STORY: A young Mexican woman will sit in President Claudia Sheinbaum's seat in the box at Mexico City's Estadio Azteca when the World Cup opening match is played on June 11, after winning a soccer skills contest organized by the government.

The winner was announced on Friday (May 29) during the president's daily press conference.

Yolett Cervantes, 21, claimed the ticket thanks to her ball-juggling skills and will be joined at the opening ceremony by another young winner, Brianna Medina, who will occupy the seat of Mexico City's head of government (mayor), Carla Brugada, who also gave up her spot.

At the press conference, tickets were also awarded to two other contest participants — the competition was open to young people between the ages of 16 and 25 — one for a match in Guadalajara and another for a game in Monterrey, the country's two other World Cup host cities.

Sheinbaum had said in December that she would give up her ticket to give someone without the opportunity a chance, and thus change their life.

Mexico, like Canada, will host 13 World Cup matches, as part of a shared organization with the United States, which will stage the majority of the games — 78.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: MEXICO CITY, MEXICO (MAY 29, 2026) (REUTERS - Access All)

1. YOUNG MEXICAN WOMEN WHO WON TICKETS TO ATTEND THE WORLD CUP OPENING CEREMONY DOING KEEPY-UPPIES DURING EVENT WITH MEXICAN PRESIDENT CLAUDIA SHEINBAUM

2. MEXICAN PRESIDENT CLAUDIA SHEINBAUM (LEFT), TICKET WINNER, YOLETT CERVANTES CUAQUEHUA (CENTER), AND MEXICAN REFEREE KARLA GARCIA (RIGHT) POSING FOR PHOTO WITH A SAMPLE TICKET

3. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) TICKET WINNER, YOLETT CERVANTES CUAQUEHUA, SAYING:

"I am very excited. Thank you, really thank you for considering us. Let us keep pushing women's football. Because all of us women have our talents and qualities and it is great that they can be shown. Thank you very much."

4. TICKET WINNER KARLA PENA DRIBBLING FOOTBALL

5. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) TICKET WINNER, KARLA PENA, SAYING:

"Fight for your dreams, because look, today we are here and it is something I would never have imagined."

6. TICKET WINNER DAYRA DIAZ GARCIA DOING KEEPY-UPPIES

7. SHEINBAUM, TICKER WINNER AND MEXICAN OFFICIALS POSING FOR PHOTO WITH SAMPLE TICKET

8. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) TICKET WINNER, DAYRA DIAZ GARCIA, SAYING:

"Just believe, believe that everything is possible because for the one who believes, everything is possible. Thank you."

9. VARIOUS OF TICKET WINNER BRIANNA MEDINA DOING KEEPY-UPPIES

10. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) TICKET WINNER, BRIANNA MEDINA, SAYING:

"I have been playing football since I was very little, since I was five years old. I remember playing with my brother, with my cousins, with kids, mainly with boys. And I think this kind of contest opens up the opportunity to keep pushing women's football forward."

11. VARIOUS OF SHEINBAUM, TICKET WINNER AND MEXICAN OFFICIALS LEAVING EVENT