Students and activist groups in Mexico gathered in protest near the stadium hosting the opening match of the 2026 World Cup, before clashing with riot police. Authorities remained in control and the match proceeded as scheduled.
On 12 June 2026 GMT+7, violent clashes occurred between protesters and police around Mexico City Stadium prior to the 2026 World Cup opening match between Mexico and South Africa.
Reports indicate that the demonstrators, including students from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) and other educational institutions, marched to the stadium to express dissatisfaction with the costs of hosting the World Cup, as well as broader social issues facing the country.
During the protest, some demonstrators dressed in black and masked attempted to break through police lines surrounding the stadium, throwing stones and various objects at officers. Police responded with crowd control tools, including loud noise devices to disperse the crowd, leading to brief clashes around the stadium and smoke rising near stadium entrances.
Subsequently, riot police regained control by pushing protesters away from the area to prevent them from approaching designated sections for football fans attending the match. Despite the disturbances, officials secured the stadium perimeter and the World Cup opening match continued as planned.
These protests reflect ongoing dissatisfaction accompanying the World Cup event, with activist groups seeking to leverage the global platform to highlight issues such as the plight of the disappeared, social inequality, and government budget expenditures.
Source: AP