Why are schools starting late after England’s 1am World Cup match against Mexico

School leaders across England are allowing pupils to arrive late on Monday 6 July after England’s World Cup last-16 match against Mexico kicks off at 1am BST, creating a difficult morning for families, teachers and attendance teams. The fixture at Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium could run close to 4am if extra time and penalties are needed, leaving some schools to keep registers open until around 10am or 10.30am, while others will open as normal but show replays, highlights or hold football-themed mornings, The WP Times reports.

The decision is not national policy. It is a local judgement by individual headteachers and academy trusts, made after England manager Thomas Tuchel urged families to “let them watch” the match, while Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said children should still be in school on Monday. That tension has turned a football fixture into a wider debate about attendance, family life, childcare, school pressure and how far schools should bend for a rare national sporting moment.

Why some schools are starting late after England v Mexico

Some schools say the late start is designed to reduce pressure rather than cancel learning. Hill Avenue Academy in Wolverhampton is opening at 10am, around 90 minutes later than usual, after adopting the same approach for previous late England games. Headteacher Daniel Steventon said the school wanted pupils to enjoy supporting England without turning Monday morning into a stressful rush for families.

In County Durham, Annfield Plain Infant School said its register would stay open until 10am. Other County Durham primaries, including Greenland, Bloemfontein and Burnhope, have also reportedly allowed pupils to arrive up to 10am and still receive their morning attendance mark. Purwell Primary School in Hitchin said it would keep registers open until 10.30am. In the Midlands, Red Hall Primary School in Dudley said children arriving by 10.30am would not receive a late mark. ITV reported that Greenacres Primary in Shrewsbury and Uppingham CofE Primary in Rutland plan to show replays at 9am, while Rivers Primary Academy in Walsall is inviting pupils in from 8am for breakfast and a replay.

What schools are doing on Monday morning

What Thomas Tuchel said about school and England fans

Thomas Tuchel triggered much of the discussion after England’s win over DR Congo, which set up the Mexico tie. He said families should write an excuse for school and let children watch football, arguing that the World Cup comes only every four years and that England need support from children as well as adults. His message landed strongly with football-loving families. For many parents, the issue is not whether children should miss school for sport, but whether a one-off late start is more realistic than pretending every pupil who watches a 1am match will be ready for an 8.30am classroom start.

What Thomas Tuchel said about school and England fans

Thomas Tuchel gave the school debate its clearest headline after England’s win over DR Congo sent the team into the Mexico tie. Speaking after the match, the England head coach urged families to let children watch the 1am World Cup kick-off, saying parents could “write an excuse for school” because the tournament comes only once every four years.

His point was not simply about football. Tuchel framed the match as a national moment, arguing that England need the support of young fans as much as adults. For many families, that message landed because the Mexico game is not a normal late-evening fixture: a 1am start means even a straightforward match finishes deep into the night, while extra time and penalties could push the final whistle close to 4am. That is why some headteachers have treated Monday morning as a practical attendance problem rather than a discipline issue. Their argument is simple: a child arriving at 10am, tired but present, may be better than a pupil marked absent for the whole morning. It also reduces pressure on parents who want to share a rare World Cup knockout match with their children but do not want to face late marks, rushed school runs and exhausted classrooms.

What the government says about schools opening late

The government has not issued a national instruction telling schools to open late after England v Mexico. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said parents can make their own decisions about bedtime, but stressed that children should still be in school on Monday. Downing Street has taken a similar line: families may choose how to handle the night, but attendance remains important. That leaves the decision with schools. Some are keeping registers open longer, some are starting lessons later, and others are opening as normal while offering replays, highlights, football breakfasts or themed assemblies. The result is a local patchwork rather than one national rule. For headteachers, the balance is delicate. They must protect learning time and support working parents who rely on breakfast clubs, but they also know that many pupils will watch the match anyway. The schools choosing flexibility say they are not cancelling education; they are trying to keep pupils in school after an unusually late national sporting event.

How schools are balancing football, sleep and attendance after England v Mexico

Schools choosing a later start are trying to avoid a full attendance problem on Monday morning. Many are not shutting completely: breakfast clubs, early supervision and normal gates remain available for pupils whose parents need childcare before work. That matters because a flexible start only works if it does not punish families who rely on school from 8am. Other schools have chosen a middle route. They will open at the usual time but mark the World Cup moment with football shirts, assemblies, match highlights, full replays or themed breakfasts. This allows children to share the national occasion without making every family feel they must keep primary-age pupils awake until the early hours. The sleep issue is central. A 1am kick-off means many children could get only a few hours’ rest before registration. That is why schools such as Oaks Park High School in south London, despite opening later at 9.45am, have still urged pupils to sleep before the match where possible, rather than arriving exhausted and unable to concentrate.

What parents should check before Monday morning

Parents should not assume their child’s school is opening late. There is no single national rule, and arrangements vary by school, academy trust and local authority. Some schools are keeping registers open, some are starting lessons later, some are showing replays, and others expect pupils in at the normal time. Before Monday morning, families should check the school app, email, website or official social media page. The most important details are: what time gates open, when registration closes, whether breakfast club is running, whether late arrivals will be marked present, and whether pupils should wear uniform, PE kit or football colours. Working parents should also check whether early drop-off is still available. A late classroom start does not always mean the building is closed, and many schools are keeping normal morning provision for families who cannot change work schedules.

Why England v Mexico creates an unusual school problem

England v Mexico is difficult for schools because of the kick-off time, not just the football. A 1am BST start is far later than a normal evening fixture. If the match goes to extra time and penalties, children watching live may not get to bed until close to 4am. That creates a practical dilemma. Strict normal opening may protect routine, but it could also mean tired pupils, stressful school runs, more late marks and more absences. A flexible start may reduce pressure, but it can create childcare problems for parents who need to work early. For headteachers, the decision is therefore not simply “football or school”. It is about how to keep pupils in education after an exceptional overnight event while still protecting learning, attendance data, staff planning and family routines.

If England beat Mexico, the same debate could return before the next knockout match, depending on the kick-off time. Schools are unlikely to adopt one permanent tournament policy; many will review each fixture separately based on timing, pupil age, staffing and childcare needs. For now, Monday 6 July has become a test of practical judgement in English schools. The aim is to keep children learning, keep attendance meaningful and support working families — while recognising that a World Cup knockout match at 1am is not a normal school-night problem.

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