Mexican authorities have announced that the school year will end over a month early as the country gears up to host World Cup matches, prompting broad backlash.

Education Secretary Mario Delgado said the decision to end the school year 40 days early was made in part due to a heatwave affecting several states.

“We’re going to end the school year on June 5 because many states are already experiencing high temperatures, and there’s also the issue of the World Cup,” he said at an event on Friday in the northern state of Sonora.

He added that authorities were considering moving up the start of the next academic year, currently scheduled for August 31, to compensate.

The tournament – hosted jointly by Mexico, the United States and Canada – kicks off on June 11 when Mexico takes on South Africa at home in Mexico City.

When Delgado initially announced the move on Thursday, President Claudia Sheinbaum said it was merely a “proposal”.