A senior White House official has accused UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer of making a “grave” decision after backing efforts to prevent England’s World Cup clash with Mexico from being rescheduled.

The controversy erupted after FIFA considered moving the Round of 32 match forward by six hours because of forecasts for severe thunderstorms and flash flooding in Mexico City.

The proposed schedule change would have shifted kick-off from the evening to midday local time, but the plan was ultimately abandoned following objections from both the English Football Association and the Mexican Football Federation, with Starmer publicly supporting the FA’s concerns over the impact such a late change would have on England’s preparations.

The decision has now drawn criticism from Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House Task Force on the World Cup and son of former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani.

Speaking to talkSPORT, Giuliani claimed Starmer’s intervention carried potentially serious consequences.

“I would point to something I think is a much graver decision that was made just a couple days ago,” Giuliani said.

“Keir Starmer’s intervention through diplomatic channels of not allowing the Mexico-England match time to be moved.”

He argued that concerns over public safety should have taken precedence, referencing the deaths of three Mexican supporters following their country’s previous World Cup victory.

“That’s far graver when you actually think about the consequences, the potential consequences, than anything that happens on the pitch,” Giuliani added.

However, there is no public evidence linking the deaths of the three fans—who reportedly died from asphyxiation during post-match celebrations after Mexico defeated Ecuador—to the weather or to the proposed kick-off time.

The scheduling debate unfolded after FIFA reportedly came close to approving the earlier start due to concerns over lightning, heavy rain and possible flash flooding.

Under FIFA regulations, matches must be suspended whenever lightning is detected within an eight-mile radius of the stadium and cannot resume until at least 30 minutes have passed without another strike.

Reports suggested the Mexican government also favored an earlier kick-off following safety concerns after the celebrations that accompanied Mexico’s previous victory.

Despite those discussions, the proposal was met with strong resistance from both competing nations, including Mexico’s head coach, who publicly criticized the potential change.

The situation reportedly became so chaotic that England’s squad learned the match would remain at its original time while they were already flying from their training base in Kansas City to Mexico City.

Following the criticism, a spokesperson for the British government clarified Starmer’s role, emphasizing that the Prime Minister merely supported representations made by the Football Association regarding the logistical challenges of altering the fixture at short notice.

“The Prime Minister was clear that he was supportive of representations made by the Football Association regarding the practical implications of a proposed scheduling change for the team’s preparations,” the spokesperson said.

“The final decision on fixture timings remained a matter for FIFA.”

The dispute comes just days after President Donald Trump personally contacted FIFA president Gianni Infantino regarding Folarin Balogun’s suspension after the United States striker received a red card in the previous round.

Trump later confirmed he requested a review because he believed the dismissal was unfair, while Giuliani defended the administration’s involvement, arguing the United States wanted to ensure the tournament was being administered fairly.

Infantino, however, insisted FIFA’s independent judicial bodies handled the case without outside influence, saying conversations with world leaders do not affect disciplinary decisions.

The exchange has added another political twist to an already dramatic World Cup, with questions continuing over the balance between government involvement, player welfare and FIFA’s authority over the tournament.

Source: Various Sources.