Will England Conquer Mexico in the Azteca?

Fri, Jul 3, 2026

England face their toughest test of the 2026 FIFA World Cup so far this Sunday night, as they travel to Mexico City to play co-hosts Mexico. Heat, humidity, altitude and tens of thousands of opposing fans will make this a difficult encounter, but can the Three Lions roar into life when the pressure turns up a notch? We preview this game and a whole lot more in our full preview of this weekend's action.

Video Transcript

The round of 16 kicks off this weekend, guys.

As of the time of recording, we've still got some matches in the round of 32 to play.

If you wanna look at my thoughts for those in terms of predictions, do go check out my video that I made earlier this week on that very subject.

We're gonna focus on the games that are on on Saturday and also Sunday.

I'm not gonna do a full round of 16 predictions yet, because there's still three sides to get through from the round of 32.

So I'm gonna preview all the action that's on this weekend, guys, Saturday and Sunday, including, of course, England's match against Mexico on Sunday night or Monday morning, depending on how you look at it.

So we'll go in the order that these matches are being played, starting with one of the three co-hosts of the tournament, Canada against Morocco.

Canada have done very well to make it to this stage of the tournament.

They've never made it out of the group stage before.

And of course, they overcame South Africa in the round of 32 to make it through to the round of 16.

Morocco, meanwhile, they've done a good job so far this tournament.

They managed to go level on points with Brazil in their group, which is no mean feat whatsoever.

They also managed to beat the Netherlands as well in the round of 32.

Again, not a bad side at all.

And I think the quality will shine through in this one.

I am gonna predict Morocco to go through to this one.

Of course, Morocco, they made it through to the semifinals in Qatar.

Can they do the same in North America this time around?

I'm not ruling it out.

I'm definitely backing them to go through to the quarters.

I am sorry, Canada.

Just for reference, this isn't really a home match for Canada either, despite being one of the co-hosts.

It's being played in Texas, Houston, this match is taking place.

So it's not really even a home advantage.

I mean, I imagine quite a few Canadians will head down to Texas for this game, but it's not really home advantage, to be honest.

So I'm gonna give this win to Morocco by two goals to nil.

They're not gonna get disgraced, Canada, I don't think, but Morocco, I think they'll have enough.

I think they'll have enough.

Also, well done to Paraguay for making it through to this part of the competition.

They scored their first ever World Cup knockout goals last time out to knock Germany out, but I don't think they're gonna go much further in this tournament.

They're up against France, who have been absolutely firing on all cylinders during this tournament.

For me, France and Spain, definitely the two most impressive teams so far.

France have absolutely blown everyone apart so far during this tournament, and they did the same thing to the Swedes as well in the round of 32.

Paraguay, like I said, they played very defensively.

They played very well against Germany to make it through to the round of 16, but I can't see them going much further here.

I think France have just got too much, and I'm gonna give France the victory here by two goals to nil.

Then we go through to the Sunday games, two of these, of course, and the first one, the one against Brazil and Norway.

Now, this is a really fascinating game, in my opinion.

Brazil so far haven't been that impressive by Brazil standards, anyway.

I mean, Brazil have got very high standards.

They've won this competition more than anybody in the world, but they haven't done so now in a generation, ever since 2002.

I was there, I remember.

Not in South Korea or Japan, I wasn't there, although I was probably watching it from the floor of my parents' living room or something like that.

But anyway, long time ago.

Let's have a look at the present, though.

Of course, Norway making it through to this World Cup for the first time in a generation.

They made it through to the round of 16 last time, though, in France, of course, in 1998.

Brazil, like I said, they've not been that impressive so far, but they've got the job done, that late, late winner against Japan, of course, sending the Japanese home.

Norway, that was a really thrilling game that they played.

Norway, that was a pretty good game they played against Ivory Coast as well.

Not exactly a bad opponent at all.

They've been pretty impressive in this tournament.

Of course, the African side head home there.

And I think that Norway are gonna head home here.

I think they're gonna cause Brazil problems.

I think they're gonna score, but I think Brazil just overall, they just got enough.

They just about got enough.

So I'm gonna give this to Brazil by two goals to one.

Again, another narrow victory there for them.

But who are they gonna play in the quarterfinals if they get through?

Final match I'm covering here, guys, Mexico against England.

I am gonna try and stay up for this one.

I'm gonna try and do a TikTok live if I'm feeling like it as well.

I got my son's sports day the day, the day after on Monday, so I need to be up early on Monday morning.

But you know, I can just chill.

I can cheer him on while probably not feeling the best at that point.

but yeah, the real competition here, of course, is the World Cup, and I'm sure my boy will agree with that one.

Although that egg and spoon race there, that's gonna be intense.

He's gotta defend his crown.

He won last year.

I wanna see him defend that title.

But yeah, I mean, this is gonna be difficult.

I mean, you've got the heat, you got the humidity, you got the altitude as well.

Mexico are used to all these things.

They've been playing all their matches in the Azteca so far.

I think all three of them have been, and definitely majority of them have been in Mexico City anyway.

England, of course, they can't acclimatize in time.

Tuchel's been taking some flack for saying that it's impossible for them to acclimatize beforehand, and it is.

The human body can't acclimatize that quickly.

It takes two weeks or something like that, which Mexico, they've had.

So that's gonna be a big advantage to them.

This is not gonna be easy.

This is a proper home game for Mexico as well.

You're gonna have 70, 80,000 Mexicans absolutely cheering their side on.

It's gonna be very difficult.

And with how England have played so far in this tournament, we I mean, I don't wanna say we've been like Brazil and just got the job done, but we kinda have in a sense, but we've been a lot worse.

We've been a lot worse than Brazil so far.

That's also fair, to be said.

So who's gonna win?

Who's gonna win?

I've gotta back my boys.

You know, Mexico have done well so far.

Let's not get away from that.

But you look at the quality of their team, and they've got Ral Jimnez up front.

I mean, with the greatest of respect to the guy, he's gonna be playing in the championship this season.

You know, they've not got top quality players.

They've got players who can cause you problems.

Quiones as well in midfielder.

You know, he- he's really been causing a lot of teams problems so far in this tournament.

But I've gotta back England.

I've gotta back England.

I don't think it's gonna be particularly convincing, but we're gonna get the job done by two goals to one, my favorite scoreline.

Of course, of course you had to see it again.

And if we head over to the knockout bracket, that means that we're gonna get France against Morocco in the quarterfinals there, and also Brazil against England.

I was speaking about 2002 just before, wasn't I?

Quarterfinals, England against Brazil.

Are we gonna see Pickford get chipped from the halfway line by Vini Jr.?

I hope not.

I'll be fuming if T-Rex Arms does that.

But we'll s- we'll see what happens, guys, with all that.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

And let's hope for a great game and England getting through to the quarterfinals at the weekend.

I'm praying that's gonna be the case.

If I stay up until that time and we don't go through, I'm gonna be fuming.

I'm gonna be fuming.

But you guys will get to watch it on TikTok live if I can get it all set up and working.

See you soon.

Have a good one