England Prepares Sleep Countermeasures Ahead Of Mexico World Cup Clash

England is taking steps to protect its players' sleep before facing Mexico in the World Cup round of 16, wary of tactics used by loud local fans to disrupt visiting teams. Thomas Tuchel's squad meets Mexico on Sunday at 1 a.m. BST Monday, with the match airing on BBC One and iPlayer. Players arrive in Mexico City on Friday, spending two nights in the capital before kickoff. The precaution follows a formal complaint from Ecuador to FIFA. Mexico supporters reportedly kept Ecuador's squad awake using loudspeakers, horns and motorcycles outside their hotel. England intends to keep its hotel location private, though officials worry the site could surface on social media. Players and staff without personal sleep aids like ear plugs or sleep bands will receive natural remedies or white noise machines. The early arrival breaks from England's usual pattern of landing the night before matches. FIFA requires a partially open training session one day prior to kickoff, previously held in Kansas, but England has now shifted that session to Mexico. Altitude presents another obstacle. Mexico City sits roughly 2,240 meters above sea level, reducing available oxygen and challenging unacclimatized players. Mexico has played all four of its World Cup matches at elevation, three at Azteca Stadium and one in Guadalajara. "The altitude will be a big disadvantage because we cannot physically adapt to it," said Tuchel. "And in four days, it's just impossible. More obstacles may come, but we are ready for that. "This is just something with which we will have to deal with. And I think we showed the attitude that we are ready for that."