MEXICO CITY, July 5 (Reuters) – A shelter in place order was issued before the Mexico v England World Cup last-16 clash due to thunderstorms in the area around the Azteca Stadium, FIFA said on Sunday.
People working on the pitch were asked to move into the tunnel while a message on the stadium screen warned that severe weather was approaching the venue.
Displays outside the venue read: “Thunderstorm activated, please take your seats.”
Fans travelling to the stadium were seen seeking refuge under bridges and awnings.
Soccer’s world governing body FIFA had considered bringing the match forward but decided to maintain the original kickoff time despite concerns the weather could force further changes, a source familiar with the discussions told Reuters on Friday.
Local media had also reported that the fixture could be moved to 12:00 p.m. local time (1800 GMT) because of the weather forecast.
Mexico’s round-of-32 match against Ecuador earlier this week was delayed due to rain.
(Reporting by Janina Nuno Rios and Natalia Siniawski; Editing by Ken Ferris and Ed Osmond)
