← Back to News
England team booed on arrival at Mexico City hotel
Venue
B
BBC Sport·about 11 hours ago

England team booed on arrival at Mexico City hotel

To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. This video can not be played

England squad booed as they arrive in Mexico

England were booed as they arrived at their Mexico City hotel to prepare for their World Cup last-16 game against Mexico.

England face the tournament co-hosts on Sunday (01:00 BST, Monday), a match which will be shown live on BBC One and iPlayer.

There is increased security at England's hotel after Ecuador, whom Mexico played in the last 32 in Mexico City, lodged a noise complaint with Fifa.

Ecuador players were deliberately kept awake by local supporters, who used loudspeakers, horns and motorcycles outside the team hotel late at night.

Ecuador stayed in the Westin Hotel and England wanted to keep their location undisclosed, but there were concerns that the location would be leaked.

Hundreds of locals were waiting outside their hotel as the team coach arrived on Friday, with some chanting "Mexico" and others booing.

Members of Mexico's National Guard lined the entrance to England's hotel, while police officers in riot gear stood next to barriers on the road outside the hotel.

Image caption, A police presence was in place before the England team's arrival

Image source, Reuters Image caption, A police presence was in place before the England team's arrival

Five and a half hours that left England's World Cup tie in chaos

Published 7 hours ago Secret location & sleep devices: England bid to combat noisy Mexico fans

Published 1 day ago England arrived two days before the game as Fifa rules for this stage of the tournament state that teams must hold a part-open training session in the local area the day before the game.

Their preparations were disrupted on Friday by a chaotic five-and-a-half-hour period in which it emerged that Fifa was considering bringing the match forward by six hours because of forecast storms.

The Football Association and Mexico's football federation (FMF) were angry at the proposal less than 48 hours before kick-off, and the game will now start as originally scheduled.

England also face the challenge of playing the game at high altitude.

Mexico City has an average elevation of about 2,240m above sea level, meaning there is less oxygen available.

Ideally, athletes should spend a week or two living at that altitude to allow their bodies to acclimatise and generate more red blood cells.

'You can't breathe' - what's it like playing at altitude?

'You can't catch your breath' - how will Azteca altitude impact England?

BBC offers 'Stay Up or Catch Up' for England v Mexico

Sources: BBC Sport

Get WC 2026 Updates

Match previews, results, and standings — delivered to your inbox.

Related Articles

Brazil going out? Chris Sutton predicts World Cup's last-16 matches
Venue

Brazil going out? Chris Sutton predicts World Cup's last-16 matches

By Chris Bevan BBC Sport journalist Published 1 hour ago Only 16 teams are left in the 2026 World Cup, but who will make it to the final at MetLife Stadium near New York City on 19 July?

B
BBC Sport·about 11 hours ago
Survival is key for England in epic test or it will be a Mexican wave goodbye
Venue

Survival is key for England in epic test or it will be a Mexican wave goodbye

Azteca tie is one of those World Cup occasions that transcend sport – and Tuchel’s side face a challenge all about progress, not process Nausea, cramps, shortness of breath. Time-lagged, unacclimatised, eyes bulging as the vertigo hits. Not to mentio

T
The Guardian·about 11 hours ago
Los Cafeteros Advance: 4 Takeaways From Colombia's World Cup Round Of 32 Win vs. Ghana
Venue

Los Cafeteros Advance: 4 Takeaways From Colombia's World Cup Round Of 32 Win vs. Ghana

Colombia became the final team to advance to the round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a 1-0 win over Ghana on Friday night at Kansas City Stadium. Here are four takeaways from the match.

F
Fox Sports·about 11 hours ago
England v Mexico set to move to earlier kick-off time
Venue

England v Mexico set to move to earlier kick-off time

Image source, Getty Images Image caption, England had been set to take on Mexico at the Azteca at 6pm local time

A
Aggregated from BBC Sport, Sky Sports·about 11 hours ago
Facing Mexico at the Azteca? Suddenly our expectations of England are unusually realistic | Max Rushden
Venue

Facing Mexico at the Azteca? Suddenly our expectations of England are unusually realistic | Max Rushden

Thomas Tuchel’s side have problems aside from the altitude: defeat in a Mexican haze would be no embarrassment It’s a warm June afternoon in 2009. The teams look uneven. At 30, I am the second-oldest player in our lineup. Lloyd, Nathan and Ben are ea

T
The Guardian·about 11 hours ago
My Mexico 1986 memories of Maradona, the Azteca and a commentary faux pas | David Pleat
Venue

My Mexico 1986 memories of Maradona, the Azteca and a commentary faux pas | David Pleat

Working at the 1986 World Cup match was unforgettable thanks to the most controversial goal in history and then the best I have seen live When I took my first television work with ITV at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, I never imagined I would attend a

T
The Guardian·about 11 hours ago