England and Mexico are set to meet at the iconic Azteca Stadium in Mexico City for their FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 clash on July 5. The stadium sits at approximately 2,240 metres (7,350 feet), making it the highest altitude stadium in North America.

Home to the Mexico National team, co-hosts for the World Cup, the elevation is a natural disadvantage to players who are not used to playing in the altitude. With little time to adapt, England believe that they will have a tough time and the players will reportedly use viagra to deal with the issue.

The problems of playing at the Azteca Stadium and how England will deal with them

Mexico City Stadium or Estadio Azteca is an iconic football venue but it comes with its challenges. Of all the 16 match venues of the 2026 World Cup, this one is by far the highest.

The high altitude poses some problems including thin air, difficulty to breath, climbing heart rate and more which can significantly impact the game and physical performance of the players. While Mexico players are used to the elevation, England players will be at a disadvantage.

England's coach, Thomas Tuchel told the media, "The altitude will be a big disadvantage because we cannot physically adapt to it...That is just a huge advantage that Mexico will have. We have only three days in between these matches."

Mexico have an impeccable record at the Azteca. El Tri have only lost two matches in the 89 competitive matches at the stadium and have not been beaten at this venue for more than 10 years. In the ongoing tournament, the co-hosts are yet to concede a single goal and have won all their four matches.

England's unique solution

In an interesting method to counter the high altitude issue, England's medical team has reportedly noticed that viagra can can help with the physical challenges that come with playing at such an elevation. Reports suggest that the players of the Three Lions will be allowed to use the drug ahead of their match against Mexico in the Round of 16.

Notably, viagra is not banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), which means athletes can use it before competitive matches. Although the drug helps widen the blood vessel, boosting blood flow that helps combat low oxygen levels, there is no proof that they can have any significant impact on performance.

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