Mexico prepares mobility and security for the 2026 World Cup

Country will co-host the 2026 World Cup with the USA and Canada; capital will increase spending on traffic and security cameras

Mexico City is preparing for the 2026 FIFA World Cup with plans to increase investment in mobility and security next year, according to a senior official.

The city’s proposed mobility budget, which includes initiatives to make it easier for fans to enter and exit the iconic Azteca stadium, will increase to almost 7 billion pesos (about US$348 million), representing 186% more than the budget for 2024, said Juan Pablo de Botton, the capital’s Finance Minister, in an interview with Bloomberg News after the presentation of the budget proposal.

The capital, led by Clara Brugada of the ruling party, is also proposing a record budget for its metro system, planning 23 billion pesos in investments.

The public works budget will increase by 12.5% ​​to 13.5 billion pesos, and includes investments in the historic Tlalpan causeway to facilitate access to the games, de Botton said.

“The challenge is for people to be able to get in and out on time and move around the city freely, feeling happy and safe,” said de Botton.

Mexico City will host the opening match of the FIFA World Cup, which will be held together with the USA and Canada. The stadium is undergoing renovations separately to expand seating to 87,000

The city’s plans to prepare for the international event also include 600 million pesos set aside for the installation of security cameras in the subway.

The public works budget will also be spent on facilities known as “utopias”, while the mobility budget also includes three additional Cablebus lines and a separate bus line.

Social spending

The budget’s top priority will be social spending, with an allocation of 17 billion pesos for subsidies and social programs, de Botton said.

A second priority is to strengthen the local budget for municipalities, including the largest allocation of resources in history for this segment, he added, increasing it by 8.8% to 291.5 billion pesos. “It is a responsible, prudent budget. and austere approach that combats inequalities”, said the minister.

Sustainable Debt

Congress approved Mexico City to offer 3.5 billion pesos in debt next year, which now needs to be approved by the local legislature, de Botton said, and which will be used mainly to issue sustainable debt for mobility projects , such as the construction of new cable car lines.

De Botton said Mexico City is planning to carry out emissions by mid-2025. “This will help us reduce polluting emissions from other types of transport,” he added.

The capital is also setting aside 15 billion pesos for water-related projects that aim to make water management more efficient by altering distribution networks, rehabilitating wells and eliminating leaks. Water has become an increasingly urgent issue for the city amid recurring dry seasons, with President Claudia Sheinbaum vowing to tackle the problem in her inauguration speech.

With information from Bloomberg*