England vs Mexico at Azteca: Kickoff, altitude and weather explained
The pitch at the Azteca is 2,240 metres above sea level. At that altitude, air is thinner and makes breathing difficult. Minutes after England survived
The pitch at the Azteca is 2,240 metres above sea level. At that altitude, air is thinner and makes breathing difficult. Minutes after England survived a World Cup scare against DR Congo to squeeze into the round of 16, the focus shifted to what’s next for the Three Lions. But it was not the threat of the in-form Mexico team that made the most noise, but the challenge of playing at the Azteca Stadium, the iconic football venue that can take your breath away, quite literally. The Mexico vs England match on Sunday evening in Mexico City is the most talked-about fixture of this knockout round, with the discussion ranging from the change in kickoff time to the high altitude posing a huge challenge and the risk of adverse weather. Al Jazeera breaks down the possible impact of those things on England’s chances of reaching the quarterfinals What time is England vs Mexico? The match will kick off at 6pm on Sunday in Mexico City, which is 1am on Monday in London (00:00 GMT). Why did FIFA consider changing the England vs Mexico kickoff time? On Friday, media reports in the United Kingdom and Mexico said governing body FIFA was planning to move the kickoff at the Azteca Stadium from 6pm local time to midday due to concerns over forecast storms and flooding in Mexico City on Sunday. But FIFA decided to stick with the scheduled time, as bringing the Mexico vs England game forward would have also meant delaying Brazil vs Norway on the same day in New York/New Jersey.
Why is Mexico City one of the toughest World Cup venues? The 80,000-odd capacity Azteca Stadium, the largest in Latin America, is a fortress-like home of cohosts Mexico, who have lost just two of their 89 competitive games there. According to stats provider Opta, Mexico are unbeaten in their last 22 competitive matches there (W16 D6), but the average FIFA Ranking of those opponents is just 57. The venue of the 1970 and 1986 World Cup finals, the Azteca Stadium holds particular historical significance for England, who are playing there for the first time since a controversial 2-1 quarterfinal defeat by Argentina at the 1986 World Cup, famous for Diego Maradona’s “Hand of God” goal. Is Mexico City at a high altitude? The pitch in Mexico City sits 2,240 metres (7,350 feet) above sea level. At that altitude, the air is thinner, meaning each breath delivers less oxygen to the body, and the ball travels faster and farther. By contrast, the Atlanta Stadium, where England beat DR Congo 2-1 on Wednesday, is just over 300 metres (984 feet) above sea level. What has Thomas Tuchel said about Mexico City’s altitude? England manager Tuchel was asked about the challenge of playing at the Azteca shortly after they won against DR Congo. “It is maybe one of the most beautiful fixtures, the most exciting fixtures that you can have, to play against Mexico in the Azteca,” Tuchel said.
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