Mexico City. The concrete giant looms. Azteca Stadium. 87,000 seats. Empty now. But not for long.
Whitehall sources confirm a delegation of UK football supporters has been given a private tour. The message? We are watching. Security is tight.
The FA and Foreign Office are coordinating. A joint operation. No one is taking chances. Terrorism risk. Local crime. The usual threats. But this is Mexico. Different ball game entirely.
One fan told me: 'They showed us the tunnels under the stands. The exits. The safe zones. It felt like a military briefing. Not a stadium tour.'
That is because it was. The UK has learned from Paris. From Manchester. From every tragedy. Azteca is hostile territory. In more ways than one.
The stands were empty. But the atmosphere was tense. Police visible. Dogs sniffing. Helicopters overhead. A dry run for the real thing.
Downing Street is nervous. A successful World Cup for England would be a political boost. A disaster would be catastrophic. The optics are everything.
So the briefing was thorough. Every fan knows the plan. Where to meet. Who to call. What to do if something goes wrong.
This is the new normal. Football and security. Inseparable. Azteca is a fortress. For now. But the game hasn't started yet. The real test comes when the crowds flood in.
Stay tuned. I will be watching. From the press box. With my notepad. And my sources.
