Altitude and home advantage
The heat will not be the only challenge for the teams in the 2026 World Cup. The altitude of two Mexican venues can tip the balance in favor of the local team.
The Azteca stadium, in Mexico City, is located more than 2,200 meters above sea level. Guadalajara, at 1,566 meters. Visiting teams not accustomed to these conditions will suffer fatigue.
“Things look good for Mexico, it has a big advantage which is being a host because we play at the Azteca stadium with our people and at altitude,” declared Mikel Arriola, commissioner of Mexican soccer.
It is no coincidence that Tri’s best performances in world championships have occurred at home. In 1986, Mexico reached the quarterfinals, losing to West Germany on penalties in Monterrey, where altitude is not a factor.
Mexico will debut against South Africa on June 11 at the Azteca – renamed by FIFA as the Mexico City Stadium. They will then face South Korea on June 18 in Guadalajara and close Group A on June 24 in the capital against the Czech Republic.
In contrast, the headquarters of the United States and Canada have minimum altitudes: Atlanta 320 meters, Toronto only 76 meters.
Iran and the visa problem
Meanwhile, the Iranian team arrived in Mexico last Sunday to train before their matches in the United States. The trip was complicated by visa bureaucracy.
Defender Ehsan Hajsafi criticized FIFA because several members of the delegation did not yet have US visas. Among them, the secretary general of the Iranian Federation, Hedayat Mombeini, and vice president Mehdi Mohammad Nabi.
Previous problems forced Iran to change its training base from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana, Mexico, due to delays in immigration procedures. The team’s participation in the tournament has been affected by geopolitical tensions.
