2026 FIFA World Cup opener sparks football fever in Taipei

Taipei, June 12 (CNA) Around 100 people gathered at a bar in Taipei to watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup kick off in Mexico, despite the early hour of 3 a.m. Friday.

All seats had been reserved before the game started, a clerk at the Brass Monkey, a bar in Taipei where customers can watch live sports broadcasts, told CNA.

The Group A clash between Mexico and South Africa drew supporters from multiple continents to the venue.

For Misael Alanis, a Mexican student who has lived in Taiwan for two and a half years, the atmosphere was just as important as the game itself.

"There are a lot of Mexicans here and you can tell that the atmosphere is really exciting," Alanis said. "Everybody is screaming, everybody is dancing."

Najla Manzanares, a Mexican student who came to enjoy her first World Cup in Taiwan, said the event had brought together people from different countries through football.

"We're here with our friends from Guatemala, Mexico, South Africa and Argentina, so we have a lot of friends here," she said.

Among them was Zahara, a tourist from California who grew up in Mexico. Zahara said she had met Manzanares only hours earlier at the venue.

"We did not know each other before the World Cup. We just met right now," she said.

For Zahara, that was part of what made the experience special.

"Soccer is a very passionate thing for Mexicans, and to see it in Taiwan is very special to me," she said. "It feels like a community just loving soccer all together."

Also in attendance was Gagotheko Matsheka, a South African student studying Mandarin in Taipei.

Matsheka said she came to the venue with Mexican and Guatemalan friends and enjoyed the welcoming atmosphere despite being surrounded by Mexico supporters.

"Soccer is such a big thing in South Africa," she said, adding that she would remain proud of her country's team regardless of the result.

Taiwan did not qualify for the World Cup, but that didn't stop Lee Guang-yu (李光宇), a Taiwanese civil engineering surveyor, from joining the crowd.

Having played football as a child, Lee said he had noticed growing interest in the sport in Taiwan, pointing to increased discussion of international competitions such as the UEFA Champions League and FIFA Club World Cup on social media.

Still, he said football deserves greater promotion in Taiwan.

As the world's most popular sport, football provides opportunities to meet people from different countries and engage in cultural exchanges, Lee said.

"If Taiwan can further promote football, people can get to know more people through the sport and engage in cultural exchanges with different countries," he said.

The opener saw Mexico defeat South Africa 2-0.

The ongoing edition marks the first time the number of participating nations has expanded from 32 to 48. The tournament is jointly hosted by Mexico, the United States and Canada.

The 48 nations were divided into 12 groups, with the top two teams in each group and the eight best third-place teams advancing to the 32-team knockout stage.