Fireworks exploded and loud music blared outside England’s hotel on Saturday night as Mexican fans launched a pre-match disruption campaign – and police explicitly refused to stop them. Footage showed supporters playing music and setting off pyrotechnics near the Three Lions’ base in Mexico City, with officers telling GB News they would not make arrests and declining to engage. The Football Association had hoped to keep the hotel location secret to prevent exactly this kind of disturbance, but local fans found the site and booed the squad on arrival. Now, with roadblocks set up by Fifa and fans pushed back 200 metres from the hotel, the question is whether Thomas Tuchel’s players will get the rest they need before Monday’s last-16 tie at the iconic Estadio Azteca.
Tuchel, for his part, struck a defiantly relaxed tone. “We had no issues tonight and I think Fifa took care of the situation,” he said. “We have security around the hotel so we expect a good night’s sleep.” The head coach dismissed concerns about fan behaviour, saying it had been “nicer than I expected” and that home supporters were “friendly and respectful”. On Saturday, the team were met with a mixture of cheers and jeers as they left for training under enhanced security, with members of Mexico’s National Guard lining the hotel entrance and riot police standing behind barriers. “What I experienced until now was very respectful and emotional and very supportive towards our teams,” Tuchel added. “It was even nicer than I expected.”
“Mexico fans set off fireworks outside England's hotel; police refuse to stop them ahead of World Cup last-16 match.”
The disruption attempts follow a pattern set earlier in the tournament. Ecuador, beaten 2-0 by Mexico in the last 32, lodged a formal noise complaint with Fifa after fans with loudspeakers, motorbikes and horns disturbed their sleep. In response, authorities have now deployed 500 police and closed roads around England’s hotel – but Saturday night’s fireworks suggest the measures may not be enough.
On the pitch, the challenge is equally daunting. Mexico have lost just two of 89 competitive matches at the Azteca since it opened in 1966, winning 70 and drawing 17. In World Cup games, they have never lost at the venue, recording nine wins and two draws across their 1970, 1986 and 2026 campaigns. Their most recent home defeat came in 2013 against Honduras; since then, they have gone 26 matches unbeaten at the stadium. “This will be a proper World Cup match – an iconic place, an iconic stadium, a massive knockout game,” Tuchel said. “It makes you sharper and brings the best out of you. It makes you feel alive.” The match kicks off at 18:00 local time on Sunday (01:00 BST Monday), live on BBC One, iPlayer and Radio 5 Live. With the altitude of 7,220ft already a factor, England will need more than a good night’s sleep to overcome the co-hosts in their fortress.