MEXICO CITY, July 1 (ANI) — At least three people died from suffocation after thousands of fans packed the streets of Mexico City to celebrate Mexico’s 2-0 FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 victory over Ecuador, the city’s health secretariat said Wednesday, according to Reuters.
The tragedy occurred near the Angel of Independence monument.
Emergency responders attended to three unconscious individuals at separate locations along Paseo de la Reforma, authorities said. The capital’s iconic boulevard and surrounding streets had been closed to traffic to accommodate the massive crowds celebrating the victory.
“After receiving advanced resuscitation efforts, the deaths of a 44-year-old man and a 19-year-old woman from suffocation have been confirmed,” the health authority initially said in a social media post, according to Reuters.
The health secretariat later confirmed that a third victim, a 48-year-old woman, also died from asphyxiation. She received emergency treatment at the scene but died after being transported to a hospital.
On the field, co-hosts Mexico advanced to the Round of 16 with a convincing 2-0 victory over Ecuador, ending a decades-long wait for a knockout-stage win at the FIFA World Cup.
The victory marked Mexico’s first World Cup knockout-stage triumph since 1986 and ended an eight-match losing streak in World Cup knockout fixtures — the longest such run in tournament history, according to OptaJoe.
The match, delayed by an hour because of heavy rain and lightning, saw El Tri extend both their unbeaten run and impressive defensive record.
Mexico took control early and broke the deadlock before halftime when Julián Quiñones capitalized on a defensive error. Raúl Jiménez doubled the lead later in the first half, giving the hosts a comfortable advantage heading into the break.
Ecuador enjoyed more possession after halftime and attempted to rally, but Mexico’s disciplined defense preserved another clean sheet. Ecuador’s night worsened in stoppage time when defender Piero Hincapié was shown a red card.
The victory was Mexico’s fourth consecutive win of the tournament and extended its scoreless defensive streak, further establishing Javier Aguirre’s side as one of the standout teams of the competition.
Mexico will next face the winner of the England–DR Congo Round of 32 match as it looks to continue its World Cup campaign on home soil.
The match also featured a historic milestone for teenage midfielder Gilberto Mora. At 17 years and 259 days old, he became the second-youngest player ever to start a FIFA World Cup knockout match, behind only Pelé, who accomplished the feat at 17 years and 239 days during the 1958 tournament, according to ESPN FC.
Jiménez also entered the record books. At 35 years and 56 days old, he became the oldest Mexican player to score in a FIFA World Cup knockout match and the first Mexican player in his 30s to score in the tournament’s knockout stage, according to ESPN Insights.
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