Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Friday explained her absence from the Estadio Azteca during Mexico's opening match against South Africa in the 2026 World Cup, citing the unaffordability of tickets for most Mexicans and revealing she gave her ticket to a young female soccer fan.
Ticket Prices a Major Concern
During her daily morning news conference, Sheinbaum stated, "Stadium tickets are very expensive. As president it's better that I give my place to someone who couldn't have gone, who loves football, especially a young woman, and I can celebrate it with the people for free." The soaring ticket prices for World Cup matches have become a significant point of contention, particularly in Mexico, where tickets selling for an average of $3,000 are beyond the reach of many Mexicans who earn barely that amount in a month. She added, "Very few people can pay a ticket at that price."
Yolett Cervantes: The Lucky Recipient
The young woman who received Sheinbaum's ticket was Yolett Cervantes Cuaquehua, an Indigenous Nahua athlete from the state of Veracruz. She won a national contest organized by the Mexican government to claim the president's ticket and sat in the VIP section to watch the game. Cervantes submitted a viral video of herself wearing traditional dress and juggling a soccer ball with her bare feet, beating 1,000 other finalists from across Mexico. In the video, she shared that at age eight, she won a state poetry contest, with the prize being a trip to Spain to watch a soccer match. "Coming home I was in love with football, and at that moment I forgot about poetry," she said. "My father trained me for four years. After two years I could juggle the ball 3,000 to 4,000 times."
Empowering Young Women in Sports
Announcing the contest in March, Sheinbaum framed it as a way to empower young women in sports. She stated, "For many years, doors were closed to us – preventing us from becoming referees, soccer players, commentators or sports hosts. Today, we want to open those doors to women and their rights, so they can be whatever they want to be and have every opportunity to achieve it." On Thursday, Sheinbaum watched the match alongside hundreds of other fans at one of 18 neighborhood viewing spots set up by the Mexico City government across the capital.
