More than 17,000 police officers will be deployed to prevent any excesses in the streets of Mexico City today, as Mexico takes on England for a place in the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Cup, according to local authorities. The streets of the Mexican capital have seen hundreds of thousands of people gather to celebrate the Mexican team's four previous victories.

The celebrations for the victory over Ecuador on Tuesday, however, attracted more than a million fans and resulted in four deaths, three of them from suffocation due to the stampede. Today's match will be the last of the 2026 World Cup to be held on Mexican soil, as the tournament is jointly organized by Mexico, Canada, and the United States. About 7,500 police officers will be deployed inside and around the Azteca Stadium in particular.

The match is scheduled to kick off at 6:00 p.m. local time, and FIFA has confirmed the timeline after reports of a possible early start due to the threat of a thunderstorm. At the famous Plaza del Ángel de la Independencia, the main celebration hub, only 25,000 people will be allowed entry, at a rate of four people per square meter, according to the capital's security chief, Pablo Vásquez, in a press conference. Additionally, 62 giant screens will be set up along the Paseo de la Reforma avenue to allow fans to watch the match, but entry to the area will be strictly controlled to avoid overcrowding. The mayor of the capital, Clara Brugada, said: 'No victory is more important than human life.'