Two opposite scenarios marked the beginning of the World Cup 2026 in Mexico. Inside the Mexico City Stadiumthousands of fans celebrated the start of the World Cup and the triumph of mexican team; outside, seeking mothers and relatives of missing people They held up photographs of their loved ones and repeated a slogan that contrasted with the party atmosphere: “Mexico, champion in disappearances”.
The groups arrived near the stadium with Mexican national team t-shirts altered with the faces of missing people, search files and banners with messages addressed to the authorities. The mobilization sought to take advantage of the international attention generated by the tournament to make visible a crisis that, according to official figures, exceeds 133 thousand people missing in the country.
Among the most repeated slogans were phrases such as “Because they took them alive, we want them alive”, “The ball is coming home and our missing when?” and “With the search engines until the final”. The families noted that, while millions of people watched the opening of the World Cup, thousands continue to wait for answers about the whereabouts of their loved ones.
The demonstration took place amid extensive police deployment around the stadium. Metal fences, trucks and hundreds of agents prevented the protesters from advancing towards some entrances to the property, which generated moments of tension between authorities and participants.
According to reports from local media and international agencies, some protesters tried to overcome the security fences, while searching mothers called to keep the protest peaceful. During the day, arrests and fights were also reported at different points near the stadium.
Relatives of missing people questioned the deployment of resources allocated to the organization of the World Cup and security operations, considering that the same effort should be allocated to strengthening the search and investigation of pending cases.
Ayotzinapa and the disappearance crisis
The protest also reminded 43 students from Ayotzinapa disappeared in September 2014, one of the most emblematic cases of forced disappearance in Mexico. During the mobilization, participants counted to 43 and displayed photographs of the students as part of the memory activities.
Currently, Mexico faces one of the largest disappearance crises in its history. National and international organizations have warned about the magnitude of the problem, while search groups continue to demand greater action to locate thousands of people reported missing in different regions of the country.
The other side of the World Cup opening
While more than 80,000 fans celebrated in the stands of the stadium and thousands more followed the game from the capital’s Zócalo and other areas set up for the World Cup, the search mothers tried to turn the most important sporting event on the planet into a platform to amplify their claim.
Thus, the opening day left two images that traveled around the world: the joy of fans who celebrated Mexico’s victory at the start of the World Cup and the pain of families who continue to search for their missing people and demand answers.
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