USA flag booed by Mexico City crowd at World Cup 2026 opening ceremony

The United States flag drew audible boos from the crowd at Azteca Stadium in Mexico City during the opening ceremony of the 2026 World Cup, as flags from all 48 participating nations were paraded onto the pitch ahead of Mexico’s group-stage match against South Africa.

The flags of the three North American co-hosts — the United States, Canada, and Mexico — were the last to be presented. When the US flag appeared on the stadium’s big screen, the jubilant atmosphere shifted sharply, with loud jeers replacing the roars that had greeted the other nations. The crowd quickly returned to cheering as attention turned to Mexico’s flag and the start of the match at the iconic venue.

The moment underscored the political tensions that have shadowed the build-up to the 48-team tournament. Several controversies have centred on the United States and President Donald Trump in the months leading up to the competition, most notably US military strikes against Iran — one of the participating nations — in February.

The United States is by far the dominant host of this edition of the World Cup, staging 78 of the 104 matches — three times more than Mexico and Canada combined. Despite that central role in the tournament’s infrastructure, Sunday’s reception at the Azteca illustrated the complicated feelings many in the region hold toward their co-host.