It's a cauldron of noise and the stands are a sea of green, with a couple of splashes of yellow.

Ecuadorians were grumbling they might not have had as many tickets as they wanted. This is the hottest ticket in the biggest town on the continent.

The home fans are booing the opposition whenever they possess the ball for more than a second or two.

Away we go in the Azteca. Buckle up...

Let's hope it's worth the extra hour wait.

Who needs coffee when you have an atmosphere like this?

Right, parade of handslaps done, photos taken, awkward pose in VAR booth, tick.

As Titanium rings around the cathedral of football, the time for talk is over, thank goodness, it's time for some football.

Image source, Getty Images

At 17 years and 259 days old, Gilberto Mora is the second-youngest player to start a World Cup knockout-round match.

The youngest, by just 20 days... that would be a chap named Pele, for Brazil in 1958.

He went on to be quite good, can Mora follow in his footsteps? No pressure, son.

Image source, Getty Images

Mexico topped Group A with three wins from their three matches.

Despite modest expectations before the tournament, El Tri were comfortable winners in all of their fixtures and were just one of two teams not to concede in the group stage; only Spain (0.55) and Japan (1.48) conceded a lower xG than Javier Aguirre’s team (1.51.).

However, Mexico have consistently come up short when the knockout stages start in World Cups. They have the worst win percentage in World Cup knockout stage games of any side to feature in more than five such fixtures, winning only one of 10.

They have been eliminated in all of their past eight World Cup knockout matches.

Spine-tingling stuff for the Mexican anthem.

The rain has not dampened anyone's enthusiasm in Mexico City this evening, it's fair to say.

Boos from plenty of the home fans for the start of the Ecuador anthem... charming.

It's a jaunty little number though, have to say, and these players are belting it out.

My word there's some atmosphere in this grand old icon of world football.

Shakira blares out, with a little help from Burna Boy, and the players head out for the anthems...

With Group A already in the bag, Mexico scored three second-half goals to eliminate Czechia from the World Cup and end the group phase with maximum points and three clean sheets.

We've got some football happening soon - phew - but there's still time to get you thinking.

Who are Mexico's all-time leading scorers? Go on, you've heard of them...

Image source, Getty Images

As host nation, Mexico have lost just one out of 12 matches at the World Cup.

They have won eight, drawn three and lost just one, a 4-1 defeat to Italy in the 1970 quarter-final.

Their 67% win ratio in Mexico is 43% higher than their win ratio when playing outside of Mexico, when they have won just 12 of 51 games, or 24%.

Mexico have the worst win percentage in World Cup knockout stage games of any nation to feature in more than five fixtures, winning only one of 10, but will the friendly confines of the Azteca help them double that tally tonight?

Mexico usually enjoy the bonus benefit of being acclimatised to Mexico City being 2,200m above sea level, but their edge has gone tonight, Ecuador regularly play home games in Quito, another 500m higher, where the air is even thinner.

More pictures are flooding in of fans across North America gearing up for this one as our reporters continue to find that in many US cities Mexico have the biggest contingent.

One such reporter, Elizabeth Conway, is in Fort Worth, Texas, where the big screen fan park has been flooded with Mexico supporters. She says she has never seen anything like it throughout the rest of the tournament.

This is the current scene in Kansas City’s Power and Light district, packed with the green of Mexico.

Image source, Getty Images

Finally the above shot is of Times Square in New York that has been given a dash of yellow.

While we're maybe a little sleepy over here, it looks like the party is in full flow on the other side of the pond.

Gary Rose
BBC Sport journalist in Los Angeles

There’s a huge Mexican population in Los Angeles and at El Pueblo de Los Ángeles, the historic centre of LA, is a big Mexican fan zone.

Hundreds are expected here this evening and if Mexico progress then expect the sound of fireworks throughout the city, as happened after their group stage win.

Image source, Getty Images

The biggest ever group stage at a World Cup is over - and the tournament bracket has been settled all the way to the final.

But how well do you know the numbers that helped - or hindered - teams in getting there?

Test yourself in our quiz here.

After more quizzes? Go to our dedicated Football Quizzes page.

In case anyone was wondering why we had a weather delay.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Ecuador have made a complaint to World Cup organisers over noisy local fans outside their team hotel before tonight's match.

Local media reported around 1,000 Mexico supporters staged a noisy 'serenade' - a musical performance given to honour or express love - in Mexico City on Monday.

Noisemakers, pans and buckets were used to accompany Mexican folk song 'Cielito Lindo' before police moved them back.

"This conduct is far removed from the principles of fair play, equality and unity that a football World Cup should represent," Ecuador's football federation said in a statement.

The statement stated that Ecuador would "always respond on the pitch" and added: "We trust that these unsporting acts will not tarnish the football celebration that unites two brotherly countries."

Image source, Getty Images

After no playing career of note, Sebastian Beccacece earned his reputation as an assistant to Jorge Sampaoli during Chile's era of success a decade ago - helping them to reach the 2014 World Cup and secure their first-ever Copa America title in 2015.

He was also Sampaoli's assistant at the 2018 World Cup with Argentina while he was in charge of Spanish side Elche before joining Ecuador in August 2024.

The Argentine admitted he would have to leave the role if Ecuador bowed out in the group stage following the stalemate with Curacao, but having now masterminded Ecuador's turnaround by defeating Germany, the 45-year-old has perhaps achieved the biggest feat of his managerial career.

"We never feel like we are in hell, nor do we feel like we are in heaven," he said after beating Germany.

"We have our feet grounded on earth and we feel and think in the right manner."

Tim Vickery
South American football expert

I was in Ecuador when they qualified for the World Cup for the first time and I woke up the next morning and the streets in Quito were ankle deep in broken glass.

[The win over Germany] I think, is the greatest moment in the history of the Ecuador national team. Their aim is to have their best World Cup ever.

We did feel they would fancy [having to beat Germany to qualify] more than the nightmare scenario of having to put goals past Curacao. They have dug themselves out of a hole. They have done it the hard way.

I can't think of anything in their World Cup history that compares to this.