Mexico fans are pulling out all the stops to give England a sleepless night before their World Cup knockout match. Hundreds of home supporters gathered outside the England team hotel in Mexico City’s Santa Fe district on Saturday night, setting off fireworks, launching flares and playing loud music on drums and trumpets. The goal is obvious: make sure Thomas Tuchel’s squad walks into Estadio Azteca on Sunday feeling every bit as exhausted as the altitude is going to make them.
Social media lit up with footage of the organized noise campaign. The hotel is ringed with fencing and more than 100 National Guard riot police in bullet-proof vests, but that doesn’t stop the sound from carrying. A police dog and drone are also part of the security setup. England arrived late Friday night from Kansas City, and fans already knew where they were staying before the bus even pulled up. Any hope of keeping the location secret vanished fast — the team was greeted by a mix of curious supporters and hostile boos.
This isn’t Mexico’s first attempt at psychological warfare in this tournament. They pulled the same stunt before their round-of-32 win over Ecuador on Tuesday. Ecuador lost 2-0 and later filed a formal complaint with FIFA, arguing that the pre-game disturbance — fireworks, music, motorbikes, car horns and loudspeakers — affected their preparation. The match was already delayed an hour by thunder and lightning, so the restless night didn’t help.
England’s camp was ready for this. Multiple reports say players brought earplugs and sleep bands for their two-night stay in Mexico City. Those who didn’t pack their own are being offered sleep aids and white noise machines, according to the BBC. It’s not a bad idea to come prepared when hundreds of fans are blasting brass-band music outside your window at 11 p.m.
The game itself has been a logistical headache for days. There was serious debate about moving kickoff to midday (7 p.m. BST) because of storm and flooding concerns at the Azteca. FIFA ultimately decided not to change the time, which drew a furious reaction from some camps. The match stays at 1 a.m. BST Monday (6 p.m. local time).
Mexico City is locked down tight for Sunday. Authorities plan to deploy 17,000 police officers, with 7,500 stationed at the Azteca alone. The Sunday Telegraph is calling it the biggest security operation ever mounted for an England fixture. That’s saying something.
Four people died during mass celebrations after Mexico beat Ecuador earlier this week. That win marked Mexico’s first knockout-stage victory in a World Cup they hosted since 1986. The stakes are high, and nobody on either side is treating this like a normal game.
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