstorms are expected in Mexico City about an hour before kick-off. If lightning gets too close, FIFA rules say the game must pause, which could push the start time back. If that happens, pubs might be in a tricky spot since the match could be ending right as they have to close at 5am.
So, whatever happens, the BBC has made it easier for fans to enjoy the game — whenever they can watch!