Siestas, sickies and no spoilers: top tactics for surviving early-morning England match

Harry Kane has to deal with the altitude and Mexico. But you've got work tomorrow and the kids have school. Here’s how to still give it your best shot. By Ben Coles

- By Ben Coles

But for Fifa rules, the England squad would have flown to Mexico City yesterday for a short, sharp bid to beat the altitude, the host team and a deafening local crowd of 80,000 in 90 heroic minutes.

As it is, Harry Kane and company were forced to train yesterday in depleted oxygen in a stadium as high as Europe’s highest ski resort, and if Ecuador's experience is any guide their sleep will have been interrupted by a soundtrack of revving motorbikes, airhorns and loudspeakers.

Alls fair, apparently, in love, war and football.

Back at home, England fans face their own challenge: how to stay awake for a 1am kick-off after Fifa U-turned on Friday on a proposal to bring the game forward by six hours to avoid a forecast storm.

Keir Starmer confirmed on Thursday that emergency legislation would allow pubs to stay open until 5am, explaining that the move would be “really good for pubs” after several had previously announced they would be forced to close due to licensing regulations. The government's intervention was welcomed by the hospitality industry, and the childcare app Bubble also reported a 50% rise in bookings for tomorrow morning.