Sports
Mexico City declares itself the ‘soul of the World Cup’ as its preps to host 2026 matches
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Mexico City is finalizing preparations for the 2026 World Cup, with Estadio Azteca set to become the first venue to host matches during three World Cup tournaments. It was previously the scene of Pelé’s triumph in 1970 and Diego Maradona’s Cup win in 1986.
Neither of the other two Mexican venues existed when Mexico hosted the tournament before: The Estadio Akron in Guadalajara was founded in 2010 as the home of Liga MX team Chivas de Guadalajara, and the Estadio BBVA was inaugurated in 2015 as the home of the Liga MX team Rayados del Monterrey.
Diego Maradona holds up the World Cup trophy after Argentina beat West Germany in the World Cup final at Estadio Azteca on June 29, 1986.
(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Mexico will face South Africa during the first match of the 2026 World Cup at Estadio Azteca, which has undergone about $80 million in renovations.
“The stadium is coming along nicely. We are working hard every day to be ready for the inauguration in March. Everything is going smoothly,” said Estefanía Padilla, head of marketing and operations for the Mexico City World Cup headquarters.
Organizers are preparing to open the renovated stadium on March 28 when Mexico will face Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal in a friendly match that will mark the end of the work that began in the middle of last year. The organizers also had to resolve a dispute over luxury boxes. After 18 months of litigation, the luxury box owners won the right to use them during the World Cup without paying additional fees. They demanded that an agreement dating to the stadium’s construction six decades ago, which grants them unlimited access to their seats for 99 years, be honored.
Mexico City expects to receive around 5.5 million tourists, so improvements also have been made to infrastructure, airports and transportation. Beyond that, Padilla said, the World Cup will be an opportunity to show the world the cultural richness of Mexico’s capital. In addition to the stadium, the city has developed three pillars to attract fans: culture, entertainment and experiences, with more than 36 activities planned.
“Mexico City is the soul of the World Cup,” Padilla said. “Hopefully, everyone will be able to visit. Mexico is very famous internationally for its culture and gastronomy.”
In the cultural sphere, more than 12 museums will participate in World Cup events, including the Museo Franz Mayer. There also will be an exhibition by Annie Leibovitz at the National Museum of Anthropology.
The fan festival will be set up in the Zócalo, the main public square in the historic center of Mexico City, and will feature the largest video screen among all the World Cup venues. It is expected to attract 60,000 spectators per day, more than 100,000 during Mexico’s matches and a total of about 2.5 million during the tournament.
In terms of entertainment, concerts are being planned at the National Auditorium featuring international artists and a fashion show highlighting clothing made in Mexico.
A young Mexican soccer fan blows a horn while watching a 2014 World Cup match on big screens in Mexico City.
(Rebecca Blackwell / Associated Press)
However, security concerns remain ever present in the capital, as organized crime violence has continued to plague the country in recent months, with a new wave of violence linked to drug trafficking that has affected the popularity of President Claudia Sheinbaum.
“We have developed a comprehensive plan that coordinates all levels of government. Our goal is to ensure that this event takes place in a safe environment for everyone,” said Gabriela Cuevas, federal coordinator for the World Cup, during a recent presentation alongside Sheinbaum.
Sheinbaum joined President Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney during the World Cup draw ceremony Friday at the Kennedy Center in Washington.
Guadalajara is the ‘most Mexican venue,’ organizers say
Pelé holds a ball before Brazil’s World Cup practice in Guadalajara, Mexico, on June 5, 1970.
(GB / Associated Press)
Guadalajara will host Mexico’s second match, and it will be the first time the national team played there in a World Cup. The city’s Estadio Jalisco did previously host one of Brazil’s great teams led by Pelé in 1970.
Preparation of a newer stadium, Estadio Akron, for this World Cup began five years ago and is 85% complete. According to the organizers, the venue, which will be called Estadio Guadalajara during the tournament, is ready to host two intercontinental playoff games in March, in something of a World Cup preview, and then actual World Cup matches in June.
So far only minor adjustments have been made, mainly to bring the pitch up to FIFA standards.
Ainara Zatarain, director of stadium operations, said the city seeks to project itself as “the most Mexican,” with distinctive gastronomic and cultural offerings. She also highlighted the FIFA fan festival that will be set up in the city center. Jalisco expects to attract 3 million tourists during the tournament, which is why 40 new hotels have been built.
Zatarain recalled that the stadium was designed in the early 2000s specifically for a World Cup, completing the vision of the late Chivas owner Jorge Vergara.
