Mexico is preparing to host a soccer World Cup again, 40 years after hosting the historic 1986 Cup. The country will be one of three hosts of the 2026 tournament, along with the United States and Canada. This Monday, the executive director of FIFA in Mexico, Jürgen Mainka, reported that 75% of the tickets in the second phase of sales for the matches to be played in the country were intended for Mexicans. More than five million fans have registered for a ticket at this stage, half a million more than at the first. The next phase will open after the group draw, scheduled for December 5th in Washington, when the definitive calendar of matches in the 16 host cities will be announced.
The presentation ceremony of the Cup project in Mexico took place on Monday at the Los Pinos Cultural Complex and brought together President Claudia Sheinbaum, Mainka and Gabriela Cuevas, the country’s representative at FIFA. Sheinbaum questioned his presence at the opening match on June 11 at the Azteca Stadium, despite the tournament’s tradition of featuring the host head of state. “I will give it to a girl who can dream of the World Cup,” the president said.
Mainka assured that the country is moving forward “with decisive steps to realize a historic event… It will be the most ambitious World Cup in the history of humanity.” He explained that the organization has been working for three years on a joint security and logistics strategy, which includes 13 base camps, 10 cities and 17 training camps. More than 800,000 fans are expected to visit Mexican stadiums and the global television audience will surpass 6 billion viewers. He also thanked the participation of the private initiative in the renovation of the stadiums and underlined the symbolic role of the Azteca, which will be the first venue to host three World Cups. “Without a stadium there is no World Cup. But with Mexico there will be a spectacular World Cup,” he said.
Given the violence plaguing the country, evidenced by the recent murder of the mayor of Uruapan, Carlos Manzo, Mainka assured that FIFA “has full confidence” that the strategies in this matter will bear fruit for the tournament.
For her part, the president stressed that the World Cup “represents an opportunity to show the world the best of Mexico” and emphasized coordination between the three levels of government and the international organization. The Azteca Stadium, currently under renovation, will once again host the inaugural match, and Mexico will host a total of 13 matches spread across Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey. “It’s time not only to see the best football, but to share with the world what we are: a proud, empowered and hospitable people,” Sheinbaum said, as he held the tournament’s official match ball.
For his part, Cuevas assured that Mexico has the experience, infrastructure and passion necessary to make the World Cup “the most inclusive and joyful event in history”. The country was the first of the three hosts to designate its own representative to FIFA and establish an inter-institutional organizing committee. “The host cities have formed their own coordination groups, with the participation of local governments and private initiatives,” he explained.
In the capital, Sheinbaum announced an investment of 9,000 million pesos to modernize Benito Juárez International Airport and that the passenger train connecting Felipe Ángeles International Airport with Buenavista station will come into operation. In Guadalajara and Monterrey, local governments develop complementary works on roads, hotel areas and sports complexes. “The three cities have committed to sustainability and accessibility standards, with the intention that the improvements will benefit the population once the tournament is over,” the president said.
The Mexican government is confident that the event will also serve to reposition the country’s image abroad. “We agree with FIFA that this Cup should not just be the biggest, but the best,” Cuevas summed up. According to estimates from the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mexico could receive more than 5.5 million visitors during the World Cup and generate an economic benefit of between 1,800 and 3,000 million dollars. The impact could increase national economic activity by up to 235%, four times more than the Formula 1 Grand Prix generates.
The Secretary of the Interior, Rosa Icela Rodríguez, underlined the cultural potential of the event: “The World Cup will show the world the pre-Columbian richness, biodiversity and human warmth of Mexico. We are a hospitable, generous and happy people. This tournament will become a great celebration.”
When asked to send a message to the Mexican team, Sheinbaum said, “When you take the field, think about the great country you represent. On the field you represent Mexico.”
