Chico Mendez’s dream was to see the Mexican team play in a game at the 2026 World Cup. To make it happen, his granddaughter, Paola Hernández, invested around 5,300 euros in travel and tickets for both of them to watch the match between Mexico and South Korea, in Guadalajara.
However, what promised to be an unforgettable moment turned into a true nightmare.
Despite having purchased the tickets through a ticket sales platform she had previously used, Paola never received the electronic tickets. Already close to the stadium, he contacted SAC, who asked him to wait. The tickets, however, never arrived.
@itspaaoolaaa @NationalTeam @Chivas @StubHub @viagogo #worldcup #fifaworldcup #soccer #guadalajarajalisco ♬ original sound – Paola Hernandez
Unable to enter the place, the grandfather ended up sitting on a sidewalk, watching the game on his cell phone. The images and the granddaughter’s story on social media moved millions of people.
@itspaaoolaaa My Grandpa Outside the Akron stadium because Stubhub scammed us and Grandpa couldn’t get in @Selección Nacional @Chivas @StubHub @viagogo #seleccionmexicana #mundial #worldcup #fifaworldcup #soccer ♬ original sound – Memoelrayo1⚡️
“It broke my heart. He was so excited and full of hope”, said Paola in a video that has surpassed 13 million views.
Given the repercussion of the case, the company responsible for selling the tickets returned the money and offered tickets to another game in Mexico. However, the new match will be played in Mexico City, a trip considered too risky for Chico Mendez due to his hypertension problems.
The platform assured that it is trying to find a solution so that grandfather and granddaughter can finally live the experience that was denied to them and fulfill their dream of watching a World Cup game together.
