Forty years ago, Mexico City welcomed the world amidst trolleybuses, streets bustling with ‘vochos’ (Volkswagen Beetles), public telephones, and a population striving to rebuild after the devastating 1985 earthquake. Today, in 2026, it once again hosts a World Cup, now adorned with skyscrapers, mobility apps, new transportation lines, and millions of visitors from every corner of the globe. The city has repeatedly changed its face, yet one thing remains intact: that uniquely Mexican ability to build community, celebrate in the streets, and transform any historical moment into a collective fiesta.
A City Transformed: From Vocho-Filled Streets to Modern Mobility
A mere glimpse at images from the 1986 World Cup celebrations reveals something familiar. The Angel of Independence was already the rallying point for thousands of fans; flags waved from cars, and euphoria swept through Reforma. Four decades later, selfies have replaced roll cameras, and viral videos traverse the world in seconds, but the spirit remains the same: that of a city constantly transforming without losing what makes it unique.
In 1986, Mexico had just over 76 million inhabitants. Today, we are nearly 133 million. Mexico City has also expanded significantly. New neighborhoods have emerged, metropolitan areas have grown, and transportation has had to evolve to move millions more people.
Back then, trolleybuses, microbuses, and Route 100 dominated the streets. The Metro was still expanding with lines that are now fundamental to daily life. Today, mobility includes applications, public bicycles, transportation corridors, new Cablebús lines, RTP (Red de Transporte de Pasajeros), Metrobús, and urban projects aimed at reclaiming spaces for pedestrians and cyclists.
Tlalpan: The Same Avenue, a Different City
A photograph from the 1980s shows Calzada de Tlalpan at the height of Tasqueña. The Light Rail is visible, moving through a much less saturated city, still far from imagining the role it would play four decades later. Today, this same avenue prepared to receive thousands of international visitors during the 2026 World Cup. The transformation included new pedestrian areas, the recovery of green spaces, improved lighting, and an elevated corridor that will allow safer passage along one of the capital’s busiest thoroughfares. These are works conceived with the World Cup in mind, but they will remain for those who inhabit the city every day.
Estadio Ciudad de México: Generations United by Football
In 1986, the Estadio Azteca was already a legend. Opened just twenty years prior, it had already witnessed moments that changed the history of world football. Forty years later, the stadium is once again a protagonist. Renovated to host a new World Cup, the venue has been transformed to meet the demands of a global event. Entire generations have passed through its stands. Parents who watched Maradona now return accompanied by their children and grandchildren, witnessing Mexico’s first goal in this 2026 World Cup. Few constructions in Mexico can boast such a powerful collective memory. For the 2026 World Cup, Estadio Azteca has been renamed Estadio Ciudad de México.
From Miguel de la Madrid to Claudia Sheinbaum: A Political Evolution
The city has also changed politically. In 1986, Mexico was governed by Miguel de la Madrid. The country was experiencing a deep economic crisis, and reconstruction after the earthquakes occupied a significant part of the national agenda. In 2026, the Presidency is led by Claudia Sheinbaum, the first woman to govern Mexico-a fact that seemed unimaginable to many girls living through that 1980s World Cup.
Perhaps the biggest change is not in the buildings or the avenues. It is in the diversity of those who inhabit the city today. In the women who occupy spaces previously denied to them. In the communities that demand visibility. In the millions of Mexicans who live inside and outside the country but still feel Mexico as home.
And yet, when football arrives, when a tragedy occurs, or when there is something to celebrate, we remain the same: the same ones who organized brigades after the earthquakes; the same ones who welcome foreigners as if they were family; the same ones who turn the Angel of Independence into a collective party; the same ones who shout to a stranger, “Brother, you are already Mexican.” Because yes, Mexico City has become more modern. But its essence remains intact. And how awesome that it is so.
Source: https://www.chilango.com/que-hacer/arte-y-cultura/asi-cambio-la-cdmx-del-mundial-1986-al-2026-fotos/
