By Juan Samuel Santana

History favors England in their matchups against Mexico, but there's a statistic that fuels hope for El Tri heading into the Round of 16 duel of the 2026 World Cup. In 67 years of encounters between the two teams, the English squad has never managed a victory on Mexican soil. The overall record is favorable for the Europeans, though the scenario changes when matches are played on Aztec ground.

Mexico first hosted England in 1959 and secured a 2-1 win at the Olympic University Stadium. Years later, both teams drew 2-2 in Mexico City, and in 1985, the national team once again emerged victorious, winning 1-0 at the Azteca Stadium. These three previous encounters keep El Tri undefeated at home against the English, a streak they will aim to extend this Sunday.

The only World Cup meeting between the two occurred in England in 1966, when the hosts won 2-0 during the group stage. Now, almost six decades later, Mexico and England will cross paths again in a World Cup, with the Mexico City Stadium set to host a direct elimination match where the national team will try to leverage the support of their fans and maintain their historic home dominance against the Three Lions.