World Cup
Fans flock to Azteca reopening, brushing off tensions ahead of World Cup
Fans returned to Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium for its long-awaited reopening on Saturday, embracing the pre-World Cup atmosphere despite tight security, protests across the capital and a fatal accident inside the venue.
Supporters streamed into the revamped venue for the first time in nearly two years for Mexico’s friendly against Portugal, hoping to get a taste of the kind of atmosphere which will envelop the country during soccer’s global showpiece.
Mexico will co-host the World Cup with the United States and Canada, and are set to open the tournament against South Africa at the stadium on June 11.
“We came from Puebla and we’re really excited to see the stadium and start feeling that World Cup atmosphere,” said Mexican fan Mariluly Cuesta, adding that the experience had been very well organised despite the heavier security presence.
Road closures and a large security operation made for a long walk to reach the gates, but many said the measures were expected for an event of this scale.
“We walked about a kilometre, but it felt very safe the whole way,” said Luis Camarena, a 40-year-old businessman who attended with his family. “We’re just happy to be here with the kids to watch the national team.”
While many had hoped to see Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo, his absence did little to dampen the mood.
“We would have loved to see him, especially for the children, but we came for the spectacle,” Camarena added. “This way, everyone is fully behind Mexico.”
Not everyone shared the celebratory mood.
Protesters staged a demonstration on a major highway near the stadium, turning it into a makeshift football pitch to highlight what they said were shortages of housing, water, transport and electricity in the area.
Inside the stadium, the festive atmosphere was overshadowed by a fatal incident shortly before kickoff, when a man died after falling from a box seat area, according to local authorities.
There were also some teething problems for the reopening, with supporters pointing to confusion over entry points, largely linked to the stadium’s recent renovations, as well as the lack of parking, as areas for improvement.
“Staff weren’t always clear about which gate to use, so we had to double back,” said Karime Gonzalez, an 18-year-old student. “If we hadn’t come on time, that could have been a problem.
“People are helping each other find their way, it feels like a rehearsal for the World Cup,” added Gonzalez.
-Reuters
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Protesters transformed a major Mexico City highway into a makeshift football pitch on Saturday, playing impromptu matches to denounce World Cup preparation, which they said is overshadowing the capital’s pressing needs.
The event unfolded on the white-painted asphalt of a busy ring road, with demonstrators wearing Mexico jerseys alongside club colours of Pumas, Chivas and Italian side Juventus, while an organiser provided match commentary over a loudspeaker.
The protest was intended to denounce what organisers termed the “World Cup of Dispossession” and to draw attention to shortages of housing, water, transport and electricity.
Reuters has contacted the Mexico City government for comment.
The event took place just hours before Mexico was due to play Portugal in a World Cup warm-up match, and saw authorities deploy over 4,000 emergency services personnel to ensure safety.
Protesters played a friendly match, or “cascarita”, along the highway’s central lane, causing a massive build-up of traffic, which eased when protesters moved to the outside lane for a second match.
In a further political twist, the second match featured a football bearing the face of U.S. President Donald Trump, the significance of which was not immediately clear. Other signs of politics included Ukrainian flags and chants of “Free Palestine”.
“The union that this sport builds between people – if a ball appears, everyone tries to play, you forget about your differences and enjoy the game, the moment,” Roman, a protester who gave only his first name, told Reuters.
“Football is about community; it’s about more than money,” Roman said, adding that there are more pressing needs while the authorities are focused on the tournament. “We want attention. We want decent transport. We want water. We want electricity. We want to be able to get home. We want lights in the streets.”
The players, encircled by police, remained focused on winning the match while making their political points. When the ball rolled into the road, they paused and waited for its return while some passing drivers honked in support.
Banners unfurled during the protest included one reading “Global event, local eviction,” reflecting participants’ claims that World Cup-related development was fuelling displacement across the capital.
“It is contradictory, precisely because I like football a lot. I follow football, but that does not mean I support this. I do not think it is being handled in the best way in Mexico,” Julian, another protester wearing a “Lucha Libre” wrestling mask, told Reuters.
Mexico will co-host the World Cup alongside the United States and Canada. The tournament will take place from 11 June to 19 July, with matches scheduled for Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey.
-Reuters
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Ahead of their clash with Nigeria’s Super Eagles this Friday, Iran’s men’s national soccer team wore black armbands and held schoolbags as their anthem played ahead of a match in Turkey on Friday in what a team official said was a protest over the killing of schoolgirls on the first day of the Iran war.
Iran were playing a friendly against Nigeria in the resort town of Belek ahead of the World Cup in the U.S., Mexico and Canada, where their participation is in doubt over the conflict.
The men lined up holding pink and purple bags with ribbons on them – a reference to the attack on the Shajareh Tayyebeh School, which Tehran says killed more than 175 people, including children and teachers, on the first day of joint U.S.-Israeli strikes.
“The players are holding the school bags close to their hearts in remembrance of the 165 girls the Americans killed in an Iranian school,” a media official for the Iranian team told Reuters.
U.S. military investigators believe it is likely that U.S. forces were responsible but have not yet reached a final conclusion or completed their investigation.
Earlier this month, some of Iran’s women’s soccer team stayed quiet during the national anthem at an Asian Cup match, leading state TV in Tehran to brand them “traitors”.
U.S. President Donald Trump said earlier this month that while Iran’s national team were welcome to play in the U.S., it might not be appropriate for their “life and safety.”
Iran’s football federation said it is in discussions with soccer’s world governing body FIFA about moving its World Cup matches to Mexico from the U.S.
The squad will also play Costa Rica on Tuesday in another friendly in Turkey.
-Reuters
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The Following are the final matches of the European and the Intercontinental qualification for the 2026 World Cup. The winners of each match will qualify for the tournament in the U.S., Canada and Mexico which will be held from June 11 to July 19.
Europe
PATH A
Bosnia and Herzegovina v Italy in Zenica
PATH B
Sweden v Poland in Solna
PATH C
Kosovo v Turkey in Pristina
PATH D
Czech Republic v Denmark in Prague
InterContinental
PATH A
DR Congo v Jamaica
PATH B
Iraq v Bolivia
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