Mexican President Celebrates Wildly Among Fans After Country's First 2026 World Cup Goal

Claudia Sheinbaum, the president of Mexico, drew significant attention on the opening day of the 2026 World Cup, which Mexico is co-hosting alongside the United States and Canada.

The tournament commenced on Thursday with the opening match between Mexico and South Africa at the renowned Azteca Stadium in Mexico City.

Breaking from tradition, Sheinbaum chose not to attend the official opening ceremony at Azteca Stadium, where typically heads of state or government inaugurate major sporting events.

Instead, she opted to watch the opening game among the crowd in a popular neighborhood in the capital. Many interpreted this decision as a response to public protests that accompanied Mexico’s hosting of the World Cup.

According to news sources, the Mexican president gave up her official ticket, numbered 00001, to a young Indigenous football enthusiast, signaling her intention to make the tournament more inclusive.

Sheinbaum was seen visibly ecstatic amid the fans, displaying an intense celebration when Mexico scored the opening goal against South Africa early in the match.

The president appeared to be shaking with excitement and embraced a supporter in the historic Zócalo square, choosing to be close to the pulse of the street festivities and fan celebrations.

Sheinbaum shared a video on her social media accounts to document the moment and demonstrate her connection with the Mexican people.

Mexico won the opening match 2-0 against South Africa in a game marked by three red cards.

The host nation scored once in each half, with Julián Quiñones netting the first goal in the ninth minute, followed by veteran Raúl Jiménez securing the victory in the 67th minute.

Two South African players received red cards: Sipho Sethu was sent off four minutes after halftime, and Themba Zwane was dismissed in the 84th minute following a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review.

Mexico also finished the match with ten players after defender César Montes was directly shown a red card during stoppage time.