Mexico head coach Javier Aguirre was far from pleased on Friday after revealing that El Tri's FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 clash against England will kick off several hours earlier than originally scheduled.

Although FIFA has yet to make the change official, the match, initially set for an 8:00 p.m. ET kickoff (6:00 p.m. local time), is now expected to start at 2:00 p.m. ET (12:00 p.m. local time), a decision that clearly frustrated the veteran manager.

THE DECLARATION

"This change feels like a kick in the stomach. Now we have to rethink everything," Aguirre told Radio Fórmula. "It's not like all the work we've done goes out the window, but it comes pretty close because we're losing six hours that were part of our entire matchday plan. I don't like it at all. Obviously, we'll comply with whatever FIFA decides, but neither my players nor I are happy about it."

Aguirre also dismissed any suggestion that the earlier kickoff could benefit Mexico.

"There's absolutely no advantage to playing at noon. None whatsoever," he said. "It really throws a wrench into everything. FIFA is in charge, so we'll just have to deal with it. If anyone asked me, I'd say keep the 6:00 p.m. kickoff. It's a significant change. I can understand there may be reasons behind it, but nobody consulted me, and yes, I'm pretty upset. At the end of the day, though, our job is to go out there and win."

Mexico will be aiming to reach the World Cup quarterfinals for just the third time in its history, having previously done so only on home soil in 1970 and 1986.

"Those extra six hours were important. It may sound insignificant, but they're not," Aguirre said. "Our medical staff has been preparing the players for a 6 p.m. kickoff, not noon. Playing at midday isn't something we're used to. Still, we'll adapt."

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