World Cup: How England v Mexico will be impacted by altitude at Azteca stadium

Reached the last 16 of the World Cup By beating the Democratic Republic of Congo 2-1, One of the biggest dangers England will face in their next game against Mexico is something they cannot control: altitude.

The Three Lions will play at the iconic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, 2,220 ft above sea level.

This will be England’s first match at the stadium since their controversial quarter-final defeat to Argentina at the 1986 World Cup.

At this altitude, the air becomes thinner because the Earth’s barometric pressure is lower, meaning less oxygen is taken into the bloodstream with each breath.

Even for professional football players this has a potentially significant impact: increased heart rate, shortness of breath, dehydration, faster and more intense fatigue.

By contrast, the highest altitude stadium in professional English football is West Bromwich Albion’s The Hawthorns, which is 14 times closer to sea level than Azteca.

Opponents Mexico have played all their matches at home so far and it is clear that the team is used to dealing with these conditions; They have played 14 matches for Azteca so far in the 2020s, scoring 23 goals and conceding just four goals.

Their competitive record at Azteca was 70 wins, 17 draws and only two defeats in 89 matches. They are also unbeaten in 10 World Cup matches here.

“When you go there as a rival, you know you’re going to suffer,” says former Mexico captain Pavel Pardo, who also called Azteca home while playing for Club America.

So how will altitude be felt for players on the field, how big of a difference can it make and are there any strategies to deal with it?