Mexican student to perform coin toss at 2026 World Cup opening match

Estrella, a high school student from Tamaulipas, will have the honor of performing the coin toss at the opening match of the 2026 World Cup in Mexico City. The match will feature hosts Mexico against South Africa. Estrella's selection highlights her achievement as the first-place winner at the 2025 World School Science and Technology Fair in Chile, where she presented "Braille Care," an innovative project merging Braille with digital tools to foster inclusion.

Gabriela Cuevas Barrón, the federal government's coordinator for the World Cup 2026 preparations, announced Estrella's role during a press conference. Cuevas emphasized that Estrella, the daughter of a single mother working in the maquiladora industry, embodies the talent, innovation, and potential of Mexican youth. Her participation is seen as part of the social legacy the World Cup aims to leave in Mexico.

Beyond Estrella's prominent role, the World Cup initiative extends to broader community engagement. Through various federal government-organized tournaments and activities, tickets for matches are being distributed to students, athletes, artisans, and participants in social programs. Additionally, two young girls and two boys have been selected to serve as flag bearers during tournament games.

The Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) director, Zoé Robledo Aburto, noted the significant participation in the "Social World Cup" activities, which include tournaments for U-21 women's football, adapted football for individuals with Down syndrome, and "no-running" football. Winners of these events will receive tickets to World Cup matches, reinforcing the initiative's goal of promoting inclusion, physical activity, and community cohesion through sport. The Mexican Institute of Youth (Imjuve) also reported that over a million young people participated in efforts to renovate sports fields and create murals across the country.