One of the biggest home-field advantages in sports is considered Mexico’s national football stadium, the Estadio Azteca, and a big part of that is its elevation.
One of the highest stadiums in the world used for World Cup matches (the highest stadiums in the world are in the Andes, in Peru and Bolivia), it is considered a substantial home-field advantage for Mexico.
That is presumably even more true for England, where the highest elevation is 3,209 feet (978 meters).
Estadio Azteca is at an elevation of approximately 7,220 feet (2,240 meters) above sea level. By comparison, El Paso, considered to be at a high elevation, is 3,800 feet.
England made a point to arrive a day early, on Friday, July 3, to give them an extra day to acclimate. There are two theories on acclimating to high elevation. One is to arrive a week early, which was impossible for England.
The other is to wait as long as possible so the effects of the altitude haven’t had as much time to take effect. England did not take that route.
Bret Bloomquist can be reached at bbloomquist@elpasotimes.com; @Bretbloomquist on X.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: What is the elevation of Azteca Stadium? Why England cares
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