← Back to News
'You can't breathe' - What is it like playing at altitude?
Venue
B
BBC Sport·about 23 hours ago

'You can't breathe' - What is it like playing at altitude?

BBC pundits Rachel Corsie and Lucas Leiva explain their experiences of playing football at altitude, ahead of England's game at Estadio Azteca against Mexico which sits 2,240 metres above sea level.

Share close panel Share page Copy link About sharing Related topics Football Follow Football

close panel You are now following Football Updates from your Sport topics will appear in My Sport and in a collection on the Sport homepage . Croatia Follow Croatia

close panel You are now following Croatia Updates from your Sport topics will appear in My Sport and in a collection on the Sport homepage . Mexico Follow Mexico

close panel You are now following Mexico Updates from your Sport topics will appear in My Sport and in a collection on the Sport homepage . England Men's Football Team Follow England Men's Football Team

Sources: BBC Sport

Get WC 2026 Updates

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

Related Articles

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·in about 1 hour
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·in about 1 hour
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·in about 1 hour
Altitude: how does it affect players and how big is England’s disadvantage?
Venue

Altitude: how does it affect players and how big is England’s disadvantage?

England have made it into the last 16 of the World Cup , and will face Mexico on Sunday (1am Monday BST). But they will also be up against another opponent: altitude.

T
The Guardian·about 23 hours ago
Stones to start? Rice to right-back? England XIs to face Mexico
Venue

Stones to start? Rice to right-back? England XIs to face Mexico

England are preparing to face Mexico in the last 16 of the 2026 World Cup in the early hours of Monday - but who should be in the team at the Azteca Stadium?

S
Sky Sports·about 23 hours ago
Thomas Tuchel claims Fifa rule puts England at ‘huge’ disadvantage in Mexico City altitude
Venue

Thomas Tuchel claims Fifa rule puts England at ‘huge’ disadvantage in Mexico City altitude

FA’s preferred acclimatisation option ruled out Tuchel reveals Declan Rice came off ‘in terrible pain’ Thomas Tuchel says England will be at a “huge” disadvantage in the high altitude of Mexico City on Sunday when they face Mexico in the last 16 of t

T
The Guardian·about 23 hours ago