Four people die in mass fan celebrations in Mexico City after World Cup victory | World Cup 2026

Four people died, three of them from drowning, as thousands of fans filled the streets of Mexico City during World Cup celebrations, the capital’s health secretariat said early Wednesday.

The deaths occurred near the Angel of Independence symbol, where thousands of fans gathered to celebrate Mexico’s 2-0 victory over Ecuador in the last 32.

Officials said emergency crews responded to three unconscious people in different locations around Paseo de la Reforma. The capital’s most symbolic boulevard and surrounding streets were closed to traffic and prepared for the celebrations.

“Following advanced resuscitation efforts, a 44-year-old man and a 19-year-old woman were confirmed to have died from asphyxiation,” the health official first said in a statement on social media.

The third death was a 48-year-old woman who was treated for suffocation in a nearby street and died after being taken to hospital, the secretariat added in a later post. Authorities later reported a fourth death; A man in his 30s was hospitalized after suffering from severe seizures and gastrointestinal bleeding. He died after a heart attack.

Mexico City mayor Clara Brugada expressed her condolences to the families of the victims in X and urged everyone to “always celebrate with responsibility, care and empathy.”

Mexicans took to the streets to celebrate as the national team ended their 40-year wait for a World Cup qualifying victory at the capital’s Estadio Azteca, with victory over Ecuador sending the hosts to the last 16 to face England.

The fans’ enthusiasm amid chants and chants contrasted with images shared on social media of emergency responders and paramedics helping distressed people lying on the ground in nearby streets.

With more than 20 million residents, Mexico City’s metropolitan area is one of the most populous on the planet and is accustomed to grand celebrations and large crowds of people.