Isabella Mercado, 9, (right) gets a kiss from her mother Yessenia Gonzalez after she received official player escorts ticket for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, on Tuesday, May 12, 2026 in Dallas.
Shafkat Anowar/The Dallas Morning News
Inside a room filled with parents, mentors and nervous anticipation, 98 children from Dallas learned a piece of news that will shape the rest of their lives: They have been selected as official Player Escorts for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
On Tuesday, boys and girls between 8 and 11 years old, all part of the local organization Puede Network, learned that they will walk onto the field at the World Cup matches taking place at AT&T Stadium.
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“I can’t believe it — this is all a dream for me,” said Alexa Chávez, a seven‑year‑old girl.
Alexa and her twin sister, Kathia, were chosen to accompany the players from Argentina and Jordan during the June 27 match at the home of the Dallas Cowboys.
Related: Dallas emerges as a soccer TV stronghold ahead of the 2026 World Cup
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The announcement came inside a packed room at Las Ranitas restaurant in downtown Dallas.
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When the children entered the room, they found a blue envelope taped beneath each chair. At a signal, they opened them all at once.
Children at Puede Network shows the envelope containing the tickets as official player escorts at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, on Tuesday, May 12, 2026 in Dallas.
Shafkat Anowar/The Dallas Morning News
When Alexa saw she had drawn the Argentina match, her eyes widened and she sprinted toward her parents, who watched her with tears of joy.
“Messi is my favorite player. It’s incredible that I got this game,” she said, already imagining the possibility of holding the Argentine star’s hand as they walk onto the field.
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Cheers, tears and mariachi music blended together as the children discovered not only that they would walk beside some of the world’s greatest players, but also which match they had been assigned.
Ben Parker (left) and Jack Parker celebrates after getting the same tickets as official player escorts at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, on Tuesday, May 12, 2026 in Dallas.
Shafkat Anowar/The Dallas Morning News
For many, it will be their first time inside a stadium of that magnitude.
“I feel so proud and excited — I can’t wait for match day,” said Óscar Covarrubias, an 11‑year‑old selected for the England vs. Croatia match on June 17, one of the marquee games of the group stage.
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Related: ‘People said it was impossible’: Haiti’s long road to the World Cup
Puede Network, based in Oak Cliff, is the leading organization behind the Player Escort program for the Dallas‑area World Cup matches.
The nonprofit, which serves 398 children and youth, most of them of Latino origin, has become a pillar for empowering minority communities.
“At Puede, we believe a child’s dreams are sacred. We invest in education that opens doors, in opportunities that prove those doors are theirs, and in the kind of belief that becomes a young person’s own voice,” said Adán González, the organization’s founder and executive director.
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Isabella Mercado, 9, (center) shows after she received official player escorts ticket for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, on Tuesday, May 12, 2026 in Dallas.
Shafkat Anowar/The Dallas Morning News
González created Puede Network 15 years ago to give visibility to what he calls “Dallas’ working class.”
“These are the men and women who make this city great — the ones who clean, who build, who protect Dallas,” he said.
Before the children opened their envelopes, González asked everyone in the room to shout: “Sí podemos! We believe!” — and the emotions surged through the room decorated with balloons and soccer balls.
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“This is one of the most emotional days of my life,” he said, his voice breaking as tears filled his eyes.
“All of this is about giving our children and young people the tools and the confidence to move forward — with work, will, and unity.”
Related: World Cup crowds are coming. Dallas is training tour guides to greet them
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The scholars selected come from neighborhoods across the city and have spent years in Puede Network’s mentorship and education programs.
Their selection was more than a ceremonial honor — it is a recognition of their work, their resilience and their growth.
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For families watching from the back of the room, the announcement felt like a dream made real: their children, walking into a roaring stadium, the world watching, the World Cup anthem echoing around them.
And for the kids — some shy, all wide‑eyed — the countdown to the World Cup suddenly feels very real.
Kids hold tickets as official player escorts at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, on Tuesday, May 12, 2026 in Dallas.
Shafkat Anowar/The Dallas Morning News
Isabella Mercado, 9, (right) gets a high five from her mother Yessenia Gonzalez after she received official player escorts ticket for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, on Tuesday, May 12, 2026 in Dallas.
Shafkat Anowar/The Dallas Morning News
on Tuesday, May 12, 2026 in Dallas.
Shafkat Anowar/The Dallas Morning News
Group of children at Puede Network gather as they show official player escorts tickets for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, on Tuesday, May 12, 2026 in Dallas.
Shafkat Anowar/The Dallas Morning News
Group of children at Puede Network gather as they show official player escorts tickets for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, on Tuesday, May 12, 2026 in Dallas.
Shafkat Anowar/The Dallas Morning News
A group of children at Puede Network gather to find out if they have been selected as official player escorts at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, on Tuesday, May 12, 2026 in Dallas.
Shafkat Anowar/The Dallas Morning News
Kids perform during an event where kids together find out if they have been selected as official player escorts at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, on Tuesday, May 12, 2026 in Dallas.
Shafkat Anowar/The Dallas Morning News
Kids perform during an event where kids together find out if they have been selected as official player escorts at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, on Tuesday, May 12, 2026 in Dallas.
Shafkat Anowar/The Dallas Morning News
Kids perform during an event where kids together find out if they have been selected as official player escorts at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, on Tuesday, May 12, 2026 in Dallas.
Shafkat Anowar/The Dallas Morning News