Copa opener tickets up for grabs as Mexico launches keepy-uppy contest | OneFootball

The young Mexican woman who demonstrates the most skill in ball control will receive a personal ticket from President Claudia Sheinbaum for the opening match of the 2026 World Cup, the head of state announced this Thursday.

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Sheinbaum had already announced her decision not to attend the tournament's opening game, between Mexico and South Africa, on June 11 in the Mexican capital, and to give ticket number 00001, reserved for her by FIFA, to a woman.

Now, the president explained in her morning press conference that women between 16 and 25 years old can participate by sending a video to an official platform. “What do they need to do? Juggle the ball for one minute,” she detailed.

Among the judges who will select the winner are Charlyn Corral, the world's top scorer in 2025 and record holder for ball juggling in 2005, and professional referee Katia Itzel García.

The president announced that she will watch the opening ceremony at a major event with big screens planned to be held in the Zócalo (main square), in the historic center of the city, where the presidential palace is located.

“Very few people will be able to attend the opening ceremony. So, I will watch it here with the people, and a young woman will represent us — me and the people of Mexico,” she said.

The president had already mentioned the high cost of tickets, made worse by the difficulty of obtaining them in a metropolis of more than 20 million inhabitants.

At the 2026 World Cup, also co-hosted by the United States and Canada, Mexico will host a total of 13 matches in its capital, in Guadalajara (west), and in Monterrey (north).

The first match will be played at the legendary Azteca Stadium, which in 1970 and 1986 hosted two World Cup opening ceremonies, in which the presidents were booed by the public on both occasions.

*With content from AFP

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.