A man died Thursday at Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca hours before the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup between Mexico and South Africa.
The man, a German national, is believed to have suffered a suspected heart attack while at Gate 1 of the stadium as thousands of fans poured in ahead of the evening kickoff. His age could not be confirmed, with reports varying widely. Emergency responders assigned to the World Cup security detail arrived within minutes and performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation. He was later pronounced dead, according to reporting from the Daily Express.
The renovated Azteca became the first stadium to host the opening match of three separate World Cups on Thursday, having previously staged openers in 1970 and 1986.
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