Watch: Mexican fans swarm Ecuador team hotel with drums and chants before WC clash

Hundreds of Mexican fans gathered outside Ecuador's team hotel in Mexico City late on Monday night in an apparent attempt to disrupt the visitors' preparations ahead of their FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 clash. The noisy crowd assembled shortly after midnight, creating a relentless atmosphere with drums, air horns, loudspeakers and chants aimed at keeping the Ecuador players awake before one of their biggest matches of the tournament.Mexican fans target Ecuador team hotelVideos widely shared on X showed a large crowd stationed directly beneath the Ecuador team's hotel, with supporters singing, beating drums and blaring car horns throughout the night. The atmosphere turned increasingly hostile as fans repeatedly chanted anti-Ecuador slogans, including "Ecuatorianos hijos de p*ta," in an apparent bid to unsettle the visiting squad ahead of kickoff.Several Ecuador players were seen looking out from their hotel windows as the commotion continued into the early hours, while team officials monitored the situation.Huge stakes in Mexico CityThe incident comes just hours before a high-pressure Round of 32 showdown at the Mexico City Stadium (Estadio Azteca), with a place in the Round of 16 on the line. Mexico have enjoyed an outstanding tournament so far, winning all three group-stage matches without conceding a goal under head coach Javier Aguirre. Ecuador, meanwhile, recovered from a difficult start to the competition by producing one of the tournament's biggest upsets, eliminating Germany to reach the knockout stage. The winner of Tuesday's clash will advance to the Round of 16, where either England or DR Congo awaits. Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.