Historic World Cup Opener Set in Mexico City

Mexico City’s iconic stadium will host the World Cup opener for the third time. The stadium recently underwent a significant renovation costing nearly $200 million. This transformation increased its capacity to 87,500 seats.

The collaborative bid between Mexico, Canada, and the United States marked a historic moment, despite recent tensions among them. The 2018 awarding of this year’s World Cup to the three countries emphasized a theme of unity. World leaders and soccer officials highlighted the joint effort as an opportunity to demonstrate solidarity and effective cooperation.

Justin Trudeau, who was Canada’s Prime Minister, expressed that it showcased how well things could work together across North America. Enrique Peña Nieto, Mexico’s president at the time, echoed the sentiment of profound unity. President Trump also acknowledged the joint success, noting the effort put into securing the World Cup.

As the tournament is set to kick off on a Thursday, it will be the first World Cup hosted across three nations. The Mexican national team will play against South Africa in the initial game of the 104-match schedule. Matches will occur throughout the continent, including Vancouver, Toronto, New York, Kansas City, Monterrey, and Guadalajara.