What to expect from the World Cup in a city that takes football very, very seriously

I am not going to pretend to be a football expert. I watch Mexico’s World Cup games, and if they’re playing the United States I root for Mexico — I live here, I have a husband and a family and colleagues who care deeply about this, and I am supporting them. I am not the person to analyze formations or debate the squad selection.

What I can tell you is what it is like to be in this city when Mexico plays. And if you are visiting Mexico City during the World Cup — whether for a match or just because you happen to be here — understanding that is more useful than a tactical breakdown (at least from me).

Mexico City is hosting the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on June 11 at Estadio Azteca. The tournament runs through July 19.

The Matches at Estadio Azteca

Estadio Azteca — officially called Mexico City Stadium for the tournament, though nobody is calling it that — is hosting five matches this summer. It is the only stadium in the world to have hosted three World Cup tournaments: 1970, 1986, and now 2026. The 1986 edition is where Maradona scored the Hand of God goal, in this exact stadium. (Yes – I had to look that up, because I definitely didn’t know before I decided to write this.)

The five matches, all times in Mexico City (CDMX) local time:

June 11 — Mexico vs South Africa, Group A, 2pm CDMX. The opening match of the entire World Cup. June 11 has been declared a local holiday by Mexico City’s head of government. Plan accordingly.

June 17 — Uzbekistan vs Colombia, Group K, 9pm CDMX

June 24 — Mexico vs UEFA Playoff D, Group A, 8pm CDMX

June 30 — Round of 32, 8pm CDMX

July 5 — Round of 16, 7pm CDMX

If you are in Mexico City on June 11: this is a declared local holiday. Much of the city will not be operating normally. Plan your day around the match, not the other way around.

Getting to the Stadium

Estadio Azteca is in the far south of the city. On a normal day, it is about 45 minutes from the center by Uber. On a match day, plan for significantly longer — the roads around the stadium will be congested, and Uber will be expensive and slow.

The practical recommendation: take the Tren Ligero (light rail), which has a dedicated station right at the stadium. It runs from Taxqueña, which connects to Metro Line 2. It is not the most glamorous journey, but it will get you there when cars cannot.

One thing worth knowing: the area around the stadium is not a neighborhood worth staying in or lingering after the match. There is not much there beyond the stadium itself. Come for the game, stay for the atmosphere, then make your way back north.

Arrive early. The vendors outside — food, drinks, jerseys, flags — are part of the experience and the crowd builds well before kickoff.

How Mexico City Watches Football

When Mexico plays, the country pauses. This is not hyperbole.

In the professional firms where I have worked — accounting firms, consulting — the game goes up in the conference room, sometimes with drinks and snacks included. If you are visiting for work and have Mexican counterparts, do not plan anything substantive during a Mexico match. They will be physically present if required, but they will not be fully there.

I don’t have experience with it, but I don’t believe this is limited to professional firms. Not allowing the workforce to watch the game would create two problems: a goodwill problem and a focus problem. I guess most employers just set aside the time to watch Mexico play – it only happens every four years after all. Restaurants and bars fill up early — arrive well before start if you want a seat — in particular since the first game is at 2 pm, Mexico City’s lunch time. The atmosphere at a bar during a Mexico match is loud, warm, communal, and worth experiencing if you’re not going to be at the stadium.

Anywhere in the city will be lively during the tournament. The Zócalo and the area around the Ángel de la Independencia on Reforma are the two places where the energy concentrates most.

When Mexico Wins

People go to the Ángel. This has been true for as long as I have lived here, and it is still true — Cruz Azul won the Liga MX championship this past weekend and the streets around the Ángel filled up within the hour — I live nearby and we could hear people shouting and honking well into the night.

If Mexico wins a match during this tournament, the same thing will happen, but more, bigger and better. People drink, shout, sing, wave flags. Mexicans are effusive in their enthusiasm when their team wins — the celebration is genuine and warm. I wouldn’t anticipate violence, but be wary of pickpockets.

This is the place to be if you want to be in the middle of the action — just be sure to keep your phone in your front pocket and your attention on your surroundings.

