The famous Azteca Stadium in Mexico City will add another historic game to its resume on Sunday: England vs. Mexico in the 2026 World Cup. It will be a daunting matchup for the Three Lions, who have played their first three games in Dallas, Foxborough, Mass., New Jersey and Atlanta. Those places don’t compare to Mexico City, where they will face an altitude of more than 7,000 feet. Meanwhile, Mexico has played three of its four games at the hallowed Azteca — called Mexico City Stadium during the World Cup — winning all three by multiple goals for a combined 7-0 scoreline. Mexico has not lost a competitive home game at the stadium since September 2013 and is 8-2-0 (win-draw-loss) in the 10 World Cup games that it has played there. Overall, El Tri are 70-17-2 at the stadium. One country that is extremely familiar with playing there: the United States of America. The Americans have an all-time 1-4-9 record at the stadium, including three draws and one win in their last four games there. Three U.S. soccer veterans — Bob Bradley, Maurice Edu and Walker Zimmerman — told us what it’s like to play at the Azteca ahead of the stadium’s final game of this World Cup. Bradley coached the U.S. there in a 2009 qualifier that saw the Americans take an early lead through a Charlie Davies goal, only to lose 2-1. Edu started in the only USA win ever at the Azteca in August 2012, while Zimmerman started there in a 2022 World Cup qualifier that ended 0-0. What was it like arriving at the stadium? Bradley: It's an awesome stadium. Every time you play a qualifier there, everything shuts down for the day. I think this stadium is filled by the time you can get into the stadium and look around. People are coming in, and it's filled even in warmups. So, the players get a sense of everything before the kickoff, so you're excited to start playing. Edu: I remember when you get to the stadium where the bus drops you off and walk to the locker room, it’s a long, long walk. Along the wall in the hallway, you see photos of these iconic games that have been played at Azteca. You get into the locker room to change, and you start to hear the noise as it gets louder and louder. By the time you’re coming out to warm up, it’s like this deafening buzz. I always appreciated an atmosphere like that. I love a crazy and passionate environment that has real energy, passion and support. It reminded me of playing at Celtic Park for Rangers in Glasgow. Everyone is screaming at you and wants to steal the shirt off your back. Zimmerman: We made the mistake of staying at the Four Seasons since it was a nicer hotel even though it was further away from the stadium. So, the day before the game, we went to the Azteca to get a training session in. The bus ride probably took an hour and 45 minutes. So, the day of the match, we gave ourselves 2 hours with a police escort. I remember pulling up to the stadium, and as soon as we got to the locker room, we had a total of eight minutes to be on the field to warm up because we were so delayed. Guys were getting taped up on the bus, trying to take a nap, get ready as best they could. How big of a factor is altitude? Bradley: Look, 7,000 feet is a lot, and when you play in the middle of the afternoon, it's also more difficult because you're also dealing with the sun and the air quality. The way it affects players is mostly with their ability to recover when they make a hard run. So, everything in terms of defensive reactions and recovery becomes a little harder. You're aware of that, and obviously trying to find the right moments to run and be smart. Players have to read the game well so that they are not putting themselves and the team in tough situations where the game gets wide open, which plays into Mexico's hands when that is the case. Edu: It’s difficult, man. It really is. Those first few sprints in warmups, when you’re getting ready, you’re not really tested. It’s in the game when you’re trying to get on the end of a cross or sprinting into the box, the moment of transition when you turn around and have to sprint back. That’s when you’re really tested and when you really start to feel how much altitude plays into it. I think the hydration breaks will help now, because a huge part of playing at that altitude is just weathering the first 15 or 20 minutes of that storm. Zimmerman: They sent us altitude tents about a month before that cycle of international games began, so I actually slept in that next to my wife. We would go up like 500 feet in altitude every night while monitoring our oxygen levels. You wake up, put a monitor on your finger and see how you are doing. I think I did that for about three weeks. It’s hard to remember whether it actually worked. What I remember from the game is that we were feeling really good, honestly. I don’t remember too many big chances for Mexico, and it went pretty well. I didn’t notice the altitude too much because even if it’s tough, what’s the alternative? You sub yourself out? No, you have to dig deep. When you see the other guys around you doing the same, you just kind of keep running through it. What is your lasting memory of playing at the Azteca? Bradley: One of the best. One of the best. Great atmosphere, great history. And the big challenge when you go there. Edu: That we won. Although it was a friendly, being in that stadium and being part of that team in a 1-0 win, that’s my lasting memory. I like playing in atmospheres like that where I can help quiet fans down and ultimately get the result. There’s nothing like it. Zimmerman: I think the stadium is bigger when you’re in it than you realize. I don’t think I was aware of the sheer size of it until you’re in it. You’re just kind of driving around Mexico City and then boom, there it is.
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