"Should We Take Viagra?"... England's Dilemma Ahead of the Round of 16

Limited Time for Altitude Acclimatization Under FIFA Rules
Even Considering Viagra, Which Is Not a Banned Substance

Ahead of their round of 16 match against Mexico at the 2026 FIFA North American World Cup, the England national football team has been given the option to take the erectile dysfunction drug Viagra to help overcome the challenges of high-altitude conditions.

Viagra. The Asia Business Daily DB

According to The Sun (UK) on July 3 (local time), the England squad has been legally cleared to use Viagra as part of their strategy to cope with the high-altitude environment of Mexico City. This is because Viagra is not included on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)'s list of banned substances for 2026.

England will play the host nation, Mexico, in the round of 16 at the 2026 North American World Cup on July 6 (Korea Standard Time) at Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca. The stadium is situated at an altitude of approximately 2,200 meters, where lower oxygen levels can lead to decreased stamina and symptoms of altitude sickness among athletes. Under FIFA regulations, teams must arrive at the designated training facility the day before a knockout-stage match, making it difficult to secure sufficient time to adapt to the altitude. Viagra is known to lower pulmonary arterial pressure, thereby improving oxygen delivery and helping to alleviate fatigue and dizziness associated with high-altitude environments. In fact, Dr. Friedrich Grimminger of Giessen University in Germany previously reported that "taking Viagra can enhance physical performance even in low-oxygen conditions," based on his research.

However, Viagra is not an officially approved medication for treating or preventing altitude sickness. Experts note that scientific studies on its effectiveness have yielded inconsistent results, and emphasize that proper acclimatization and gradual ascent remain the most effective preventive measures.

There is no evidence that England’s players actually plan to take Viagra during the upcoming trip to Mexico City. It has been reported that as manager Thomas Tuchel explores various strategies to handle the challenging conditions, Viagra has merely been mentioned as one possible option.

England's Harry Kane is celebrating with Declan Rice after winning the Round of 32 match in the 2026 CONCACAF World Cup. Photo by AP News.

England is also focusing on managing the players’ condition by not disclosing the location of the team’s accommodation, taking into account not only the passionate Mexican supporters but also potential noise disturbances around the hotel. Previously, the Ecuadorian team suffered a defeat to Mexico in the round of 32 after losing sleep due to excessive noise from home fans. As a result, FIFA has approved road closures around England’s hotel for this tournament.

Meanwhile, England will face host nation Mexico on July 5 (Korea Standard Time) for a spot in the quarterfinals. Mexico, accustomed to high-altitude conditions, has only lost twice at Estadio Azteca in the past 56 years, underlining their formidable home advantage.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.