Mexico's World Cup party ends in tears at the Azteca

06 Jul 2026, 04:40 · CNA · Join

Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Round of 16 - Mexico v England - Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, Mexico - July 5, 2026 Mexico fans look dejected in the stands after the match following their elimination from the World Cup REUTERS/Raquel Cunha

Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Round of 16 - Mexico v England - Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, Mexico - July 5, 2026 Mexico players look dejected after the match following their elimination from the World Cup REUTERS/Eloisa Sanchez

Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Round of 16 - Mexico v England - Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, Mexico - July 5, 2026 Mexico's Guillermo Ochoa looks dejected after the match following their elimination from the World Cup REUTERS/Eloisa Sanchez

Read a summary of this article on FAST.
Get bite-sized news via a new
cards interface. Give it a try.
Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FAST
FAST

MEXICO CITY, July 5 : Mexico's World Cup dream died in a crushing 3-2 defeat by England at their fortress Azteca Stadium on Sunday, delivering a gut punch to home fans who had started to believe 'El Tri' were destined to go deep into the tournament.

Fans streamed out of the iconic stadium, where Mexico had lost only two competitive matches before Sunday's defeat, many in tears.

The noise of more than 80,000-strong supporters silenced.

The question that had echoed around the stadium throughout the match - "¿Y si sí?" (What if?) - brutally answered.

CNA Games

Guess Word
Crack the word, one row at a time

Buzzword
Create words using the given letters

Mini Sudoku
Tiny puzzle, mighty brain teaser

Mini Crossword
Small grid, big challenge

Word Search
Spot as many words as you can
Show More
Show Less

"The party's over," said Elizabeth Marcos on the way out of the stadium. "It's sad, they were down to 10 men... but that’s just how it goes."

After reaching the round of 16 without conceding a goal, Mexico lost to an England team that played the final third of the match with 10 men after Jarell Quansah was sent off.

Leaning against a damp bench by the exit, Ulises Chavez said: "It's hard to take, it's so painful."

Along the city's central Reforma avenue, where thousands had gathered despite the rain to watch the match on giant screens, the mood was heavily subdued.

In stark contrast to the heartbreak of the crowd, an upbeat mariachi band continued to play as the clearing streets filled with thousands of dejected fans making their way home.

Aysha Peraza, 39, who had travelled from Sinaloa to the heart of the capital, watched a morning of intense optimism give way to a quiet, heavy heartbreak.

"From early on, the people were in a super good mood,” Peraza said as fans cleared out. "Right now, people are sad, you can feel the sadness.

"Mexico made it very far," she said. "And, well, they made us feel things we hadn't felt in a long time."

Mexico's World Cup party ends in tears at the Azteca

Recommended Read

Sign up for our newsletters

Get the CNA app