Ecuador file formal complaint after Mexico fans stage overnight hotel siege before World Cup clash

Ecuador’s football federation (FEF) has filed a formal complaint with World Cup organisers after Mexican fans staged a prolonged overnight disturbance outside the Ecuadorian squad’s hotel in Santa Fe, Mexico City, in the early hours ahead of Tuesday’s round of 32 fixture.

Dozens of supporters gathered outside the Westin Hotel from midnight, deploying loudspeakers, horns and motorcycles in a coordinated effort to deny the visiting players sleep before the match. The campaign was reportedly organised via social media.

The FEF condemned the incident in a statement released on Tuesday. “Such conduct stands in stark contrast to the principles of fair play, equity, and unity that a World Cup should embody,” the federation said. “The FEF respectfully calls upon the competent authorities to pay greater attention to these events and to adopt the necessary measures to safeguard the safety of our players, coaching staff, and fans.”

The tactic — known in Latin American football as a “team hotel serenade” — has a long, if divisive, history in the region. What began as an expression of passionate home support has increasingly been weaponised as a psychological tool aimed at exhausting visiting squads before major matches.

The disruption compounded an already difficult build-up for Ecuador. Coach Sebastián Beccacece had deliberately planned a late Monday night arrival from Columbus, Ohio, to minimise the effects of Mexico City’s altitude of 2,200 metres — a strategy endorsed by sports scientists who recommend either a prolonged acclimatisation period of at least two weeks or a last-minute “fly-in, fly-out” approach.

That plan unravelled almost immediately. Beccacece confirmed the team’s flight was delayed by more than three hours, turning what should have been a manageable journey into a nine-hour ordeal. “A flight delay, then the transfer to the hotel — it ended up being a nine-hour journey; we took three hours longer than scheduled,” he said. “But the team is doing well and is excited — obviously facing an opponent that posted good results in the group stage.”

Further complicating matters, Ecuador landed at Felipe Ángeles International Airport, located 65 kilometres from their hotel, and were then caught in Mexico City’s notoriously heavy traffic, worsened by overnight rain.