El Paso’s Noah Lopez had the opportunity of a lifetime at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The 9-year-old Lopez escorted Kylian Mbappé, the star player for France, before the semifinal match between Spain and France on Tuesday, July 14, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Spain won 2-0 to advance to this weekend’s championship match.
The 2026 World Cup will be held in the United States, Mexico and Canada. FIFA has a Player Escort Program that helps young soccer fans escort players onto the pitch.
El Paso has had other connections to the World Cup. El Pasoans Ricardo Pepi and Alejandro Zendejas both played for the United States, which reached the round of 16. The Borderland also has celebrated Mexico’s Gilbert Mora, a 17-year-old who plays in a league in Juárez
Several matches have been played in Arlington and Houston.
The championship match is slated for Sunday, July 19, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Felix F. Chavez can be reached at fchavez@elpasotimes.com; @Fchavezeptimes on X
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: El Paso 9-year-old walks onto pitch with Kylian Mbappé at World Cup
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