MEXICO CITY — For decades the Estadio Azteca has been regarded as a fortress, sitting at roughly 7,300 feet above sea level and regularly filled with about 80,000 fans. Chants of “Mexico, Mexico” and “Esto es Mexico” ring through the venue before kickoff, and the stadium erupts when the national anthem “Mexicanos, al grito de guerra” is sung, a moment midfielder Álvaro Fidalgo said opponents can palpably feel after Mexico defeated Ecuador 2-0 in the round of 32.
Support for El Tricolor has spilled beyond the stadium into Mexico City. Grocery stores carried eggs stamped with “y si, si?”, the phrase tied to Mexico’s 2026 World Cup campaign, coffee shops printed the message on to-go cups and Mexico paraphernalia adorned apartment railings across the city.
The fervor reached a crescendo when fan groups organized #OperacionNoDormir, a so-called “serenata” outside Ecuador’s team hotel. Hundreds of supporters arrived with drums, trumpets and horns to make noise and disturb sleep, acting in response to online taunts and calls for an “Aztecazo.” The gathering came about 12 miles from the Azteca and nearly 24 hours before kickoff, and lasted into the early morning of match day.
Initially Ecuador appeared to brush off the incident with a sleeping emoji on social media, but the Ecuadorian Football Federation later issued a statement condemning the actions and said it had filed a formal complaint with FIFA. “Regarding some of the extra-football actions that occurred previous to the round-of-32 match, the Ecuadorian Football Federation has sent a formal complaint to FIFA,” the federation said in its release.
Mexico went on to win 2-0 at the Azteca. England took note and adjusted its approach ahead of the round of 16, delaying its trip to Mexico City and changing hotels. A heavy security presence and online sleuthing complicated that plan, and England, in coordination with FIFA and local authorities, established several security measures. Two sources confirmed FIFA stationed a security guard on every floor of the hotel from the basement to the rooftop, and that guests or diners were required to show reservation confirmations and matching identification.