“After 15 years we are fulfilling Jorge Vergara’s dream, which was to have a World Cup in the Guadalajara Stadium. For us, the changes have been minimal, and it has been more because, of course, several things have been updated over the years, such as the field that we now have in our stadium,” Zatarain said in Washington prior to the World Cup draw.
Guadalajara seeks to stand out for its cuisine, tequila, mariachis and cultural traditions.
“We say that we are the most Mexican city or the most Mexican venue,” Zatarain said. “We have an impressive gastronomic variety, and we invite you to try all the traditions and culture that we have in our state and in our city. Guadalajara is something unique.”
However, the city also faces problems with violence and transportation difficulties around the stadium.
Local authorities estimate that the World Cup will generate $1 billion for the state of Jalisco.
Monterrey focuses on completing improvements
Monterrey, Mexico’s third host city, made significant investments in infrastructure, the airport and Estadio BBVA for the World Cup. The investments include more than $6 million in stadium renovations and $416 million in airport renovations as well as upgrades to public transportation, urban image projects and security.
Monterrey will have the newest stadium of the three Mexican venues — Estadio BBVA debuted in 2015 — and also will host continental playoff matches to be played from March 23 to 31.
“The most important challenge is mobility, without a doubt … and security,” said Francisco Rodríguez, head of television and commercial rights for the Monterrey venue.
“The challenge is to coordinate mobility, provide good security and keep the city clean.”
This article first appeared in Spanish via L.A. Times en Español.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Police in Italy successfully intercepted and prevented pro-Palestinian activists from interfering with a sacred Olympic tradition on Saturday.
The Italian police said that the pro-Palestinian activists were prevented from coming into contact with the opening stages of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics torch relay.
Both groups of protesters were removed before they reached the relay route in Rome, per police.
The Olympic torch is lit in Greece. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
A third group of about 10 people that was monitored by police waved Palestinian flags when the relay passed by the city’s biggest university, La Sapienza.
There were also three people carrying signs in support of Venezuela near the American embassy.
In October, more than two million demonstrators marched through more than 100 Italian cities to protest the war in Gaza.
Olympic champion swimmer Gregorio Paltrinieri began the relay in the statue-lined Stadio dei Marmi and the torch was carried for 20 miles before ending the day in Piazza del Popolo.
The relay will cover nearly 7,500 miles and wind its way through all 110 Italian provinces before reaching Milan’s San Siro Stadium for the opening ceremony on Feb. 6.
TEAM ISRAEL GYMNASTS SPEAK OUT AFTER BEING BARRED FROM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS BY INDONESIAN GOVERNMENT
Short-track speedskater Jean-Francois Monette lights the Olympic flame at Montreal’s Olympic Stadium during the Olympic torch relay, Dec. 9, 2009. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Paul Chiasson)
In all, there will be 10,001 torch-bearers.
The next stops on the torch relay are Viterbo on Sunday, and Terni on Monday.
Pro-Palestinian protesters causing disruption to sporting events have become increasingly regular over the past year, especially sporting events involving Israeli teams.
Last month, multiple people were arrested at a soccer match in the United Kingdom that involved Israeli team Maccabi Tel Aviv. Israeli fans of the team were prohibited from attending the match due to safety concerns, but disturbances still broke out regardless, with anti-Israel protesters in the vicinity.
Multiple people were arrested at a soccer match in the United Kingdom that involved Israeli team Maccabi Tel Aviv. Israeli fans of the team were prohibited from attending the match due to safety concerns, but disturbances still broke out regardless, with anti-Israel protesters in the vicinity.
An Israeli cycling team was excluded from an October race in Italy, the Giro dell’Emilia, because of concerns over potentially disruptive pro-Palestinian protests. Organizers made the decision after protesters repeatedly disrupted the recent Spanish Vuelta.
Seven of the past 11 days of racing at the Vuelta were cut short or interrupted because Spain’s government estimated more than 100,000 people were on the streets in Madrid during the final stage in September.
The protesters said their actions were aimed at denouncing Israel’s military campaign in Gaza after Hamas’ deadly attack on Israel Oct. 7, 2023.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Luka Doncic was removed from the team’s status report entering Sunday’s game at Philadelphia after the Lakers superstar and his fiancee announced the birth of their second child Saturday.
Doncic missed the last two games, but before Friday’s game against Boston, coach JJ Redick was open to the possibility of him rejoining the team in time for Sunday’s road trip finale. The Lakers (16-6) went 1-1 to begin the trip with a thrilling, three-point win in Toronto on Thursday before getting blown out in Boston.
LeBron James, who also missed Friday’s game because of sciatica and joint arthritis in his left foot, is questionable to return Sunday. The 40-year-old has played in only six of the Lakers’ 22 games.
Guard Marcus Smart will miss a sixth consecutive game because of a left lumbar muscle strain.
