By FABIOLA SÁNCHEZ
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum delivered a promise on Friday by giving away her ticket to the World Cup opening match.
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Sheinbaum, the first female president in the country’s 200-year history, donated her ticket No. 00001 to Yolett Cervantes Cuaquehua, a 21-year-old Indigenous woman from the eastern state of Veracruz.
Mexico plays the opening match against South Africa on June 11 at Azteca Stadium.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, right, and amateur soccer player Yolett Cervantes reach to catch a soccer ball during a ceremony distributing tickets to the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, at the president’s daily news conference at the National Palace in Mexico City, Friday, May 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, right, watches the soccer skills of one of the winners during a ceremony distributing tickets to the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, at the president’s daily news conference at the National Palace in Mexico City, Friday, May 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
La presidenta mexicana Claudia Sheinbaum entrega un boleto simbólico para el partido inaugural del Mundial 2026 a la jugadora amateur Yolett Cervantes, el viernes 29 de mayo de 2026, en la Ciudad de México. (AP Foto/Fernando Llano)
Cervantes Cuaquehua was selected by a jury after winning a contest for her ball-handling skills.
“They are the pride of Mexico. They will not represent the president, or the head of government, they will represent Mexico,” Sheinbaum said at a press conference to give away the ticket to Cervantes Cuaquehua.
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Sheinbaum also gave away tickets to other matches being played in Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey — the Mexican venues for the World Cup — to three other amateur athletes aged 16, 22, and 23. They were also selected by the jury as part of a contest organized by the government.
“Thank you so much for considering us,” Cervantes Cuaquehua said.
Sheinbaum in March ruled out attending the opening game, stating she wanted to give prominence to young Mexican female soccer players.
“I think a young woman who plays soccer is a great representative of our country. Very few people will be able to attend the opening,” Sheinbaum said at the time. She added she will watch the game at the Zócalo, the capital’s main square, where a Fan Fest will be set up.
The president’s announcement generated mixed reactions in Mexico. While some considered it a commendable decision, others criticized it, arguing that it was a missed opportunity to promote the country.
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AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup