England unfazed by Mexico's home advantage, says Rice
England midfielder Declan Rice has asserted that the team is not concerned about playing in front of a hostile crowd at the iconic Azteca Stadium in Mexico City for their FIFA World Cup 2026 round of 16 match. Speaking ahead of the clash, Rice acknowledged that Mexico's strong home support would make it feel like an away game, but emphasized that England's focus remains solely on their performance.
"It's kind of going to be like an away game for us. They've played every game in Mexico so far, been at home the whole tournament, so for us it's just being able to go there and deal with what's going to be thrown at us," Rice told Lions' Den, as reported by Goal.com.
Azteca's history acknowledged but not intimidating
Rice also noted the historic significance of the Azteca Stadium, referencing iconic moments such as Diego Maradona's 'Hand of God' goal. However, he stressed that England would treat it like any other venue. "For us, we don't care where we play. To us, it's just a stadium. Obviously, the Azteca is known as where Maradona done the 'Hand of God', like just loads of different iconic moments. For us, we're just turning up to do a job. Obviously it's going to be unreal, but it's just another stadium we get to play at," he added.
Match timing unchanged despite weather concerns
The high-stakes encounter is scheduled to kick off at 1 am UK time on Monday, as originally planned, despite reports of possible changes due to forecast thunderstorms and bad weather. Sky Sports reported that FIFA had considered moving the match forward by six hours, with discussions involving the English and Mexican football associations. However, the schedule remains unchanged, and the match will proceed at the Azteca Stadium, which is considered Mexico's fortress.
Thunderstorms and adverse weather conditions are predicted around kick-off time, but both teams are preparing to play as scheduled. The round of 16 clash is expected to be a thrilling contest, with England aiming to overcome the home crowd advantage and advance in the tournament.
