Ecuador’s football federation filed a formal complaint with FIFA on Tuesday after dozens of Mexico supporters gathered outside the team’s hotel in the Santa Fe district through the night, using loudspeakers, car horns, drums and motorcycle engines in an attempt to deprive the visiting squad of sleep. The protest, confirmed in an official statement, condemned the “extra-football actions” as contrary to the principles of fair play, equity and unity that a World Cup should represent, and called on organisers to reinforce security for players, staff and Ecuadorian fans. The match, originally scheduled for Tuesday evening, was later postponed by FIFA because of a severe thunderstorm over the Mexican capital.

The practice, known across Latin America as a team hotel serenade, is a deeply rooted yet divisive tradition. While often framed by home supporters as a passionate display of backing, it is increasingly viewed by visiting delegations as a psychological tactic designed to undermine performance. Ecuador’s federation did not mince words, stating that “Ecuador will always respond on the pitch to these unsporting actions.” The statement added a layer of tension to a fixture already freighted with recent history: Ecuador eliminated Mexico in the 2024 Copa América, and the two nations have developed a sharp competitive edge in the years since.

Ecuador’s logistical ordeal had begun well before the fans arrived. The team’s flight from Columbus, Ohio, was delayed by more than three hours, turning what should have been a short hop into a nine-hour journey, according to head coach Sebastián Beccacece. The squad landed at Felipe Ángeles International Airport, 65 kilometres from the hotel, and then crawled through Mexico City’s notoriously heavy traffic, made worse by night rain. The late arrival was deliberate: sports scientists often recommend a “fly-in, fly-out” approach to mitigate the effects of the city’s 2,200-metre altitude, arriving as close to kick-off as possible to avoid acute symptoms of thin air. The disruption at the hotel compounded the strain.

Inside the Estadio Ciudad de México, the atmosphere was equally charged. When Ecuador’s national anthem was played, a large section of the Mexican crowd responded with sustained booing, a gesture that followed the team bus being greeted with insults, foam and liquids upon arrival. Yet some Ecuadorian fans and even a child in a viral video dismissed the hotel noise as ineffective, noting the building’s soundproof windows and joking that Ecuadorians are “accustomed to sleeping with noise.” Mexican opinion was split: some supporters described the serenade as part of football folklore, while others called it unsporting and counterproductive.

The storm delay pushed the match into uncertainty, with both sides awaiting a new kick-off time. The winner will advance to a round-of-16 meeting in Mexico City against either England or DR Congo, a prospect that ensures the off-field drama will soon give way to the contest that Ecuador’s federation insisted would be decided where it matters.