Supporters, media representatives and stadium staff at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City were instructed to remain in their seats after a shelter-in-place order was issued because of severe weather shortly before the FIFA World Cup last-16 match between Mexico and England.

The fixture was scheduled to kick off at 18:00 local time on Sunday (01:00 BST on Monday), but persistent heavy rain and reports of lightning in the area created concerns about spectator safety and the potential impact on the match.The precautionary measure was introduced while organisers monitored conditions around the stadium.

Earlier in the weekend, FIFA had already caused uncertainty by proposing a significant change to the fixture's kick-off time before reversing that decision and confirming that the original schedule would remain in place.The sequence of discussions with both the English and Mexican football associations resulted in confusion for teams, supporters and broadcasters.

BBC meteorologist Tomasz Schafernaker explained that thunderstorms and shower clouds had been developing across Mexico City throughout the afternoon and evening.

Although reports of lightning near the stadium could not be independently verified, he noted that further showers and thunderstorms were expected to continue developing and could remain in the area for several hours.Weather conditions therefore remained under close observation as organisers assessed whether they could safely proceed with the match as planned.

The situation highlighted the challenges posed by adverse weather during major sporting events, where public safety must take priority while officials balance the need to maintain the tournament schedule.