Fan dies after collapsing at Mexico City stadium during 2026 World Cup opener – National
A man died at the newly renovated Estadio Banorte in Mexico City after falling from the box area before the stadium’s opening game on Saturday, security officials said.
Authorities said the man was drunk and tried to jump from the second-level box seats to the first level by climbing out of the building before falling to the ground, Reuters reported.
The accident occurred while the stadium, which is scheduled to host the opening ceremony of the 2026 FIFA World Cup later this summer, was hosting a friendly between Mexico and Portugal. The match was intended to test the pressure at the facility, formerly known as Azteca Stadium.
Shortly after the incident, the Mexico City Prosecutor’s Office (MCPO) released a statement, saying, “The Mexico City Prosecutor’s Office is investigating the death of a person that occurred on March 28 at the Estadio Banorte, before the start of a friendly match for the Mexican National Team.”
“According to initial reports, the incident took place in the vicinity of the area, where a person fell in the parking lot, leading to his death. The Office of the Prosecutor of the City of Mexico will continue the investigation fully and will keep the public informed as appropriate developments are found.
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“Furthermore, the analysis recorded by CCTV in the stadium and its doors is ongoing, as well as the collection of statements from people who were at the scene, with the aim of accurately reconstructing the sequence of events and determining possible liability,” he wrote.
“Accordingly, the official autopsy process is currently underway to definitively determine the cause of death, as well as the physical condition of the person at the time of the fall.”
On Sunday, the Mexican Football Federation (FMF) sent a statement, expressing its condolences for the death of the fan and saying that its most important thing is “protecting the safety of those inside the stadiums.”
The identity of the fan has not been made public at the time of writing.
The Banorte stadium is expected to host five matches, including the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup between Mexico and South Africa on 11 June.
This is not the first time a sports fan has suffered injuries after falling on the pitch.
Last April, a baseball fan was in critical condition after falling 6.4 meters from Clemente Wall in right field at PNC Park during a game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Chicago Cubs.
Right after Andrew McCutchen hit a two-run homer in the seventh inning, giving the Pirates a 4-3 lead, players began waving to the medics and pointing to the fallen man on the warning track.
Another fan jumped to the lower part of the outer wall to help the fallen.
The fallen fan was tended to for about five minutes by members of the Pirates and Cubs coaching staff, as well as PNC staff, before he was placed on a stretcher and carted off the field.
Pittsburgh Public Safety said he was taken to the hospital in critical condition and police are investigating.
The game was delayed for about 10 minutes before it resumed in the bottom of the seventh inning. Many players were seen taking a knee.
The fan, identified as Kavan Markwood, spoke publicly about his fall last May, telling the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that he “broke everything.”
He said he was injured several times on his back and neck and said, “I’m fine, I can’t even sleep anymore, my back hurts a lot.”
Global News has contacted FIFA for further comment.
– With files from Reuters
© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
