Mexican President To Skip FIFA World Cup Opening Match? 'I'm Going To Give My Ticket...'

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced on Monday that she would relinquish her seat at the opening match of the 2026 World Cup in Mexico City. Instead, she will give her premium ticket to a young

female football enthusiast who cannot afford to attend.

“I’ve decided to give my ticket to a girl or young woman who loves football but lacks the opportunity to attend,” Sheinbaum stated at a press conference.

During FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s visit to Mexico in August, Sheinbaum mentioned she would not use the ticket. Now, she has chosen to donate the prized ticket number 00001 for the match on June 11, which marks the beginning of the tournament co-hosted by Mexico, Canada, and the United States.

“We are still determining the selection process, but I will give that ticket, number 00001, to a girl so she can dream about football,” she added.

Sheinbaum reminisced about Mexico City’s history of hosting World Cup openers in 1970 and 1986, which made the Azteca Stadium the first venue to stage three opening matches.

Additionally, Sheinbaum highlighted the planned activities and infrastructure investments in the co-host cities of Guadalajara and Monterrey, though she did not specify the projects or funding amounts involved.

With Reuters Inputs