England beats 10-man Mexico 3-2 to reach World Cup quarterfinals

England secured a hard-fought 3-2 victory over co-hosts Mexico in a thrilling FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 clash, overcoming a hostile atmosphere and a second-half red card to reach the quarterfinals. The match, held at Mexico City's Azteca Stadium, was a standout encounter of the tournament, marked by high intensity and a nearly hour-long weather delay.

Jude Bellingham provided England with a commanding lead, scoring in the 36th and 38th minutes. Mexico, however, responded just before the break with a goal from Julian Quinones in the 42nd minute, reigniting hopes for the home crowd. The second half saw a pivotal moment when England defender Jarell Quansah received a straight red card in the 54th minute following a VAR review, reducing England to 10 players.

Despite the numerical disadvantage, England extended their lead six minutes later. Harry Kane converted a penalty after Anthony Gordon was fouled by Mexico's goalkeeper, Raul Rangel. Mexico managed to pull one back in the 69th minute through a Raul Jimenez penalty, narrowing the deficit to 3-2. However, they were unable to find an equalizer against the resilient 10-man English side.

This victory marks England's third consecutive appearance in the World Cup quarterfinals. They will now face Norway, led by Erling Haaland, in Miami Gardens on Saturday for a spot in the semi-finals. For Mexico, the loss signifies the continuation of their long wait to reach the World Cup quarterfinals, a feat they have not achieved since hosting the tournament in 1986. This marks the eighth time they have been eliminated at the Round of 16 stage since that year.

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Mexico have now exited the World Cup at the same round-of-16 stage eight times since they reached the quarterfinals in 1986.