Mexico beat Ecuador 2-0 to reach World Cup last 16 and end knockout hoodoo

July 1, 2026 10:18 AM

Mexico beat Ecuador 2-0 to reach World Cup last 16 and end knockout hoodoo

Mexico ended a 40-year wait for a World Cup knockout victory as first-half goals from Julian Quinones and Raul Jimenez secured a 2-0 win over Ecuador on Tuesday, sending the co-hosts into the last 16 amid euphoric scenes at a rocking Azteca Stadium. The victory was Mexico's first in the knockout stages of a World Cup since beating Bulgaria on home soil in 1986 and booked a meeting with either England or the Democratic Republic of Congo in the last 16, with the co-hosts returning to the Azteca f...

Mexico opens World Cup with passion, parties and protests

June 12, 2026 10:10 AM

Mexico opens World Cup with passion, parties and protests

Mexico City opened the World Cup on Thursday at the famous Azteca stadium with a ceremony celebrating pre-Hispanic culture, as the ground rocked ahead of the tournament's first match between Mexico and South Africa that kicks off against a backdrop of protests around the capital. Fans in Mariachi costumes, with sombreros and trumpets, formed a sea of dark green support as Shakira and Burna Boy performed the 2026 World Cup anthem and pyrotechnics filled the ground. Alejandro Garcia, 50, decked ...

Mexico readies for historic third World Cup as Azteca Stadium tensions grow

June 11, 2025 5:04 PM

Mexico readies for historic third World Cup as Azteca Stadium tensions grow

With a year until Mexico makes history as the first three-time World Cup host, the dream of a spectacular showcase is colliding with the practical challenges of modernising the iconic Azteca Stadium for global soccer's premier event. Beneath the imposing silhouette of Mexico's football cathedral - where Pele dazzled with Brazil in 1970 and Maradona's 'hand of God' propelled Argentina to glory in 1986 - construction crews tackle the formidable task of bringing one of the sport's most storied ven...