Mexico and England clash today, Sunday July 5th, in the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup at the iconic Estadio Azteca, officially designated as Mexico City Stadium for the tournament. With a quarterfinal berth on the line, questions have emerged about the availability of Harry Kane and Julian Quiñones ahead of kickoff.
Harry Kane has been included in the starting XI against Mexico. The Bayern Munich striker was the hero of England’s Round of 32 win over DR Congo, and with five goals to his name in the tournament, Thomas Tuchel has no reason to change what is working up front.
Quiñones has also been included in the starting lineup for El Tri. Javier Aguirre has deployed the winger effectively down the left flank, using his pace to stretch opposing defenses, and with three goals and one assist in the World Cup, the Al-Qadsiah man is El Tri‘s standout performer and a certain starter when fit.
England arrives on the back of a hard-fought 2-1 win over DR Congo, where the African side opened the scoring before Kane completed the comeback with a brace. Mexico, meanwhile, cruised to a 2-0 victory over Ecuador in their Round of 32 match, with Quiñones contributing a goal and an assist.
Julian Quinones #16 of Mexico is thrown in the air by his teammates.
Weather conditions, a major factor ahead of kickoff
One of the main talking points heading into the match has been the prospect of disruptive weather affecting the game. According to the National Meteorological Service, the most adverse conditions are forecast between 4:00 PM and 6:00 PM local time, precisely during the pre-match buildup and scheduled kickoff, with a high probability of thunderstorms and electrical activity.
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Reports had suggested the possibility of moving kickoff to noon local time to avoid any potential delay. Ultimately, no changes were made, and the game remains scheduled for 6:00 PM Mexico City time (8:00 PM ET) on Sunday, July 5th, despite the threatening forecast.
Confirmed lineups for Mexico and England
Mexico’s confirmed lineup (4-3-3): Raul Rangel; Jorge Sanchez, Cesar Montes, Johan Vasquez, Jesus Gallardo; Luis Romo, Erik Lira, Gilberto Mora; Roberto Alvarado, Raul Jimenez, Julian Quiñones.
Head coach: Javier Aguirre.
England’s confirmed lineup (4-2-3-1): Jordan Pickford, Jarrel Quansah, Ezri Konsa, Marc Guehi, Nico O’Reilly; Elliot Anderson, Declan Rice; Bukayo Saka, Jude Bellingham, Anthony Gordon; Harry Kane.
Head coach: Thomas Tuchel.
