Mexico celebrates the opening of the World Cup today. The host wants to present itself as a modern, cosmopolitan and, above all, safe country. But the euphoria is marred by protests, violence and social conflicts.
Mexico is decked out in green, red and white. Even many dogs wear Mexican jerseys, and tacos and sandwiches with onions, coriander and chili are available everywhere at the moment – enjoyment in the colors of the national flag.
“La pelota vuelve a casa” – “the ball returns home”: That’s a common phrase in the country these days. Shortly before the opening of the World Cup, anticipation is building in Mexico, where enthusiasm for football is already high without the World Cup.
There are more football pitches than parks in the capital. Edgar Uribe plays football as an amateur in the north of Mexico City. “Welcome to Mexico! We await you with open arms,” he shouts. Every Saturday he organizes a small tournament between bricklayers and tilers. This is typical for Mexico, every conceivable group plays, football actually brings people together.
So much so that before the opening, the Mexicans wanted to make it into the Guinness Book of Records with the world’s largest La Ola wave. Thousands of people gathered on the Reforma boulevard in the center of Mexico City and raised their arms in a coordinated manner.
A stadium as a record holder
Guinness is still considering recognition – but the campaign has further fueled the mood and is reminiscent of the last World Cup in Mexico: “La Ola” achieved worldwide fame in 1986 in the Aztec Stadium. The 2026 World Cup opens here today.
After the two-year renovation, there will be space for around 83,000 people. The lawn is freshly fertilized, ready for the arrival of the teams from Mexico and South Africa. Groundskeeper Israel Ramírez “Chabelo” is proud: The Aztec Stadium always impresses all the players when they arrive here. Now it is a record holder: no other stadium in the world has hosted a World Cup three times.
The Aztec Stadium was a legend from the start. You could have guessed when it was being built that it wasn’t going to be just any stadium, as there were plenty of anecdotes to tell. 180,000 tons of lava rock were removed by 800 workers. Then they came across mammoth bones during construction.
After that, the stadium made football history several times. This is where the Brazilian football star Pelé lifted the World Cup trophy in 1970 after beating Italy; this is where Argentina’s Diego Maradona scored his famous so-called goal of the century in the 1986 quarter-final against England just a few minutes after he had scored the first goal of the encounter “with the hand of God” – irregularly, as he later admitted.
Discontent in the neighborhood of the stadium
But not all Mexicans want to be carried away by nostalgia and football euphoria. Things are simmering around the stadium: residents have repeatedly complained about the enormously increased rental prices. Many shop operators have also expressed their dissatisfaction about having to close their shops right next to the stadium.
There were also protests because a large corporation had acquired exclusive well rights around the stadium – in a metropolis where there is a constant water shortage. The water was diverted, first to the stadium construction site, then to the pitch, now to tens of thousands of visitors. “The water belongs to all of us,” complains activist Jerardo Mora Jímenez.
Angry teachers against the World Cup
But it’s not just the neighborhood that is rebelling. The Mexican teachers are angry that there is money for the big event but not for them. Last week, videos went viral: Teachers in the center of Mexico City pulled huge footballer statues to the ground with ropes and partially set them on fire.
They are demanding better working conditions, the reversal of a pension reform and significantly higher salaries. President Claudia Sheinbaum rejects tough action against the protesters, but criticizes the “provocation.” This Wednesday, a splinter group from the CNTE teachers’ union blocked the entrances to the stadium. The police had previously seized 59 explosive devices from a bus carrying demonstrators.
The government is under pressure. Many Mexicans are also annoyed by the blockades. Delivery driver Armando Escobedo loses a lot of time in traffic jams and has to keep his customers waiting: “There’s too much traffic. Routes that take me five to ten minutes now take twenty.” An additional five million tourists are expected during the World Cup.
Before the World Cup, protesters remember the 130,000 people who are believed to have disappeared in Mexico.
Missing people and cartel violence
There are missing posters all around the stadium, put up by family members of the more than 130,000 people who are considered missing in Mexico. Many were allegedly kidnapped by organized crime.
Search collectives have been coming together to protest for years. For them, the World Cup is a provocation: the representation of modern, safe Mexico – while their relatives are still missing.
The recent escalations following the killing of cartel boss “El Mencho” are still very present. When the Mexican military killed him during an operation at the end of February, his Jalisco Nueva Generación cartel responded with road blockades, shootings and looting. The situation has now calmed down, and President Sheinbaum repeatedly emphasizes that all authorities are working in a coordinated manner to ensure security.
More massive Security apparatus
In fact, new waves of violence have so far failed to materialize. Experts assume that the criminal groups themselves may have an interest in ensuring that the places where tourists and fans are staying remain quiet during the World Cup. Because large events are ideal for money laundering, human trafficking and lucrative drug deals.
A massive security apparatus was also set up for the World Cup. Up to 120,000 cameras are said to have been installed in the three Mexican host cities of Mexico City, Monterrey and Guadalajara before the World Cup.
Around 100,000 security forces are deployed: soldiers, national guardsmen, police officers, plus around 20,000 private security guards. Even robot dogs are supposed to help track down suspicious things.
Protests announced for the World Cup
The Mexicans have mixed feelings about their role as hosts. Many people probably won’t be able to watch the games in the stadium anyway. Tickets for the opening cost between 500 and 2,000 euros – the minimum wage is around 470 euros per month.
There will be a big fan festival in the central Zócalo square. Sheinbaum has announced that he will see the opening at this public viewing instead of in the stadium – if the protesting associations allow it.
Because she is likely to encounter not only football fans, but also the angry teachers who have set up barricades and tent camps in the center. They want to use the international attention in front of the huge screen to make their demands heard.
The relatives of the missing people have also announced protests and road blockades for the day of the opening of the World Cup. Their slogan: The ball returns home. And our missing people, when?