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Sunday’s trip to Estadio Azteca will test Thomas Tuchel’s England on several fronts.

Mexico await England in the World Cup round of 16, and that represents a formidable challenge for the Three Lions in more ways than one.

The co-hosts have thrived in front of their passionate home crowd this summer. They are one of just three teams to have progressed through the group stage with a perfect record, alongside France and Argentina.

So far, only Spain have managed to go through the tournament without conceding a single goal, and Mexico have already played one game more after defeating Ecuador in the round of 32, while Spain prepare to face Austria on Thursday.

Having a boisterous home crowd cheering them from every corner of the stadium will no doubt create a difficult environment for England.

However, Mexico’s home advantage extends beyond the fans—it’s also about the unique conditions beneath the stadium itself.

Located approximately 2,200 metres (7,218 feet) above sea level, the Azteca in Mexico City stands at more than twice the altitude of England’s highest peak, Scafell Pike, and about 64% higher than Ben Nevis, the tallest mountain in the UK.

It is also about 600 feet higher than Europe’s highest stadium, the Omar Hitzfeld Arena in the Swiss Alps.

Playing at such an altitude—and in that kind of heat—has a significant effect on players’ breathing, concentration, and overall performance levels.

That imbalance becomes evident because players who regularly train and play at high altitudes are naturally more adapted to those conditions—one of the reasons endurance athletes favour altitude training.

That could prove problematic for Tuchel’s side, as it is safe to assume that Estadio Azteca sits higher than any venue at which most, if not all, of the England squad have previously played.

Mexico, by contrast, have already played three of their four matches in this tournament at Estadio Azteca, with the remaining fixture at Estadio Akron—the second-highest venue in the competition.

To put this into perspective, the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, the highest-altitude venue England have played at so far in the tournament, sits just 320 metres (1,050 feet) above sea level—barely 15% of the height of the Azteca.

For the Three Lions, the best approach might be to get ahead early and avoid the risk of extra time.

Of course, that’s much easier said than done.