England advanced to the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup on Sunday, holding off a determined Mexico fightback to win 3-2 at the Estadio Ciudad de México, better known as the Azteca. The result sends Thomas Tuchel's side into a last-eight meeting with Norway in Miami on Saturday, while it ends Mexico's tournament in the round of 16 for the eighth time in nine World Cups.

Jude Bellingham scored twice inside a five-minute spell either side of the half-hour mark, converting a header from Bukayo Saka's cross before doubling the lead moments later after a swift combination involving Harry Kane. Julián Quiñones pulled one back for the co-hosts before halftime, finishing off a loose ball from a set piece, and Mexico continued to press England throughout the second half despite falling further behind.

The game turned on a 54th-minute red card shown to England defender Jarell Quansah for a reckless challenge on Jesús Gallardo, leaving Tuchel's side to defend a one-man disadvantage for more than half an hour. England still extended its lead when Kane converted a penalty won by Anthony Gordon, before Raúl Jiménez replied in kind from the spot to make it 3-2. England's back line, reshaped into a five-man defense late on, absorbed a barrage of Mexican corners and crosses to see out the final minutes.

The match marked England's first appearance at the Azteca since the 1986 World Cup, a venue with historic significance for English football. Played in front of a raucous, majority-Mexican crowd and delayed roughly an hour by a violent thunderstorm before kickoff, the occasion carried extra weight for the co-hosts, who had won all four of their previous matches at this World Cup without conceding.

Mexico coach Javier Aguirre said after the match that he could not fault his players, crediting England as a strong side and calling the loss a painful one for the country's fans. Reports following the game indicated Aguirre would step down, with assistant Rafa Márquez set to take charge of the national team going forward. Mexico's exit also closed the international career of veteran goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, while forward Santiago Giménez was taken to hospital after picking up an injury during the game.

England's win sets up a quarter-final against Norway, who eliminated Brazil earlier in the tournament, as Tuchel's side continues its pursuit of a first World Cup title since 1966. For Mexico, the run to the round of 16 nonetheless represented a milestone, ending a run of eight straight defeats in World Cup knockout matches that stretched back to 1994.