Cheers cascaded across all 16 Mexico City boroughs and echoed off buildings surrounding neighborhood parks as El Tri cruised to a 2-0 victory over South Africa in the Inaugural Match of the 2026 World Cup.
Capitalinos — including President Claudia Sheinbaum and Mayor Clara Brugada — crowded into the 18 free Fan Fest sites across the city to watch Javier Aguirre’s team kick off the tournament, erupting in glee just nine minutes into the match when Julián Quiñones drilled a low shot through the legs of South African goalie Ronwen Williams.
🚨 “¡GOOOOOOOL!”: Claudia Sheinbaum celebra el primer gol de #México ante Sudáfrica en el Mundial 2026.
La presidenta ondeó la bandera mexicana junto con la jefa de Gobierno de CDMX @ClaraBrugadaM desde la #GAM. pic.twitter.com/LvGyZLsPPT
— Luis Alberto Medina (@elalbertomedina) June 11, 2026
The euphoria was doubled in minute 67 when Raúl Jiménez, all alone at the back post, nodded home a spot-on cross from Roberto Alvarado to make it 2-0.
The victory capped off a day that started before dawn for some fans, hundreds of whom lined up outside the barricades in the Centro Histórico as early as 3 a.m. to gain entry to the FIFA Fan Fest in the Zócalo.
By 8:30 — a full hour before security opened the gates — there were nearly 15,000 Team Mexico supporters, most sporting El Tri jerseys, waiting patiently in line. A half-hour before 1 p.m. kick-off, the Zócalo had reached its capacity of 40,000 and police were forced to direct late arrivals toward the Fan Fest in Plaza Garibaldi about 2 kilometers to the north.
Hours before the inaugural ceremonies began at Estadio Azteca, fans were in a convivial mood at the Parque Las Americas in the Benito Juárez borough south of downtown. A city official told Mexico News Daily that people started arriving and settling into seats in the northeast corner of the 5-hectare park (12 acres) before 8:30, a full 4 ½ hours before kickoff.
While a small group of kids played soccer on the sidewalk and scads of dog-owners walked their pets — many clad in Mexico jerseys — Sofia Stainer and her band took the stage to warm up a crowd that needed little priming.
The 600 or so colonia Narvarte residents were in a jovial mood, city officials occasionally producing more chairs as the viewing area — positioned under a giant tarp on the basketball court in front of a massive screen — began to fill up.
While the media (rightfully) focused on the security measures in place around the stadium and in the Centro Histórico (where thousands of striking teachers had set up encampments), there was virtually no police presence at the Parque Las Americas, nor was one needed.
When Oaxaca singer-songwriter Lila Downs finally started the pre-game show at the stadium at 11:40, the nervous anticipation turned into exhilaration. The Narvarte crowd erupted in cheers and the cheers only grew louder when she was followed to the midfield stage by Maná, a best-selling group from Guadalajara. In unison, fans young and old sang along to the band’s 1992 smash hit “Oye Mi Amor.”
For her part, President Sheinbaum watched the inaugural day’s events at the Fan Fest located in the Deportivo Hermanos Galeana in the Gustavo A. Madero borough — about 11 kilometers north of the National Palace.
Sitting next to the mayor in the front row, Sheinbaum leaped out of her chair when Jiménez scored, raised both arms in celebration, hugged Brugada and proudly waved a Mexican flag as the crowd around her cheered.
Earlier, Mexico fans had already started gathering at the iconic Angel of Independence Monument on Reforma Avenue, the traditional spot where Mexicans go to cheer sporting triumphs.
Although not an official Fan Fest site, big screens were set up at the monument, attracting large crowds to the roundabout. Before the game had ended — with Mexico leading comfortably — thousands more had gathered, more than 20,000 eventually reveling and frolicking in the rain while chanting “¡México, México, México!”
The World Cup is finally underway and while El Tri will rest up to prepare for their second match (against South Korea in Guadalajara on June 18), capitalinos — and Mexicans across the country — were expected to celebrate long into Thursday night.
With reports from La Jornada, El Financiero, The Associated Press, N+ and Reforma
