<\/p>\n
Mexico fans react after during during a watch party against England at Shell Energy Stadium in Houston on Sunday, July 5, 2026.<\/p>\n
Elizabeth Conley\/Houston Chronicle<\/p>\n
A crack of thunder boomed in Houston as Mexico players sank into the grass in Mexico City and fans standing outside Little\u00a0Woodrow\u2019s EaDo began to disperse. It was as if the sky knew that Mexico had just lost its World Cup Round of 16 match against England<\/a> 3-2 on Sunday night.<\/p>\n The rain began a few minutes later, and fans who had been watching the match at watch parties across East Downtown Houston scrambled to their cars, some raising their Mexican flags above their heads in an attempt to shield themselves.<\/p>\n Before the game ended and the rain started, East Downtown was the place to be<\/a>. More than 20,000 fans packed into Shell Energy Stadium for a watch party, and others watched at the nearby Little Woodrow\u2019s and Pitch 25.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve gone to three games at Houston Stadium. I went to see a couple of games at the FIFA Festival, but I think [Shell Energy Stadium] beats it,\u201d Nicol\u00e1s Medina said before the match. \u201cThe ambience, 25,000 people around here screaming. Frankly, I got a lot out of it.\u201d<\/p>\n While Mexico jerseys were the most popular attire at Shell Energy Stadium, some fans wore plain green shirts, costumes or even Brazil jerseys. Many fans had the Mexican flag painted on their faces, and there were people in sombreros and cowboy hats milling about the concourse before the game.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m happy. I\u2019m glad because Mexico is going to win,\u201d Juliana Lopez said in Spanish before the match.\u00a0<\/p>\n Mexico fans react after scoring against England during a World Cup during a watch party at Shell Energy Stadium in Houston on Sunday, July 5, 2026.<\/p>\n Elizabeth Conley\/Houston Chronicle<\/p>\n Lopez, who is 60, said she remembers the last time the World Cup was in Mexico in 1986 as the most beautiful World Cup. It was also the last time Mexico advanced to the quarterfinals.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been watching Mexico, the whole Mexican league, since I was a young kid with my father, so seeing the Mexican team go this far is everything right now,\u201d Alberto Barrera said before his second watch party at Shell Energy Stadium.<\/p>\n Most people at were in their seats well before kickoff,\u00a0as the game was delayed an hour<\/a> for weather in Mexico City. When the announcement came 45 minutes before the original kickoff time, fans continued to do the wave, paying no mind to the intercom.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n