A photo of Mexican fans celebrating during the 2026 World Cup was misused to spread misinformation about protests in Indonesia. The original video shows the crowd in Tijuana celebrating Mexico's group stage victory over Czechia.
The fact-check details how the image circulated on social media platforms like TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram. The false posts presented it as evidence of the riots that took place in Jakarta on August 27. In reality, the footage comes from a June 25 post by television station Televisa Tijuana, which captured the festive atmosphere in the streets of the border city. "Tijuana is excited and passionately experiencing this match featuring the Mexican national team," read the station's original caption.
The protests in the Indonesian capital were a separate and serious event. Thousands of people, including ride-hailing motorcycle drivers, gathered outside parliament to demand the passage of a bill allowing for the seizure of assets from corrupt officials. Clashes with police turned violent. A reporter saw protesters set fire to a police booth and a motorcycle, while officers responded with tear gas and water cannons. The state news agency Antara reported at least 322 detentions, and authorities are probing the death of a man found unconscious at the site.
Felix Nathaniel contextualized the events: "On August 27, there was a massive protest at the parliament." The coverage included photos of protesters wearing green clothes, a stark contrast to the sports celebration scene in Mexico.
A reverse image search using keyframes from the viral video led directly to the Televisa Tijuana post. Comparison with Google Maps Street View imagery confirmed that the visible buildings correspond to a street in Tijuana. This is not the first piece of misinformation about the Indonesia protests that has been debunked.
The moment of euphoria captured in the video occurred during a brilliant phase for El Tri at the 2026 World Cup. The team, one of the host nations, finished the group stage in first place with 9 points from three wins. Their record was impressive: 6 goals scored and none conceded, giving them a +6 goal difference and a 5-point lead over second-placed South Africa.
The positive streak extended beyond that initial phase. In their last five official matches, the side managed by Jaime Lozano has four wins and only one loss, with a sequence of LWWWW. Their most recent outing was a narrow 2-3 defeat to England on July 6. Now, focus shifts to the next international fixture. Mexico prepares to host Colombia in a friendly scheduled for September 26, a key match in their preparation for the coming cycle. Details of the upcoming match and the full schedule are available in our fixtures section.
The next Mexico national team gathering will be on September 26 for the match against Colombia.
