World Cup of disunity kicks off in Mexico

{"text":[[{"start":6.5,"text":"The World Cup kicked off in Mexico City on Thursday, with the three host countries feuding over trade and security while fans rage at sky-high ticket prices and US immigration restrictions."}],[{"start":18.85,"text":"Mexico, the US and Canada are jointly hosting the largest-ever World Cup across 16 cities for the next five weeks at a time of discord over the drug trade and the future of their $2tn free trade deal."}],[{"start":32.6,"text":"Hundreds of millions of people were expected to tune into Mexico’s opening match against South Africa, in a World Cup originally billed as a showcase of North American unity. Three players — two from South Africa and one from the home team — were sent off in a chaotic match which Mexico won 2-0."}],[{"start":51.45,"text":"But a widespread backlash against US President Donald Trump, combined with ticket prices far higher than in prior tournaments, means that the tournament is following the polarising pattern seen in previous World Cups in Qatar and Russia. "}],[{"start":null,"text":"

"}],[{"start":66.45,"text":"Since taking office last year, Trump has mused about bombing Mexican cartels and threatened to annex Canada as the 51st US state. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has increasingly clashed with the US in recent weeks, while Canada has been frozen out of official trade talks so far."}],[{"start":84.7,"text":"Omar Artan, a Fifa-approved referee from Somalia, was denied entry to the US last week, which a Trump administration official said was on the grounds of association with suspected terrorists. The national team of Iran — currently at war with the US — changed their base to Tijuana, Mexico, after several members of staff were denied visas. "}],[{"start":105.5,"text":"On Thursday, European football’s governing body said Artan would officiate the Uefa Super Cup match in August, describing him as “one of the world’s top referees”. Uefa president Aleksander Čeferin said: “Football is made to connect people, and Uefa wants to show its respect to Omar and his outstanding officiating skills.”"}],[{"start":null,"text":""}],[{"start":null,"text":""}],[{"start":124.8,"text":"Some World Cup football fans fear being picked up by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which deported some 400,000 migrants in the 2025 fiscal year and is currently holding another 60,000 people in detention, almost a quarter of whom are Mexicans."}],[{"start":143.45,"text":"In Mexico City, a slew of demonstrations have erupted in recent weeks over domestic issues from teacher pay to the 130,000 people missing from cartel-fuelled violence. Promised infrastructure upgrades to airports and public transport have not been finished in time for the tournament and at least seven different groups were planning protests near the stadium on Thursday."}],[{"start":164.7,"text":"The World Cup hosts have not even tried to present a united front, with each country having its own mascot and little evidence of joint branding or strategies to boost tourism. Leftist Sheinbaum is not attending matches to avoid associating with an event viewed as one for the elite. "}],[{"start":null,"text":""}],[{"start":182.54999999999998,"text":"Most host cities will see increased air traffic during the tournament, according to airlines association IATA, with places like Kansas City and Monterrey set to benefit. But many US hotels have been disappointed by booking rates and a vast number of tickets are currently unsold on Fifa’s resale portal."}],[{"start":201.2,"text":"Mexico will be the first country to host the tournament three times, with the first match held at the stadium known as Estadio Azteca. Brazil’s Pelé lifted the trophy there in 1970, while Argentina’s Diego Maradona scored his infamous “hand of God” goal against England at the stadium en route to winning the 1986 World Cup. "}],[{"start":221.79999999999998,"text":"Despite having eight years to prepare, Mexico’s authorities have been rushing to make last-minute aesthetic upgrades to the capital. A viral photograph of a flooded traffic underpass, recently painted with a shining axolotl salamander mural but apparently poor drainage, symbolised for locals the city’s chronic unresolved infrastructure problems."}],[{"start":242.79999999999998,"text":"On Tuesday, hundreds of pots of orange cempasúchil — or Mexican marigold — flowers sat in a park in the touristy Condesa neighbourhood ready to be planted next to broken traffic lights. "}],[{"start":null,"text":""}],[{"start":255.74999999999997,"text":"Despite public anger at the lack of preparation, tickets for the Mexican team’s matches are also by far the most coveted, according to Ticket Data, with punters paying on average nearly $2,200 for a resold ticket. Schools in the city were closed on Thursday and office workers were told hastily this week they should try to work from home."}],[{"start":275.2,"text":"“Everything was done last minute so we’re not really ready,” said Iván Rincón, 32, who works at an insurance broker in the capital. "}],[{"start":282.8,"text":"Fans are hoping that it will break the team’s “curse” and make it to the quarter-finals for the first time since 1986, but they may have to beat England to get there."}],[{"start":293,"text":"“[Mexican] fans are intense,” Rincón said. “If the team does well . . . for a moment we’ll forget about all the problems there are.”"}],[{"start":308.1,"text":""}]],"url":"https://audio.ftcn.net.cn/album/a_1781221069_8894.mp3"}