Four people died and dozens were treated by emergency services during mass street celebrations in Mexico City on Tuesday night, after Mexico defeated Ecuador 2-0 in the round of 32 of the World Cup. Three of the victims died from suffocation, while a fourth — a man in his 30s — suffered severe seizures, gastrointestinal bleeding, and ultimately a cardiac arrest. The deaths were confirmed in the early hours of Wednesday by the city's health secretariat.

More than one million people flooded the streets of the Mexican capital, gathering primarily around the Angel of Independence monument on Paseo de la Reforma, the city's most emblematic boulevard, which had been closed to traffic and prepared for the festivities. Emergency teams attended to at least three unconscious individuals at different locations along the boulevard before transporting them to hospital. A 44-year-old man and a 19-year-old woman were confirmed dead from asphyxiation at the scene; a 48-year-old woman was treated nearby and died after being taken to hospital. Witnesses, according to reports, described how chaos broke out in the densely packed crowd — with some accounts pointing to a viral joke about swimming that prompted a dangerous surge through the masses.

The victory was particularly significant for Mexican football fans: it ended a 40-year wait for a World Cup knockout-stage win, the team's first since 1986. The match was played at Mexico City's historic Estadio Azteca, one of the co-host venues for this tournament. Mexico now advances to the round of 16, where they will face England, who beat DR Congo 2-1 on Wednesday.

Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada expressed her sincere condolences to the families of the victims and urged residents to