Make-A-Wish Arizona grants 9,000th wish sending 12-year-old boy to FIFA World Cup

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - A 12-year-old named Andres Lopez Pacheco is heading on his first flight later this month with a FIFA World Cup match waiting for him when he lands. It is all part of Make-A-Wish Arizona's program.

What we know:

The wish on June 15 marked the 9,000th in Make-A-Wish Arizona’s history, and it will send Andres to the East Coast to watch Panama take on England. 

The backstory:

Andres has been through a lot in his 12 years, including battling a complex congenital heart condition and undergoing four different open-heart surgeries. While he cannot play soccer competitively, Andres credits the sport with helping him stay strong and inspired, even on his worst days.

He will travel to New Jersey to watch Panama and England take the pitch on June 27.

What they're saying:

During the celebration, Andres received plenty of World Cup-themed gifts along with custom jerseys from Make-A-Wish and Phoenix Rising. Andres and his mother, Elizabeth Ruiz, shared what this meant to them.

When asked how it feels, Andres said, "Pretty good."

When asked what he is most excited about when heading out East, Andres replied, "Probably seeing a lot of action in the game."

"It’s like, oh my lord, we can see the light at the end of the tunnel," Ruiz said. "It’s a whole lot of emotions right now, and I am super excited, and I wish we could see it all through his eyes because he doesn’t say a lot, but he’s excited about this."

What's next:

While Andres says his favorite teams are Mexico and Portugal, he did give a prediction for the match. He says England will take it 2-1.