When Spain Wins

There is a Cibeles fountain in the Roma Norte neighborhood — a replica of the one in Madrid — and when Spain wins, people who identify with the Spanish community in Mexico go there to celebrate. I was there when Spain won the World Cup a few years ago. Same energy as the Ángel, different flag.

Mexico has a significant Spanish-identifying population — people with dual citizenship or close family ties — and they come out when Spain has something to celebrate.

Free Events Around the City

Aldea Global — Chapultepec, Puerta de los Leones

From June 6 to 28, an immersive free experience called Aldea Global opens at the Puerta de los Leones in the First Section of Chapultepec Park. It covers the cultures, art, food, and traditions of all 48 nations participating in the tournament.

They’ve already started setting up the infrastructure. This event is designed for everyone — families, visitors, locals — and it is free. I’ll post an update and let you know how it looks when it’s open.

Aldea Global — Puerta de los Leones, Primera Sección del Bosque de Chapultepec // June 6–28, 2026 // Free entry

Futlán — Aztlán Feria de Chapultepec

Futlán: Tierra de Fútbol runs from June 1 to July 19 in the Second Section of Chapultepec. Giant screens will show 50 matches from the tournament live, with free entry. It is the main public viewing destination in the park, sponsored by Tecate and Amazon, with appearances by former Mexican football legends Luis Hernández and Oribe Peralta.

Metro Line 7, station Constituyentes, then about 15 minutes on foot through Chapultepec.

Futlán — Aztlán Feria de Chapultepec, Segunda Sección, Av. de los Compositores s/n // June 1 – July 19 // Free entry // Metro: Constituyentes (Line 7)

FIFA Fan Festival at the Zócalo

The official FIFA Fan Festival runs from June 11 through July 19 at the Zócalo — the main square of the city and one of the largest public plazas in the world. Giant screens, live music, food vendors, activities. It will show all Mexico matches and selected others. This is the largest single fan venue in the city, with capacity for 80,000 people.

Alcohol-free zone, family-friendly, free entry. The Zócalo is a Metro ride from anywhere central, and walkable from the Juárez and Cuauhtémoc neighborhoods. One note — the Zocalo will be packed for an event like this. When you go, be prepared for a crowd.

If you’re getting ready for a full day in the Centro Historico, fuel up at my all time, forever favorite breakfast spot in the city, Café Tacuba. It’s my one recommendation to all visitors, and none of my houseguests have ever escaped at least one breakfast there. It’s walking distance to the Zocalo, and close enough to Eje Central that it’s a little easier to get to if you’re arriving by Uber.

FIFA Fan Festival — Zócalo, Centro Histórico // June 11 – July 19 // Free entry // Metro: Zócalo (Lines 1 and 2)

Neighborhood festivals across the city

Mexico City has also organized 18 neighborhood fan festivals — at least one in each of the city’s 16 boroughs — showing Mexico matches and selected games on outdoor screens. Seven locations will show all 104 matches of the tournament. These are more local in character and a way to watch with residents rather than with the tourist concentration closer to the center.

A note on the broader cultural programming

The World Cup has triggered a wave of cultural events across the city worth knowing about. The Museo Nacional de Antropología is hosting a photography exhibition by Annie Leibovitz — she photographed the 1986 World Cup and is creating a new archive for 2026. The Museo Nacional de Historia in the Chapultepec Castle and the Templo Mayor are both undergoing renovation and intervention. A new Museo Textil de los Pueblos Indígenas y Afromexicanos is opening soon in the Casa del Marqués del Apartado opposite the Templo Mayor — 210 textile pieces from indigenous and Afromexican communities, with an artisan shop selling pieces at fair prices. Worth checking if it’s open during your visit.

So, if you are here for the football but also interested in the culture, there is even more to see than usual, and there is usually a lot to see.

If you are in Mexico City for the opening match on June 11: welcome to the loudest version of Mexico City since 1986. The Azteca has seen two World Cup tournaments and it’s about to see a third.