Mexico shatters 40-year knockout curse, eyes next round

Mexico's 2-0 victory over Ecuador at the Azteca Stadium on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, ends a 40-year knockout-stage drought and secures a place in the World Cup round of 16, confirming El Tri’s unbeaten run at the venue and their first CONCACAF win over a South American opponent in a knockout match. Julián Quiñones opened the scoring in the 22nd minute, giving Mexico an early lead. Raúl Jiménez doubled the advantage nine minutes later, netting in the 31st minute to seal the win. The win marks Mexico's first knockout-stage triumph since defeating Bulgaria in 1986, ending a four-decade wait. Between 1994 and 2018 the team had lost seven consecutive round-of-32 matches.

Mexico's early surge sets tone as Ecuador seeks comeback in World Cup clash

Ecuador entered the match seeking their second ever round-of-16 appearance, the first since 2006. Mexico became the first CONCACAF nation to eliminate a CONMEBOL side in a World Cup knockout, after South American teams had won the previous five encounters. Quiñones' goal was his third of the tournament, moving him to second-best scorer in Mexico’s World Cup history behind Luis Hernández and Javier Hernández, each with four goals. Jiménez, on his second goal of the competition, reached 47 caps for the national team, surpassing Jared Borgetti, and sits five goals shy of Javier Hernández’s record.

Mexico's fan noise campaign to unsettle Ecuador before World Cup tie

Azteca Stadium has hosted ten World Cup matches for Mexico without a defeat, with only two official losses ever recorded there, the most recent in a 2013 qualifier against Honduras. The victory extends Mexico’s overall unbeaten streak to twelve games, the run dating back to a friendly loss to Paraguay in November. Mexico will host the winner of the England‑Congo fixture on Sunday, keeping the round-of-16 tie at home. The match was delayed an hour by a thunderstorm, making it the tournament’s second weather-affected game after the France‑Iraq clash in Philadelphia on June 22.