Peter Davies, MND’s chief writer, is at Mexico City Stadium today for the opening ceremony and first match of the 2026 FIFA men’s World Cup. He and other reporters will bring you on-the-ground updates from Mexico City throughout the day.
Updated 9:37 a.m.
While fans begin to fill the stadium, protestors march on nearby thoroughfares, seeking to bring attention to causes ranging from Mexico disappearance crisis to teacher salaries. After a brief stop under the overpass by Las Torres station on Calzada de Tlalpan to hold its ground, a rally in support of Mexico’s missing persons has begun to march again in the direction of Mexico City Stadium (Estadio Azteca), where the opening match of the World Cup will be held this afternoon.
Various groups and independents, including Colectivo Mariposas Destellando, are marching to raise awareness of the over 130,000 still disappeared people in Mexico, and to exert pressure on the government to do more to identify their missing loved ones.
“Donde están? Donde estan? Nuestros jumps donde estan?” they shout.
The rally is fronted by a street-wide banner of near to 250 faces, mostly men, who have yet to be identified. The nuclei of the protest, donning green T-shirts with their children’s faces, are mothers, who take it in turns to call the name of their missing child, holding a microphone to each other’s mouths.
—Millie Deere
Updated at 9:14 a.m.
It’s now 9 a.m. and there is quite a buzz in the Mexico City Stadium media center. There are journalists, photographers, TV reporters and camera operators from around the world. A reporter from Xinhua, the Chinese news agency, approached me to ask about my internet connection — neither of us were able to connect to any of the open Wi-Fi signals. Getting through initial security checks was easy and quick. We are now 2 1/2 hours away from the start of the opening ceremony. Among the star-studded line-up for the ceremony are Shakira, J Balvin (another Colombian singer) and Mexican band Maná. —Peter Davies
Updated at 8:52 a.m.
El Tri, Mexico’s national football team, comes into its World Cup opener in good form. Mexico won its final warm-up match against Serbia 5-1 in Toluca, México state, last Thursday night. El Tri also won a warm-up match against Australia in the Rose Bowl, in California, on May 30. The score in that match was 1-0. Mexican fans will be hoping that Mexico can notch up another victory today at Mexico City Stadium, a huge arena best known as Estadio Azteca (Azteca Stadium). Head coach Javier Aguirre is managing El Tri at the World Cup for a third time this year. Aguirre, a former World Cup player himself (Mexico ’86), managed Mexico at the World Cups in 2002 in South Korea and Japan, and in 2010 in South Africa. Mexico was knocked out at the round of 16 stage in both those tournaments. —Peter Davies
Updated at 8:32 a.m.
One notable absentee at today’s opening ceremony and inaugural match will be Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum. She decided to give away the ticket she received last year from FIFA President Gianni Infantino. In the president’s place at the Mexico City Stadium today will be Yolett Cervantes Cuaquehua, a 21-year-old woman from the Gulf coast state of Veracruz. She won the president’s ticket in a soccer ball juggling competition run by the federal government. Cervantes received her ticket at Sheinbaum’s press conference on May 29. —Peter Davies
Updated at 8:14 a.m.
It’s only 8 a.m. but it’s already starting to get warm here. After a lot of recent rain, it’s a clear, sunny morning in Mexico City. The forecast is a high of 24 C, a temperature that could be reached while Mexico and South Africa are on the pitch. A reminder to our readers: Mexico City sits at an altitude of over 2,000 meters. That altitude could also affect players, although El Tri has plenty of experience playing in Mexico City. The South African team has been training in Pachuca, which is also situated more than 2,000 meters above sea level. —Peter Davies
Updated at 7:50 a.m.
It’s not yet 8 a.m. and the atmosphere is already building outside the stadium as Mexican fans arrived dressed for the occasion. There is also a lot of color — especially green, of course — and some fans have dressed in uniquely Mexican costumes: lucha libre masks, mariachi costumes, pre-Hispanic dress, and women in colorful folkloric skirts. —Peter Davies
Updated 7:28 a.m.
It wouldn’t be a World Cup match in Mexico without an OXXO in the stadium precinct! This one is doing a brisk trade at 7:30 a.m. —Peter Davies
Updated at 7:05 a.m.
I’ve arrived at Mexico City Stadium after a smooth, hassle-free trip on the metro and light rail. At 7 a.m. local time, a good number of fans have already reached the stadium. Security is tight, with a large presence of National Guard Officers and Mexico City police. —Peter Davies
Mexico News Daily
