Fans who attended the match between Mexico and Portugal, which ended in a disappointing 0-0, complained about the poor visibility from the 'front row' at the renovated Banorte Stadium, especially behind the goals. Despite the good vibes in the stands and around the Azteca Stadium, complaints from spectators about the lack of a view of the field began to circulate on social media. This problem was mainly due to the placement of electronic advertising boards around the pitch, a situation reminiscent of what is experienced at Pumas' home games at the University Olympic Stadium. Images and videos show how some spectators had to settle for seeing only the back of the Banorte Stadium's goals. This situation became a laughing stock on social media and was one of the main memes from the Mexico vs Portugal match. Despite the good atmosphere in the stands and around the Azteca Stadium, complaints from spectators about the lack of a view of the field began to circulate on social media. This problem was mainly due to the placement of electronic advertising boards around the pitch, a situation reminiscent of what is experienced at Pumas' home games at the University Olympic Stadium. Images and videos show how some spectators had to settle for seeing only the back of the Banorte Stadium's goals. This situation became a laughing stock on social media and was one of the main memes from the Mexico vs Portugal match. The poor guy who paid for a front-row ticket to see Cristiano and won't see Cristiano or anyone. Despite the good vibes, the atmosphere, the chants, and the color from the Mexican fans, who constantly supported the tricolor team at the Banorte Stadium, the Mexican team led by Javier Aguirre managed to hold the 0-0 score against the Portuguese. Despite the result, lucha masks, hats, and 'El Brothy Campos' jerseys highlighted the atmosphere in the stands of the Colossus of Santa Úrsula. However, the other side of the Mexican fan coin was also present, with whistles at the end of the match and when tempers flared between the Portuguese and Mexicans. How was the arrival of Mexicans at the Banorte Stadium? Despite the large security deployment implemented around the Banorte Stadium to speed up access, some Aztec fans reported having difficulties entering the venue as the initial whistle approached. Although there are still a couple of months before the Colossus of Santa Úrsula hosts the opening match of the 2026 World Cup, the excitement for receiving the world's top football competition was felt, with fans wearing the typical charro hat, Dr. Wagner lucha masks, and 'fake cups,' like the one Lionel Messi lifted in Qatar 2022. As special guests to cheer on the spectators, the three official mascots of the 2026 World Cup were presented: the moose Maple, the jaguar Zayu, and the eagle Clutch. From early on, the bridges located over Avenida Tlalpan, which served as the main pedestrian access to the Colossus of Santa Úrsula, could be seen filling with tricolor jerseys. At the entrances and in the stands, attendees showed why Mexico always surpasses artificial intelligence, wearing jerseys inspired by 'El Chapulín Colorado' and the mythical attire of Jorge Campos. However, the Al-Nassr footballer was not called up for the Portugal squad due to an injury he suffered at the beginning of the month. Additionally, before the start of the Mexico vs Portugal match, it was reported that a fan died at the Banorte Stadium after falling from one of the balconies. Hours before the match, neighbors living near the stadium and groups of searching mothers fulfilled their threats and organized a series of protests on the main access roads to the Banorte Stadium, which will host the opening match of the 2026 World Cup next June 11. Despite these events, fans, with chants, dances, and costumes, tried to liven up the match. Despite the good vibes shown by Mexican fans with custom hats, Jorge Campos-style uniforms, and Chapulín Colorado costumes, the match left much to be desired. It should be remembered that when the match was announced, Aztec fans had high expectations to see Cristiano Ronaldo. 'Don't play with our pain, 6,000 missing in CDMX,' read one of the banners. It should be clarified that most of the protests were peaceful, although they caused traffic problems on the access roads to the Banorte Stadium and forced some arrival routes to be modified for attendees. Before the start of the Mexico vs Portugal actions, the Mexico City government reported that a fan died after falling from one of the Azteca Stadium's boxes. The authorities regretted the death of the 27-year-old young man and indicated that they have already begun investigations into what happened at the Colossus of Santa Úrsula. While the most expensive were the Premium A Chairman's Club, located above the tunnels, with a cost of 9,000 pesos. Complaints at the inauguration of the Banorte Stadium Fans behind the south goal report almost zero visibility despite the high cost of the tickets. The experience contrasts with the expectation of the Mexico vs