'Shelter order' called at Azteca Stadium prompting fears England's last 16 clash could be delayed
A heavy thunderstorm swept through Mexico City hours before kick-off
A shelter order has been put in place at the Azteca Stadium just hours before England's World Cup last 16 clash with Mexico.
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The warning was issued around three hours before kick-off as severe weather swept in as spectators were forced to shelter underneath the roof of the ground.
Security and other personnel were huddled under gazebos and any other shelter they could find while thunder was heard close by.
Lightning flashed with rain and hailstones as spectators were told to remain under cover until the storm cleared.
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So far it is understood the match will continue with its planned kick-off time of 1am BST.
However, a call on whether the game is delayed is not expected to be made until 12:30am in the UK.
It comes after back-and-forth discussions on Friday saw the fixture moved forward to 12pm local time, six hours earlier than planned.
But after backlash from both camps, FIFA reverted back to the original time.
Temperatures during the game are currently expected to reach a high of 24 degrees on Sunday evening.
The gates were not due to open to fans for stadium entry until 3pm (10pm BST), but supporters are currently not being allowed in due to the inclement weather for safety reasons.
Mexico’s last-32 match with Ecuador on Wednesday was delayed by an hour after thunderstorms struck ahead of kick-off.