FA reviewing security as FIFA receives Mexico complaint ahead of England match
England will have a lot to deal with in Mexico, and not all of it will be on the pitch.
The narrow last 32 victory over DR Congo did little to fuel optimism amongst England supporters, as a nervy and ragged defence now has to take on a Mexico side firing on all cylinders.
The co-hosts have yet to even concede a goal in the World Cup and their home advantage will be beneficial on multiple fronts.
For one, Mexico fans will massively outnumber English supporters in the Azteca for the match, which kicks off at 1am Monday, July 6, for those of us back home in England.
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The FA have been given an official allocation of a measly 3,000 in a stadium that holds 83,264. Though more England fans may well attend, it will cost a pretty penny to do so, with the cheapest tickets available standing at £2,600.
Mexico have an incredible record in their home stadium, having last lost a competitive match there in 2013 and only doing so once more before that. They are also acclimatised to the altitude of Mexico City, which stands 7,349 feet above sea level.
To make matters even worse, the FA are having to prepare for potential underhand tactics from locals well before the game gets underway.
England preparing for Mexico's guerrilla tactics
If you fail to prepare, you must prepare to fail and it's quite hard to prepare for anything if you haven't had a wink of sleep.
That's exactly what happened to Ecuador before their 2-0 defeat to Mexico in the last 32 tie.
Mexico fans gathered outside Ecuador's Westin Hotel in Mexico City the night before the game and utilised motorcycle engines, trumpets, booming speakers and a constant barrage of car horns to disturb the team within.
The conduct sparked an official complaint from Ecuador to FIFA.
Now, Football Association staff are doing what they can to ensure it doesn't happen to Thomas Tuchel's Three Lions, who are set to arrive in Mexico on Friday.
The Guardian reports the FA is 'confident' that they have the security measures in place to protect the squad, but are flexible to change if new information comes to light and are reviewing arrangements around the hotel.
A huge police presence is expected on the streets ahead of the match.
England have suffered rough treatment in Mexico before.
Ahead of their famous World Cup match with Brazil in Guadalajara in 1970, a large group of locals gathered outside the hotel with the intention of disrupting England's sleep. Some even got to the corridor of England's rooms, before being chased away by a half-naked Jack Charlton, as Jonathan Wilson writes in The Power and the Glory.
Imagine what it will be like when Mexico are actually playing.
As well as the sleepless night, it also took Ecuador nine-hours to arrive in Mexico City due to their flight being delayed by three hours and traffic in the city.
In a statement following their defeat to Mexico, the Ecuadorian Football Federation said: "Such conduct stands in stark contrast to the principles of fair play, equity, and unity that a World Cup should embody.
"The FEF respectfully calls upon the competent authorities to pay greater attention to these events and to adopt the necessary measures to safeguard the safety of our players, coaching staff, and fans."
How much does it cost to attend the World Cup?
Football fans wanting to watch the games in person better have deep pockets. Here’s what flights, accommodation, tickets and food and drink will cost England supporters:
Getting there
For those who managed to catch England’s opening game against Croatia on 17 June, a return flight from London to Dallas, Texas would have set them back around £700, according to Skyscanner.
The second and third games are a little cheaper to get to - £400 if you want to watch the Three Lions go up against Ghana in Boston on 23 June, and £500 to see them play Panama in New York on 27 June.
But now you need somewhere to stay.
Hotel costs
NBC has crunched the numbers on hotels, looking at the average for the five cheapest hotels within 15 miles of the station as of late last month.
In Atlanta for the opening match, the average hotel room is £350 for two nights, and that’s on the cheap side.
A hotel to watch the second game in the group stages in Boston will cost £725, and the third in New York will be £485.
Now to get your ticket for the game…
Ticket prices
Tickets for the opening game against Croatia went for around £430, via Seatpick.
England vs Ghana will set you back at least £330, and the match against Panama £250.
I bet all that number crunching has made you thirsty…
Food and drink prices at the World Cup
Unlike in the UK, football fans are allowed to drink in the stands in the US, Canada and Mexico - if they’re made of money, that is.
Prices at a warm-up match between England and New Zealand at the Raymond James stadium in Tampa, Florida on 6 June gave an indication of what to expect in the World Cup proper, which is bad news for fans.
A large beer was advertised at $18.75 (£13.99), while just a bottle of water was priced at $7.50 (£5.60).
Meanwhile, according to Football Ground Guide, a basic meal and a beer will set you back $23.88 (£17.83) at the AT&T Stadium in Dallas, where England’s first game took place.
For England’s second game at the Boston Stadium (also known as the Gillette Stadium), according to Football 2026 hot dogs went for £6.30, while burgers set punters back £10.45.
Meanwhile, a basic meal and a beer at the MetLife stadium for England’s match against Panama will cost you £24.87.
Daniel Murphy