The 2026 World Cup was packaged as FIFA’s boldest celebration yet. The three-nation spectacle was designed to prove football’s grip on North America.
However, the opening scenes told a less flattering story. Celebrity sparkle inside the stadiums, that is on the plus side. But there are embarrassing pockets of empty seats on screen, and protests outside that cut through the tournament’s glossy image.
Here is what happened during the tournament’s opening weekend, starting in Guadalajara.
The Ticketing Crisis: Priced Out in Guadalajara
FIFA President Gianni Infantino promoted the expanded 104-match tournament by highlighting about 500 million ticket requests. But the second match showed a tough truth about who could actually afford to attend.
- During South Korea’s 2-1 comeback win over Czechia in Guadalajara, TV cameras showed many empty premium seats. This made the official attendance of 44,985 (almost full capacity) seem questionable.
- Fans have complained about high ticket prices, with even less popular group-stage games costing hundreds of dollars. Seeing empty VIP and corporate seats made the tension clear: is football for everyone, or is the World Cup becoming a luxury event?
- This problem is not just in Mexico. Even before the United States played Paraguay in Los Angeles, tickets were still available on official resale sites.
- To avoid the look of empty seats, FIFA has reportedly lowered ticket prices across the tournament to help fill the stadiums.
Spectacle vs. Unrest in Mexico City
Inside Mexico City’s famous Estadio Azteca, FIFA got the show it wanted. But outside, things were very different.
Inside the Stadium: The Glamour
- Mexico made the home fans happy with a 2-0 win over South Africa, marking the country’s third time hosting World Cup games.
- Actress Salma Hayek opened the tournament, followed by a huge cultural show. Shakira led a lineup of stars including Burna Boy, J Balvin, Maná, Tyla, Alejandro Fernández, Belinda, Lila Downs, Los Ángeles Azules, and Danny Ocean.
Outside the Stadium: The Backlash
- While fans celebrated in the stadium, huge protests took place in the streets of Mexico City. Groups of mothers, teachers, workers, and judiciary staff marched about human rights, working conditions, and missing persons.
- The protests turned violent, with clashes between police and protesters and objects thrown. At the Zócalo fan zone, crowd surges got so dangerous that officials had to step in and warn that children could be hurt.
The Broadcast Blunder
Problems with U.S. TV broadcasts upset the very audience FIFA wants to attract.
- While Telemundo showed Shakira’s much-anticipated opening ceremony live, Fox, which has the English-language rights, chose to air a studio discussion instead.
- American viewers were angry, saying it made no sense to skip such a big cultural moment led by one of the most famous World Cup performers.
What is the bottom line? South Korea and Mexico brought excitement on the field, and the ceremony was full of celebrities. But FIFA’s first day showed a growing divide: the events dazzled a few, while many saw the tournament as too pricey, too corporate, and out of touch with regular fans and local communities.
In a world dominated by political chaos, the Beautiful Game is supposed to give the masses some kind of hope and save football soccer through this FIFA World Cup. Can it really succeed on both fronts?
