Mexico City, April 13 – With just over two months remaining until the highly anticipated 2026 FIFA World Cup, Mexico City’s various boroughs are meticulously adjusting their final preparations. Coyoacán is set to host the inaugural match between Mexico and South Africa at the Estadio Azteca-now renamed Estadio Banorte-on Thursday, June 11. Meanwhile, the Cuauhtémoc borough will feature the capital’s largest Fan Festival, located at La Plaza de la Constitución, widely known as the Zócalo.
Diverse Preparations Across the Capital
While most boroughs are embracing the World Cup with enthusiasm, the Miguel Hidalgo borough announced this week that it lacks the budget to organize activities for the global sporting event. Mauricio Tabe, the borough’s PAN mayor, stated in a press conference, “We will not authorize a single event that distracts resources that our neighbors entrust us with to cover their needs, for the sports festival. And we say this because we do not have the resources to guarantee security.” He added that the responsibility for installing a Fan Fest in Parque Cañitas rests entirely with the Head of Government of Mexico City, Clara Brugada.
Cuauhtémoc Leads with Extensive Activities
The Cuauhtémoc borough boasts the most extensive list of World Cup activities. In addition to the Zócalo Fan Fest, the local government is preparing cultural routes and activations in various public spaces. “We have been preparing for a year and a half so that when visitors arrive, they can experience and enjoy the World Cup in our streets,” said Mayor Alessandra Rojo de la Vega to the American newspaper Epoch Times on Wednesday, April 8.
One of these initiatives, announced on Thursday, April 9, is the Campo Marte festival, to be held next to the National Auditorium. This festival will feature international artists such as the French bands L’Impératrice and Polo & Pan, the Australian groups Parcels and The Avalanches, and the German Modeselektor, among others. Unlike traditional festivals with multiple acts daily, this event will feature one artist on specific dates. Beyond music, the festival will also include wrestling, penalty shootouts, ‘chilenas’ contests, and more.
Iztapalapa’s Epic Exhibition and Coyoacán’s Cultural Showcase
In Iztapalapa, Clara Brugada inaugurated the “Epic Album” exhibition at the Yancuic Museum in late March. This exhibition showcases over 15,000 authentic pieces of World Cup memorabilia, including 90 jerseys from renowned players like Ronaldo Nazario and Johan Cruyff. FIFA President Giovanni Infantino was present at the event. The museum is located on Ermita Iztapalapa Avenue, near the Constitución de 1917 metro station.
Coyoacán is preparing a robust cultural offering. “The most sought-after woman in the world is from Coyoacán: Frida Kahlo. She represents us,” said Mayor Giovani Gutiérrez to the newspaper Excelsior. “We are going to exhibit [her works] alongside all the people who have lived in Coyoacán: Diego Rivera, Agustín Lara, Emilio ‘El Indio’ Fernández, Dolores del Rio, Salvador Novo, among others. But also, Mrs. Juanita from the green market, Mr. Pedro from the ‘bola’ market,” Gutiérrez added.
The reopening of the Dolores Olmedo Museum, which has been closed for five years, is scheduled for May 30. This museum houses over 140 works by Diego Rivera and the largest collection of Frida Kahlo’s pieces globally. The cultural agenda also includes the Museum of Interventions, the National Museum of Popular Arts, the Frida Kahlo Museum, and the Parish of San Juan Bautista, to name a few.
Additional Fan Festival Locations and City-Wide Policies
The complete list of proposed Fan Festival venues across various boroughs includes Parque La Bombilla in Álvaro Obregón; Parque Tezozómoc in Azcapotzalco; Alberca Olímpica in Benito Juárez; Alameda del Sur CU in Coyoacán; Deportivo El Cacalote in Cuajimalpa; Tlatelolco and Garibaldi in Cuauhtémoc; Deportivo Galeana in Gustavo A. Madero; Deportivo Magdalena Mixhuca in Iztacalco; Utopía Meyehualco and Central de Abastos in Iztapalapa; Unidad Independencia in Magdalena Contreras; Parque Cañitas in Miguel Hidalgo (canceled by the mayor); Recinto Ferial in Milpa Alta; Deportivo Xochimilco in Xochimilco; Deportivo Vivanco in Tlalpan; Bosque de Tláhuac in Tláhuac; and Utopía Deportiva Eduardo Molina in Venustiano Carranza.
A FIFA Fan Festival serves as a gathering place for individuals who couldn’t secure match tickets or prefer not to travel to other cities, allowing them to watch games on giant screens. Each host city in Mexico, Canada, and the United States will have at least one “official” Fan Festival.
According to the capital government, all 16 boroughs are expected-or should-install a Fan Festival within their boundaries to prevent citizens from having to travel exclusively to the Zócalo. Furthermore, President Claudia Sheinbaum announced on March 18 that there would be no national dry law during the World Cup, but the sale of alcoholic beverages will be restricted at the Zócalo Fan Festival.
