Mexican football fans have come down with a serious case of World Cup fever as they flocked to the Estadio Azteca ahead of the opening clash of the 2026 World Cup.
The month-long festival of football kicks into gear on Thursday evening as Mexico welcome South Africa to the famous stadium for a competition that will be held across North America.
And hours ahead of kick-off, Mexican fans had already started to make their way to the Azteca – the home of so many iconic World Cup moments – as they get ready to cheer on their heroes.
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Images of football fans clad in green started to be shared on social media, with one fan even dressing their, presumably pet, chicken in a sombrero for the big occasion.
While Daily Star’s man on the ground in Mexico, Jerry Lawton, reported a “witchdoctor conjured up the spirits of human-sacrificing Aztecs outside the Fan Zone to give his football heroes a beyond-the-grave World Cup leg up.”
Mexico will clash with South Africa in the opening match on Thursday, a repeat of the 2010 opener – which saw Siphiwe Tshabalala write himself into World Cup folklore.
The South African winger burst through the Mexican defence and beat Guillermo Ochoa to fire Bafana Bafana ahead at their home World Cup, the first to ever be hosted in Africa.
Mexican fans will be hoping for a different result this time out as they ready for the third World Cup they have hosted.
The festival of football has previously been held in the country in 1970, when Pele and Co lifted the Jules Rimet trophy for a third time and, as a result, were allowed to keep it, and in 1986 where Diego Maradona led Argentina to glory.
In both of those tournaments, Mexico have made it to the quarter-finals – their best ever result. However, before the football can get underway, football fans will be treated to an opening ceremony headlined by Shakira.