When the host cities were announced for the 2026 World Cup, it was clear the tournament would be overwhelmingly a United States-based competition.Eleven American cities were given the right to host 78 games, including the vast majority of the knockout rounds. Canada and Mexico were each awarded 13 matches. Was it fair?There wasn’t much pushback. The U.S. has modern stadium infrastructure throughout the country and an international diaspora that would add passion to the tournament. FIFA put all its chips on the table in an effort to maximize a consumer audience unlike any other in the world.Despite extraordinarily high ticket prices, the stadiums have mostly been full. But after 79 games and plenty of World Cup drama across all three co-hosts, it’s worth debating whether Mexico, and its fervor for football, should have been given a bigger platform.The Estadio Azteca is unmatched when full to its rafters and the 80,000-plus crowd is behind the national team. And now that Mexico has advanced to the last 16, winning a World Cup knockout game for the first time since 1986 by beating Ecuador 2-0 on Tuesday night, the Mexico national team brand, the most influential in North America, is living an unprecedented moment.Even following a first glimpse of the Azteca, after Mexico defeated South Africa 2-0 to open the tournament on June 11, fans around the world began to chime in, saying that the World Cup final, set for MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19, should be played in Mexico City instead.After all, the venue was the scene of two of the most memorable World Cup finals in history.Brazil’s unbeatable 1970 team, led by Pelé, lifted their third title on the famed pitch. Diego Maradona and Argentina won the 1986 tournament there. On Tuesday night, the hallowed ground was rocking once again.Mexico’s 2-0 win over Ecuador sets up a last-16 meeting with England or DR Congo. (Luke Hales / Getty Images)The ecstatic scenes across the country after a Mexico win, most notably in Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey, the three host cities, paint the picture of a nation spellbound by its football team. When Mexico wins, and does so with authority at a World Cup, the party in the streets feels truly alive.“The relationship we have with the people of Mexico has given us a major boost,” Mexico head coach Javier Aguirre said in his press conference following Tuesday night’s victory. “It was a demanding game but it turned into a beautiful night for the Mexican people.”Many of the players on this squad were part of the Mexico side that crashed out of the World Cup group stage in 2022. That failure is long forgotten. But before the bedlam and high praise for their undefeated passage to the round of 16, Mexicans doubted that their country was ready to co-host the tournament.The Azteca’s remodelling encountered problems. Stadium officials had to rush its improvements to be FIFA-compliant in time. The country has major logistical problems due to outdated public transportation systems and heavy traffic.There were security concerns, too, as Mexico remains grappled by narcoviolence. Human rights activists felt that the tournament would sportwash the crisis that has led to the disappearance of more than 130,000 people.Last November, U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to convince FIFA to pull World Cup games from Boston, Los Angeles and Seattle, citing alleged high crime.Those threats led to speculation that Trump would find a way to move the World Cup opener from Mexico City to the U.S. At the time, diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Mexico were strained.Additionally, Trump’s relationship with FIFA president Gianni Infantino meant that the possibility was not considered entirely far-fetched. Mexico had an image problem. And there was a growing discourse around expectations the team would flop on home soil.But winning changes everything.The celebrations near Mexico City’s Monumento de la Independencia following Tuesday’s victory over Ecuador. (Hector Quintanar / Getty Images)“This is a group of players who deserve what they’re experiencing,” Aguirre said after beating Ecuador.“We’re now among the best 16 teams in the world. We’re highly motivated. We’re a family. That’s the truth. We played good football tonight. There’s no tomorrow for the losers. But again, the people in the stands deserved a night like this.”Did Mexico also deserve a greater role at this World Cup? If the tournament’s history and Mexico’s football culture mattered more than World Cup expansion and maximum profits, the answer would be yes.Mexico is not an elite team beyond its hemisphere. It has never been a true World Cup contender, either. But at this World Cup, it has an opportunity to change minds with its passion for football.In the U.S., Mexico is often the home team. Its first division, Liga MX, is the most-watched football league in the country. Mexico is used to being seen.As long as they’re alive in this World Cup, they have a new spotlight, and it is blindingly bright.