Tragedy struck at the Estadio Banorte just before the World Cup friendly between Mexico and Portugal on Saturday, when a fan fell to his death from his box seat.
A man dies after falling at Estadio Banorte over the weekend (Image: Getty Images)
A soccer fan died after falling from his box seat during a World Cup friendly warm-up match at Estadio Banorte on Saturday. Mexico will host the tournament this summer along with the United States and Canada.
After a series of renovations, Estadio Banorte reopened this weekend to host Mexico vs. Portugal. But their grand return at the iconic venue was overshadowed by tragedy.
According to Reuters, the man climbed onto the outside of the building and tried to get to the first floor before falling from the second floor of the VIP box. Authorities claim the person was intoxicated and sadly collapsed on the ground floor during the journey.
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“The Mexico City Prosecutor’s Office (Fiscaria CDMX) deeply regrets the death of a person inside the Banorte Stadium on Saturday, March 28, before the start of a friendly match for the Mexican national team,” said a statement released on social media.
“From the outset, officials from the Attorney General’s Office, forensic experts, and investigative police personnel were present at the scene and initiated the necessary investigation.
“The area was cordoned off, the scene was secured and evidence was collected by experts specializing in criminology, photography and forensics.
“Furthermore, analysis of CCTV footage from the stadium and its entrances is underway, as well as the collection of testimonies from those present at the scene, with the aim of accurately reconstructing the sequence of events and identifying potential culprits.
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“Similarly, statutory post-mortem procedures are currently underway to ensure that the cause of death and physical condition at the time of the fall are established.
“The Mexico City Public Prosecutor’s Office will continue its thorough investigation and keep the public informed of any relevant developments, strictly in accordance with due process principles.”
The opening ceremony of the World Cup is scheduled to take place on June 11th at the Estadio Banorte, with Mexico set to take on South Africa to open the tournament. It will also be the first venue to host matches at three different World Cups.
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In addition to the June 11 match, the venue will also host group stage matches between Uzbekistan vs. Colombia, Mexico vs. Czech Republic or Denmark, round of 32 and last of 16 matches.
Saturday’s match between Mexico and Portugal went ahead as scheduled despite the incident, resulting in a scoreless draw for both teams.
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