World Cup 2026: England keep Mexico venue quiet to avoid noisy locals
BBC • • sports
Key Points:
- England are taking precautions to ensure their players get adequate rest before their World Cup last-16 match against Mexico, including offering natural sleep aids and white noise machines to counteract potential noise disruptions from local fans.
- The England squad will arrive in Mexico City two days before the match, a change from their usual schedule, to better acclimatize and comply with FIFA's requirement for a part-open training session in the host city.
- Concerns arise from a previous incident where Ecuador's team was disturbed by noisy Mexico supporters using loudspeakers and horns outside their hotel, prompting England to keep their hotel location undisclosed.
- The match will be played at high altitude in Mexico City (approximately 2,240 meters above sea level), which poses a physical challenge for England as players typically require one to two weeks to acclimatize, a timeframe not possible given the schedule.
- England coach Thomas Tuchel acknowledged the altitude disadvantage but emphasized the team's readiness to face this challenge despite limited adaptation time.
