The English Football Federation sought advice from Northridge Law after FIFA considered advancing its match against Mexico by six hours due to storms in Mexico City. FIFA ultimately kept the original 6 p.m. schedule.
According to sources familiar with the matter, the English federation was shocked at the prospect of a last-minute change to one of the tournament’s most important matches. Both the English and Mexican teams sought clarifications during a chaotic day before the original schedule was confirmed.
The incident highlighted how national federations are exercising greater control over rules, broadcast schedules and extreme weather protocols in the 2026 World Cup, which features 104 matches across Canada, Mexico and the United States.
Zane Shihab, a lawyer at DLA Piper in London, noted that sports law has grown exponentially over the past 20 years due to increased scrutiny of regulations and governing bodies.
