El Centro native lives out World Cup dream as Spanish public address announcer

27-year-old Marco Peralta shined on soccer's biggest stage as the Mexico City Stadium PA Announcer

EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA) — Growing up in a small trailer in El Centro, Marco Peralta dreamed of one day making it to the biggest stage in sports broadcasting.

This summer, the 27-year-old did it for the second consecutive FIFA World Cup.

Peralta served as the Spanish public address announcer at Mexico City's Estadio Azteca — one of soccer's most iconic venues — giving voice to five World Cup matches in front of more than 80,000 fans at a time.

While Peralta also worked the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, he said the opportunity in Mexico carried a different level of meaning.

"I think for this one, even though it was only five games, Mexico City by far was the most passionate, most colorful, energetic city of the whole World Cup," Peralta said. "To be the voice of a stadium with the magnitude of Estadio Azteca ... it was by far one of the best memories that I'm ever going to have in my life."

Getting there was years in the making.

Peralta began his broadcasting career at KXO Radio and 95.3 FM in El Centro before working for the Phoenix Suns. Along the way, he developed a mentorship with Los Angeles Dodgers broadcaster Joe Davis, whom Peralta credits with giving him confidence that his goals were attainable.

His first World Cup assignment came unexpectedly after maintaining relationships with colleagues he met throughout his career.

When FIFA invited him back for the 2026 tournament, Peralta was assigned to Mexico City, where he inherited one of the sport's most recognizable public address roles.

Because of Estadio Azteca's history and the legacy of Melquiades Sánchez Orozco, the announcer before him, Peralta said he felt more pressure than he did in Qatar.

"That chair felt heavy," he said. "But for me, it just gave me more motivation to do a good job. We do a good job because it's not just for us, but for the people in the stadium, to make sure they have a phenomenal experience and memories that are going to last a lifetime."

The magnitude of the moment became overwhelming during the tournament's opening ceremony.

As legendary Mexican rock band Maná performed, Peralta found himself reflecting on his journey from the Imperial Valley to the world's biggest soccer event.

"As I heard them starting to sing in the opening ceremony, I just started bawling," Peralta said. "I remembered being a kid here from El Centro, growing up in a small trailer, working here at KXO Radio, just all the people that supported me and the people that doubted me. I couldn't contain it."

Although introducing some of the world's biggest stars became routine, one player stood above the rest.

Peralta said announcing Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo "Memo" Ochoa before his record-tying sixth World Cup appearance was his favorite on-field moment of the tournament.

"So much passion, so much energy," Peralta said. "I tried to be the voice for those thousands of people that couldn't be at the stadium."

Another unforgettable moment came away from the action.

Following the devastating earthquakes in Venezuela during the tournament, FIFA worked with Peralta to deliver a message of support before Mexico's match against Ecuador.

He repeatedly announced "You're not alone" in Spanish, prompting more than 80,000 fans to echo the message throughout the stadium.

"For me, that's where the human side of the game really spoke to me," Peralta said. "People were going through some tough times, but something like the World Cup brought them together."

Despite sharing the stage with soccer's biggest stars, Peralta said the relationships he built throughout the month-long tournament were just as meaningful.

"Obviously it's World Cup-level soccer and great games, but the people you meet is what makes it even better," he said.

Now back home in the Imperial Valley, Peralta is focused on whatever opportunity comes next. At 27, he believes his career is only beginning, but he hopes his story encourages others from small communities to pursue ambitious goals.

"I hope I'm an inspiration for people that they could achieve their dreams no matter what they are," Peralta said. "It doesn't matter where you come from or your background. Chase your dreams, trust God's plan and do the hard work.

"You're going to have bad days. You're going to have days you want to give up. Those moments are the moments you don't give up because you never know what's waiting around the corner."

For Peralta, the World Cup experience is something he said will stay with him forever.

"It was an experience that I'm never going to forget," he said. "I'm going to be able to tell my kids and my grandkids. Here in the Valley, not many people aspire to be a broadcaster or announcer, and for me to pursue that dream and make it to the biggest stage in soccer, it was surreal."