World Cup winners Andrés Guardado, Carlos Salcido and Pavel Pardo lead the group of ambassadors who will promote the city of Guadalajara as one of the 16 venues for the 2026 World Cup organized by FIFA.
At the presentation ceremony of the figures, the Olympic diving medalists Germán Sánchez and Alejandra Orozco were also announced among the main promoters of the next World Cup in Guadalajara.
At the Guadalajara Stadium, which will host four World Cup matches, Jurgen Mainka, Mexico’s Chief Officer of the 2026 World Cup, explained that including these sports celebrities is a way to recognize their careers and promote the culture and traditions of Guadalajara and its state, Jalisco.
“It celebrates a success story of 27 proudly Jalisco individuals who have inspired millions to dream. Legends who, through their actions on and off the court, the green, the tartan court, the Olympic pool and the diving pit, have raised the name of this venue,” he said.
Mainka pointed out that the ambassadors join the task of Mexico organizing one of the best soccer World Cups in history.
“Today, together with our ambassadors, we are committed to uniting generations through a shared passion for soccer, eliminating borders and showing the world how lucky we are to be Mexicans and host a World Cup,” he added.
Also in the group of ambassadors are Mexican World Cup winners Ignacio ‘Nacho’ Calderón, Fernando Quirarte, Javier Hernández and Osvaldo Sánchez.
The group of representatives from the Guadalajara headquarters also includes swimmer Haideé Aceves, silver medalist at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games; to Iván García, silver medalist in jumping at London 2012, and to José Manuel ‘Chepo’ de la Torre, who has coached various Mexican soccer teams.
Last October, golfer Lorena Ochoa, former LPGA number one, had also been named one of Guadalajara’s ambassadors.
It is worth mentioning that the Guadalajara Stadium will host, among others, the Mexico-Korea matches, on June 18, and Uruguay-Spain, on the 26th of the same month.
The objective of the Mexican team, led by Javier “El Vasco” Aguirre, is to reach the semifinals of the tournament and rub shoulders with the best four teams in the highest FIFA tournament.
(With EFE report)
