The night England silenced the Azteca
08.07.26, 21:20 Updated 08.07.26, 21:20 6 Minute Read
Phil Martin
As we fly into Miami for a World Cup quarter-final with Norway, Mexico City has proved a wonderful leg of this unfolding World Cup odyssey. Sitting sprawling beneath the mountains, it is a city fuelled by an obsession with football that feels unmatched anywhere on the planet.
Yet as we flew in last Friday evening, the story was not England against Mexico or how Thomas Tuchel would set up his side in one of world football’s most intimidating arenas. It was about when the game would kick off.
Officially, FIFA's concerns centred around lightning storms. Unofficially, there was a far more serious backdrop. After the tragic events that followed Mexico’s victory over Ecuador, there was understandable pressure from the Mexican authorities regarding supporter safety and the challenges of moving huge numbers of people around the city. It was a delicate situation and one FIFA had to treat seriously. Ultimately, after hours of speculation and uncertainty, confirmation came that kick-off would remain at 6pm, before we landed at the busy main airport.
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Phil Martin Author, journalist and veteran of eight major tournaments, and England top capper, with a background in sports writing, editing and publishing.