The highly anticipated Round of 16 clash between the Mexican National Team and England at the 2026 World Cup has been confirmed. This matchup will mark only the second time both teams face each other in a World Cup, coming 60 years after their first and only previous encounter.

However, the roles seem to have reversed. This time, Mexico will play host, backed by an Estadio Azteca that has turned into a true fortress. Without a doubt, this is one of the most attractive matchups of the next round—a game already being analyzed in depth, where the unwavering support of the Mexican fans stands out as a key factor that could tip the scale.

One person who did not hide his excitement was Joe Hart, the former Manchester City and England National Team goalkeeper, when discussing the atmosphere he expects inside the Coloso de Santa Úrsula.

What an occasion. Honestly, get me in there. That will be absolutely [insane]. The atmosphere.

While Hart was expressing his enthusiasm, he was interrupted by Wayne Rooney, who made his stance on English favoritism very clear, though he did acknowledge a factor capable of leveling the playing field: the unconditional backing of the Mexican faithful.

“England are better than México. I’ve got no doubt that England are a better team than México. But what México have behind them is they have the fans there, they have the emotion of playing in front of their fans and you see they are very passionate country, we see it not just with football, we see it with boxing. Everyone comes together for their sports, and that’s going to be the challenge for England

Wayne Rooney

Mexico and England will face off this Sunday at the Estadio Azteca, a venue the English squad has not stepped foot in since the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, when they were eliminated by Argentina in an unforgettable match defined by the “Hand of God” and Diego Maradona‘s historic goal. This time, the Three Lions return to that very same stage aiming to prevent history from repeating itself against them.