Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed today, Tuesday, that she will miss the opening match of the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in Mexico City on June 11. The event was an opportunity for the leaders of the three host countries – Mexico, Canada and the United States – to meet at the Azteca Stadium. However, the Mexican president reaffirmed her intention to award her ticket to an indigenous girl who loves soccer. “It’s an opportunity for those who don’t have this opportunity, and it changes their lives. I actually made the decision a long time ago,” he said, adding that he still did not know whether his northern counterparts would attend the event.
The President had already announced her intention to give up her place on ticket 001 that was allocated to her, although she did not delve into how this decision would affect the diplomatic meeting with the United States and Canada during the sporting event. “We still don’t know if they’re coming or who’s coming,” he said of the potential attendance of Donald Trump and Mark Carney at the event. He added, “The treatment we will treat them will, of course, be like heads of state if they visit our country. But it is still too early to know which heads of state will come and what reception we will give them.”
Sheinbaum is continuing to evaluate whether he will also attend the draw to determine the composition of the twelve groups of four teams each that will make up the first stage of the tournament. The event will take place next Friday at the prestigious John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington. The White House has already confirmed that Trump will attend the event, while the President of Mexico has not yet decided whether she will travel to the United States to attend the event.
Last August, during a visit to FIFA president Gianni Infantino, Sheinbaum recounted how he had given him the first ticket ever issued for the 2026 World Cup. He has already announced the idea of holding a lottery among indigenous children who have a “passion” for soccer, although he has not yet specified how the allocation will be made. This was in the same press conference in which he confirmed that he did not know whether he would attend the draw in Washington, even if the presidents of the United States and Canada attended.
The President proudly stated that she would prefer to watch the opening match from the screens that she will install in the Zocalo in Mexico City so that all citizens can enjoy it. This is one of the measures of the Mexican government’s program to bring the event closer to the population. In addition to the Zocalo, there will be screens in public squares in the country’s main cities and in Pueblos Magicos, although it has not yet been announced how many matches can be watched for free from these venues. In parallel, the country will invest in museums, archaeological areas and tourist services for the arrival of visitors attending the 13 World Cup matches that will be held in three Mexican stadiums: Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey.