Yolett Cervantes Cuaquehua, a young woman from the High Mountains of Veracruz, won the coveted ticket 0001 for the opening ceremony of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, after standing out in a national contest organized by President Claudia Sheinbaum to promote female talent and culture in Mexico.
During Friday’s morning press conference, the young woman was presented as the winner of the raffle. During her visit to the National Palace, she was accompanied by the Mexican president, the Head of Government of Mexico City, Clara Brugada; referee Katia Itzel García; and the world’s top scorer, Charlyn Corral.
In her remarks, she emphasized the role of women, not only in sports but also in politics, as a representative of our country. She expressed her gratitude for the opportunity given to female athletes and her excitement at being able to attend the opening match between Mexico and South Africa at the legendary Azteca Stadium.
“Dear President, thank you so much for considering us and for being one of the fortunate few to be at such an important event as the World Cup. I admire and respect you immensely for being the first female president of our beautiful country. I don’t think there are words to express how I feel right now. I am very excited, thank you for considering us—it is very important—that we continue to promote women’s soccer because all women have their talents and qualities, and it’s wonderful that they can be showcased.”
Her selection is the result of her participation in a competition organized by the federal government, where more than 4,000 young Mexican women between the ages of 16 and 25 submitted videos of at least two minutes performing keepy-uppies.
Of that number, only 1,000 advanced to the first stage; Among them is the representative from Veracruz who stood out for the way she performed her movements and who demonstrated that even without specialized clothing, one can practice soccer.
