At least four people died in central Mexico City overnight as mass celebrations following the national team’s World Cup victory over Ecuador gave way to fatal crowd incidents. The deaths occurred near the Angel of Independence monument and along the Paseo de la Reforma, where authorities estimate more than a million supporters had assembled after Mexico’s 2–0 win secured a place in the round of 16.

Mexico City’s health secretariat confirmed that three of the victims—a 44-year-old man, a 19-year-old woman, and a 48-year-old woman—died of asphyxiation. Emergency teams had responded to reports of unconscious individuals at separate points around the Reforma thoroughfare, performing advanced resuscitation before transferring them to hospital, where they were pronounced dead. A fourth fatality, a man approximately 30 years old, was later reported by Health Secretary Nadine Gasman; he suffered an epileptic seizure, convulsions, and gastrointestinal bleeding before dying of cardiorespiratory arrest in hospital. His identity remained unknown as of Wednesday morning.

Mayor Clara Brugada expressed condolences and called on the public to “celebrate with responsibility, care, and empathy,” while President Claudia Sheinbaum pledged institutional support for the families. The city government said it had opened investigations to determine the precise circumstances of the deaths, and the security secretary indicated that the capital’s attorney general’s office would join the inquiries. Authorities also reported that more than 1,600 medical attentions were provided during the night, with 28 people requiring hospitalisation for injuries including fractures, contusions, and alcohol intoxication.

The fatalities marred what had been a historic footballing moment: Mexico’s first victory in a World Cup knockout match since 1986. The city government had closed the iconic boulevard to traffic and set up giant screens, but the sheer scale of the gathering—estimated at 1.4 million by the mayor—overwhelmed the security operation. Officials have not yet clarified whether the asphyxiation deaths resulted from a crush, compression against barriers, or other mechanisms. The provisional death toll stands at four, with investigations ongoing.