Public radio’s longest-running daily global news program.AboutContactDonateMeet the TeamPrivacyTerms of use©2026 The World from PRXPRX is a 501(c)(3) organization recognized by the IRS: #263347402.Mexico City turns World Cup opener into a public partyAs Mexico beat South Africa 2-0 in the World Cup tournament opener, thousands of fans without stadium tickets packed the Zócalo main square for a hot, chaotic and rain-soaked celebration. FIFA World Cup 2026June 15, 2026Updated: June 15, 20265:43Fans gather as Mexico plays South Africa in the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Mexico City.Mexico got the World Cup party started with a 2-0 win over South Africa in the tournament opener. But in Mexico City, some of the day’s biggest energy was outside the stadium.At the Zócalo, the capital’s main square, tens of thousands of fans gathered to watch the match on giant screens. By kickoff, the plaza already felt like a second stadium — crowded, loud, sweaty and full of flags.Some fans had arrived before sunrise. Others came by bus from other parts of Mexico, and many had flown in from abroad.“Netherlands,” one fan said. “Ireland,” said another. “New York.” “London.”A group from Johannesburg waved South African colors and shouted, “Go Bafana Bafana!”Fans hold up the South African flag at the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Mexico City.Tibisay Zea/The WorldThe Zócalo has long been where Mexico City gathers for concerts, protests, the country’s independence day, celebrations and even moments of grief. On opening day, it became a stadium for soccer fans who couldn’t get — or couldn’t afford — tickets to the actual match.Getting into the square was its own challenge.Parts of the Zócalo had been closed off because of nearby teachers’ protests. Only a few access points were open. Under a brutal sun, fans tried to figure out where the line began and where it ended.“They opened one door for about 100,000 people,” said Joe Gilbert, who traveled from England with a friend. “So, everyone was trying to get in one door, so it was a bit like a mosh pit. But fun anyways,” he added.Gilbert had looked for last-minute tickets to the stadium. He said some were going for around $4,000.So, like many others, he chose the public version of the World Cup instead.Emilio Mora, from Mexico City, called the scene “the authentic Mexican spirit.”“It’s very chaotic,” Mora said, “but it will be fun.”For Denise Holguín, the Zócalo was more than a substitute for the stadium. It was the right place to be.“The heart of the capital is the Zócalo,” she said in Spanish. “It’s where all the feelings of the capital come together.”She said that in the plaza, social class mattered less than the shared emotion of the day. It was, as she put it, one of the closest expressions of what Mexico is.That feeling drew fans from all over the world.Mexico beat South Africa 2-0 during the opening match of the FIFA World Cup hosted in Mexico City.Tibisay Zea/The World“The atmosphere is amazing,” one visitor from Ireland said. “The environment is exactly like the World Cup in the stadium,” said another, from Malaysia.“Best place in the world right now,” said an American tourist from New York. “The Mexicans know how to do it.”Again and again, fans described Mexico as a welcoming host. One fan pointed to Iran’s national team, which is staying in Tijuana after moving its World Cup base from Arizona because of visa and political tensions with the United States.“We are a very friendly country,” Vicente Hernandez said in Spanish. “We always embrace other nations.”There were also many Mexican Americans in the crowd, including Cesar Ortiz, who lives in Texas. He said watching the World Cup in Mexico felt different.“Here in Mexico, it’s more enjoyable,” Ortiz said. “There are not that many restrictions.”As he opened a beer, he said: “Breakfast of champs.”Ortiz said that in the United States, celebrations can feel more controlled. In Mexico, however, people could relax, drink in the street and celebrate more freely.“As a Latino [in the US], there can be ICE agents out there, so you can’t really enjoy it,” he said, referring to US federal immigration officers.Once the match started, the crowd moved with the screen.People stood on their tiptoes; many fans waved flags to shield themselves from the sun and yelled, “Mexico, Mexico.” The plaza went quiet, then shouted, then fell quiet again.And then Mexico scored. Twice. And the Zócalo erupted, with strangers hugging like they had known each other for years. By the final whistle, Mexico had beaten South Africa 2-0 — and the celebration was just beginning.Almost as soon as the match ended, a heavy downpour hit the city — a real diluvio, as people there call it. But fans didn’t go home.The celebration spilled into the streets and onto Paseo de la Reforma, one of Mexico City’s main avenues, with cars honking and flags waving. People sang under umbrellas, and many ended up completely soaked.For many fans, the day felt like a dream.“Now,” one man said, “we go for the Koreans.”Mexico will play South Korea on June 18. It’s hosting 13 World Cup matches across three cities: Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey.