Protests Escalate at Azteca as Mexico Beats South Africa in World Cup Opener

Overview

• Dozens of protesters and police clashed outside the Estadio Azteca on Thursday during the opening match, which Mexico won 2–0 over South Africa.
• Security forces used tear gas to disperse demonstrators, protesters broke police vehicle windows and families of more than 130,000 missing people marched to demand resources and attention.
• Broadcast images of apparently empty seats in Guadalajara and a confusing English explanation by referee Wilton Pereira Sampaio went viral and intensified criticism of FIFA’s ticketing policies and event presentation.
• Brazil completed final training before its Saturday opener with coach Carlo Ancelotti keeping the starting lineup private and Neymar still sidelined by a right-calf lesion with a two-to-three week recovery projection.
• Domestic oversight and legal flashpoints followed the opening: the national Corregedoria opened a probe into international per-diem payments for Ceará prosecutors attending World Cup missions, and ex-defender Ricardo Rocha was briefly detained at Galeão airport under a civil arrest order before his lawyers said the measure was revoked.