196 days before the start of the 2026 World Cup, President Claudia Sheinbaum, head of the government of Mexico City and the governors of Jalisco and Nuevo Leon, presented progress towards the tournament, while the mandate avoids a possible trip to Washington to hold the global draw on the fifth of next December, which opens the door there to meet with US President Donald Trump. The government announced that it would allocate between 1,500 and 2,000 million pesos to strengthen public transportation, with work on metro lines in the three headquarters. For her part, Gabriela Cuevas, Mexico’s representative to FIFA, explained that she has been working for three years to implement a security plan for stadiums, public places and access to roads, in coordination with federal, state and municipal authorities, to receive 5.5 million visitors.
The pre-tournament plan includes improvements to airports, communications and public areas. According to Cuevas, in Ciudad de Mexico, the train that will connect Buenavista to Felipe Angeles International Airport will be ready before the World Cup. It also expects an increase in flights between the country with the United States and Canada. Government leader Clara Brugada (Ciudad de Mexico) and governors Pablo Lemos (Jalisco) and Samuel García (Nuevo León) planned the party days to be impractical days. Jalisco will wait hours to decide on a possible suspension of activities, while Nuevo Leon avoids declaring the third meeting day impossible or applying methods such as remote work to ease movement.
Regarding his possible attendance at the World Cup draw in Washington, Sheinbaum said that he had not yet decided on the trip, but it was possible to meet Donald Trump, in what would be his first face-to-face meeting. “We are coming if it is proven that President Trump, the Prime Minister of Canada, and depending on him, will help,” he said. She also explained that the relationship with the United States is “very good.”
Each country has submitted its own plans for the tournament.
Mexico City
Clara Brugada announced that the capital will have a special operation for security, surveillance and lighting. For this purpose, 334 kilometers of safe roads for children and women were created, in addition to the installation of 30,000 video surveillance cameras and 3,500 patrols. The neighborhoods, towns and colonies surrounding the stadium will also be rehabilitated, a bicycle path will be built along the Tlalpan pier, and 10 tourist routes will be renovated. “We will have a safer World Cup,” he added. The city will celebrate 30 free and “massive” Zocalo football festivals, with shows, activities and concerts. The capital’s government will seek to break the Guinness World Record with the largest football division in the world and with the “largest country on the planet”. In addition, the capital’s official cartel and the local World Cup mascot were introduced: a colorful plume pack. He says: “Ticket prices will not be an obstacle for the audience to enjoy the tournament.”
Guadalajara
Jalisco Governor Pablo Lemos, who described Guadalajara as “the most Mexican headquarters”, announced a “historic coup” that included the redesign of Guadalajara’s international airport and increased air connections, especially with the United States and Canada. Jalisco will rehabilitate 270 soccer fields so that each municipality will have at least one of the renovated spaces and will organize an attempt to achieve a Guinness World Record for the largest distance between countries between children and children. The country expects to receive about 3 million visitors. The celebrations will include a free concert by Mana on June 17, the day before the Mexican national team’s concert in the city, and another by Alejandro Fernandez.
Monterey
Governor Samuel Garcia announced that his government is considering more than 34 projects that will be completed in March 2026. Among them, it highlighted the opening of lines 4 and 6 of the metro – the latter will connect to Monterrey International Airport, which is also being renovated – and 4,000 new public transport trucks. A new park will also be built around the stadium, Parque Fundidora will be expanded, where fanatics areas will be installed, and the tallest tower in Latin America will be built, 100 floors high. Regarding security, García confirmed that Nuevo León will reduce crimes by 81% in 2025 and that the state is “protected” by 7,000 police officers, a general headquarters, helicopters and 1,200 patrols. He stressed that “not a single peso will be spent under the pretext of the World Cup, and this investment will later become a public work.”