The president of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, finally did not attend the Fan Fest in the capital's Zócalo square to watch the opening match of the 2026 World Cup with thousands of fans, and instead opted for Deportivo Los Galeana, in the north of the country's capital.

The president arrived at the Gustavo A. Madero mayor's office accompanied by the head of Government of Mexico City, Clara Brugada.

Sheinbaum, dressed in a Mexican national team shirt and with her name and number 26 on her back, was welcomed by the hundreds of fans who were in the place.

Although her intention was to watch the game in the Zócalo square, the president had questioned her presence due to the anticipation that there would be protests in the area in connection with the World Cup.

A sit-in of teachers from the National Coordinator of Education Workers (CNTE) is set up near the capital's square, so there was fear that they would try to boycott the Fan Fest in the presence of the president.

Finally, he went to a sports center, located more than 12 km from the Zócalo and which is one of the eighteen venues that the authorities equipped with screens to watch the match between Mexico and South Africa.

Sheinbaum shared a video on his social networks with the audience while watching the inaugural performance of Colombian singer Shakira on a screen.

The president gave her ticket to the first World Cup match to an indigenous girl, thus breaking a decades-old tradition in which the president of the host country attended the opening day of the sporting event.

Mexico will be one of the three host countries of the 2026 World Cup along with the United States and Canada. Mexico City will host the opening match of the tournament at the Azteca Stadium, which will become the first stadium in the world to host three World Cup inaugurations, after those in 1970 and 1986. EFE