June 12, 2026 10:10 AM
Mexico opens World Cup with passion, parties and protests
Mexico City opened the World Cup on Thursday at the famous Azteca stadium with a ceremony celebrating pre-Hispanic culture, as the ground rocked ahead of the tournament's first match between Mexico and South Africa that kicks off against a backdrop of protests around the capital. Fans in Mariachi costumes, with sombreros and trumpets, formed a sea of dark green support as Shakira and Burna Boy performed the 2026 World Cup anthem and pyrotechnics filled the ground. Alejandro Garcia, 50, decked ...