Mexico and Ecuador will trade blows in Mexico City (CDMX) this evening but not at the scheduled 9pm local time kick-off.
The two Latin American nations are seeking a place in the Last 16 of the World Cup – in Ecuador‘s case for only the second time in the country’s history.
Kick-off has been delayed in the Mexican capital due to a weather warning with no word as of yet on when the game will take place.
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Why is Mexico vs Ecuador delayed?
The iconic Estadio Azteca is the venue for tonight’s Round of 32 bout but thunderstorms in the region are playing havoc with FIFA’s scheduling.
It follows Ecuador’s lodging of a complaint with world football’s governing body after Mexican fans set off fireworks and created a disturbance outside the Ecuador squad hotel overnight.
Fans blasted car horns in a bid to disrupt Ecuador’s preparation for the fixture in Mexico City, one of the most populous and elevated above sea level capital cities in the world.
Ecuador’s complaint to FIFA cited the so-called ‘sleep deprivation tactics’.
According to The Guardian, kick-off has been delayed ‘due to a biblical thunderstorm that has been raging above the stadium for more than an hour.’
Lightning has been observed near the stadium, whilst rolling thunder reportedly drew gasps from the crowd in CDMX. As of 40 minutes before the scheduled kick-off time, players had not emerged from the dressing rooms to warm up.
When lightning is present within an eight-mile (13 km) radius of the stadium, World Cup matches are immediately called to a halt. Play may only resume after a full 30 minutes have passed without further strikes in that area and any new lightning event resets the countdown.