17,000 police officers to secure Mexico vs. England match in Mexico City

More than 17,000 police officers will be deployed to prevent any disturbances on the streets of Mexico City on Sunday as Mexico faces England in a World Cup 2026 quarter-final qualifier, local authorities announced on Friday.

The streets of the Mexican capital saw hundreds of thousands of people gather to celebrate Mexico’s four previous victories. The celebrations following Tuesday’s win over Ecuador attracted more than a million fans and resulted in four deaths, three of whom suffocated in a crowd crush.

Today’s match will be the last World Cup 2026 game to be held on Mexican soil, with the tournament co-hosted by Mexico, Canada, and the United States.

Approximately 7,500 police officers will be deployed inside and around the Estadio Azteca in particular.

The match is scheduled to kick off at 6:00 p.m. local time (Monday 00:00 GMT), after FIFA confirmed the timing following reports that the start had been moved due to the possibility of a thunderstorm.