Portugal. How was the inauguration of the Banorte Stadium in the Mexico vs Portugal? The reopening of the Colossus of Santa Úrsula had its lights and shadows. Perhaps there were no goals in the match between Mexicans and Portuguese, but they could witness an incredible fireworks and lights show inside the Colossus of Santa Úrsula. The reopening of the old Azteca, now renamed Banorte Stadium, promised modernity and World Cup pride, but the reality of the venue for the Mexico vs Portugal match was another: bathrooms with a bad image and visible dirt, open ceilings, humidity or stains on ceilings, corridors with exposed installations, and even machinery still in the exterior area. More than an impeccable reopening, what was left was the feeling of a work delivered in a hurry, 75 days before the opening match of the 2026 World Cup on next June 11, which will make the venue the first to host three opening matches of a World Cup. However, the reopening experience left images that differ from what a venue ready to be shown to the world represents. Generalized criticism Images shared on social media by attendees show several red flags; in one, a restroom with an accumulation of paper and a bad presentation is appreciated, which while it is a 'normal' scenario in a football match in Mexico, reveals the serious logistical shortcomings that the venue still has. In other images, open-ceiling areas, dark stains, registers not fully closed, and visible pipes in the corridors are observed. Improvised sales areas are also seen in still rough corridors, with finishes that look more functional than finished. On the outside, the situation is no better; heavy machinery is still visible in the venue's surroundings, to which is added the lack of parking for the thousands of fans who attended the venue. These images do not by themselves prove the total state of the entire stadium, but they do show that in at least some areas, the work did not convey a feeling of a fully polished or finished venue. Background of the delay The impression of an accelerated delivery did not come out of nowhere; the stadium was supposed to be ready in January 2026, but two months later it was still under construction with thousands of workers working day and night. In fact, for the Mexico vs Portugal match, the work was stopped for at least three days. Emergency lifeline Banorte officially announced that its agreement with Grupo Ollamani included a financing of 2,100 million pesos for the modernization of the venue. At the same time, other journalistic reports placed the total investment in the remodeling at more than 3,000 million pesos. With these figures, the logical expectation was a solid, uniform, and visually impeccable reopening, and instead, there were open ceilings, questionable finishes, and bathrooms that do not look the part of a World Cup stadium. Functionality or aesthetics? And the problem is not only whether a wall looks pretty or a ceiling was perfectly finished, but the state of the venue reflects failures in planning, delivery times, and quality control in a venue that will be a central piece of the World Cup. For now, the now Banorte Stadium has reopened its doors and fulfilled its reopening match, but the criticism from fans in Mexico was not long in coming, and if the failures are not corrected in time, the panorama for the inauguration would be catastrophic. It's that in the first row of the stadium, you can't even see the field. What demonstrations were there around the Banorte Stadium? Likewise, in the vicinity, different groups of protesters who concentrated on avenues near the Banorte Stadium, mainly on Periférico Sur, where they performed intermittent blockades that affected vehicular circulation, could be observed. Among the protests, neighborhood collectives and social organizations that denounced the lack of water in nearby colonies, as well as the urban impact derived from the works towards the 2026 World Cup, such as rent increases and displacement processes in Coyoacán and Tlalpan areas, stood out. Even some protesters performed symbolic actions like breaking eggs in the middle of the public highway, with the objective of making their demands visible in the context of the Mexico vs Portugal match. Slogans such as 'Goles del Corazón' or 'Mundial del despojo' could be read on the asphalt. Likewise, the presence of groups of searching mothers was recorded, who went to the surroundings of the stadium to demand progress in the location of missing persons in the country. No, it wasn't worth paying the ticket to see the Mexico vs Portugal with this sad tie. Even, a fan brought a jersey in the shape of grass, with shields similar to those used by the Mexican National Team in the 1986 World Cup. Already with the fans in the new seats, they could enjoy the small fireworks show and the light show with the colors of the Mexican flag, which made the audience vibrate. In a great party and light atmosphere, the mythical Azteca-Banorte stadium of Mexico was reopened. Can someone pass me the link to watch the match?
