Just how impactful will the altitude be on England players when they face Mexico at the Azteca?

Analysis

FT Desk

The fast pace of the 2026 World Cup schedule means that England have quickly turned their attention to their next match following their dramatic 2-1 victory against DR Congo in the Round of 32.

On Wednesday, the Three Lions, largely thanks to Harry Kane, eventually overcame DR Congo 2-1 after the African nation took a shock lead in the first half.

It set up one of the most anticipated matches of the World Cup so far - a clash against co-hosts Mexico in the legendary Azteca Stadium in Mexico City.

There are so many narratives already being built for the game, including England striving to overcome Mexico's incredible record at the Azteca - El Tri have remarkably lost lust twice there since 1966.

In 10 World Cup matches, they are undefeated at the Azteca.

One more concerning narrative for England, however, will be the players aiming to adapt to the altitude of the stadium in Mexico.

The iconic Azteca sits over 7,000 feet above sea level. That's one-and-a-half times higher than the summit of Ben Nevis, which is the highest point in the United Kingdom.

Thomas Tuchel says it will be impossible for his players to adapt to the altitude due to the short period between matches and reckons Mexico will benefit from that.

"My understanding is we cannot adapt to the altitude," the England boss said after the DR Congo win.

"It's a huge advantage Mexico will have. We have three days in between the [Congo and Mexico] matches and we cannot adapt to it. We knew that before. It's just a disadvantage, for which we will have to deal with."

Mexico have already played at the Azteca Stadium on three occasions in this World Cup, while England have not played a fixture at this high at altitude in 40 years - the infamous 'Hand of God' and 'Goal of the Century' loss against Diego Maradona and Argentina at the 1986 World Cup.

England's most recent experience playing at an altitude above 4,000 feet came during the 2010 World Cup, when they faced the USA and Germany in South Africa.

Although manager Fabio Capello took the squad on a high-altitude training camp ahead of the tournament, England were unable to win either match.

Tuchel is hoping that warm-weather training can serve them well, even if it won't necessarily prepare them for high altitudes.

"We came very early to the country and to the US, we banked good heat training into our bodies," said Tuchel. "That was the idea behind it.

"The players have lots and lots of heat training which will help them. The heat and humidity is not the problem. We are used to that."

How will high altitude impact the players?

High altitude can affect the human body because there is less oxygen available in the air as you go higher above sea level. Even though the air still contains oxygen, the lower air pressure makes it harder for the body to get the amount it needs. This means the heart and lungs have to work harder to supply oxygen to muscles and organs.

When people first travel to high-altitude areas, they may experience symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, tiredness, shortness of breath, and difficulty sleeping. These symptoms are often mild and usually occur because the body has not yet adjusted to the lower oxygen levels. Physical activities that are normally easy can feel much more challenging, so imagine playing in a fierce World Cup last-16 tie?

After a few days, the body begins to adapt through a process called acclimatisation. Breathing becomes more efficient, and the body produces more red blood cells to help carry oxygen around the body. This allows people to cope better with the conditions and reduces the symptoms they may have experienced at first, but England will not have enough time to truly acclimatise.

Overall, high altitude places extra stress on the body because of the reduced oxygen supply.