Doncic, who shared a photo of his new daughter, Olivia, on social media, leads the NBA with 35.3 points per game. If he returns against the 76ers (13-9), the game will feature three of the league’s top five scorers.
Philadelphia guard Tyrese Maxey ranks third with 31.6 points per game and Lakers guard Austin Reaves is fifth with 29.3 points. Reaves’ career season has helped the Lakers go 4-2 in games without Doncic, as Reaves is averaging 40 points per game without Doncic in the lineup.
Sports
NFL cites player safety in plan to bring every stadium’s playing surface up to enhanced standards
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
As the debate over NFL playing surfaces continues, the league introduced a plan that aims to bring more consistency to all stadiums.
The new enhanced standards will have to be met by 2028, according to the NFL, and will be set through lab and field testing.
Nick Pappas, an NFL field director, shared some details about the plans for the program rollout.
Each team will be provided with “a library of approved and accredited NFL fields” before the 2026 season begins. Any new field will immediately have to meet those standards, and all teams will have two years to achieve them. Both grass and synthetic turf fields will be subject to the new standards.
The NFL logo on the field at SoFi Stadium Nov. 25, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (Kirby Lee/magn Images)
Most artificial surfaces are replaced every two or three years, Pappas said. Natural fields can have a shorter usage span and are often replaced several times during a single season.
2025 NFL WEEK 14 BUZZ: COMMANDERS GET QB JAYDEN DANIELS BACK VS. VIKINGS
Pappas added that the fields will have undergone extensive testing and been approved by a joint committee with the NFLPA.
“It’s sort of a red, yellow, green effect, where we’re obviously trying to phase out fields that we have determined to be less ideal than newer fields coming into the industry,” he said.
The Las Vegas Raiders logo at midfield at Allegiant Stadium Oct. 27, 2024, in Paradise, Nev. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)
“This is a big step for us. This is something that I think has been a great outcome from the Joint Surfaces Committee of the work, the deployment and development of devices determining the appropriate metrics and ultimately providing us with a way to substantiate the quality of fields more so than we ever have in the past.”
Pappas said fields have been tested in labs and on site using two main tools. One is called the BEAST, which is a traction testing device that replicates the movements of an NFL player. The other is called the STRIKE Impact Tester, which helps determine the firmness of each field.
The turf field for a preseason game between the New Orleans Saints and the Denver Broncos at the Caesars Superdome Aug. 23, 2025, in New Orleans. (Derick E. Hingle/Getty Images)
The league’s goal is to find fields that are as consistent as possible for all 30 NFL stadiums and at each stadium throughout the season. Pappas said the “key pillars” for a field are optimized playability, reducing injury risk and player feedback.
The NFL has no plans to require natural grass fields. The league’s chief medical officer, Dr. Allen Sills, said there are no “statistically significant differences” in lower extremity injuries or concussions that can be attributed to the type of playing surface or a specific surface despite widespread preferences by players for grass fields and complaints about surfaces such as the one at MetLife Stadium, where the New York Giants and Jets play.
“The surface is only one driver of these lower extremity injuries,” Sills said. “There are a lot of other factors, including player load and previous history and fatigue, positional adaptability and cleats that are worn. So, surfaces are a component, but it is a complex equation.”
The natural grass field for the upcoming Super Bowl at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, has been growing at a sod farm located a couple hours east of the Bay Area.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Two Minnesota carriers shut down, idling 200 drivers
Mississippi Lottery Mississippi Match 5, Cash 3 results for Dec. 6, 2025
How To Watch Kansas Basketball vs Missouri in Border Showdown
Montana Tech moves on with 31-21 win over rival Carroll in NAIA playoffs
Nebraska Weathers Dip in Offense, Sweeps Kansas State
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Video: ‘It Didn’t Have to Happen This Way:’ U.Va. Faculty Call for Review of Police Response to Protests
Map: 7.0-Magnitude Earthquake Shakes Alaska
Hegseth hints major defense spending increase, reveals new details on Trump’s anti-narcoterrorism operations
Ukraine peace talks stall as Russia unleashes huge waves of attacks
National Park Service drops free admission on MLK Day, Juneteenth while adding Trump’s birthday
A 3-D Look at Trump’s Proposed White House Ballroom
-
Politics4 days agoTrump rips Somali community as federal agents reportedly eye Minnesota enforcement sweep
-
Ohio3 days agoWho do the Ohio State Buckeyes hire as the next offensive coordinator?
-
News4 days agoTrump threatens strikes on any country he claims makes drugs for US
-
World4 days agoHonduras election council member accuses colleague of ‘intimidation’
-
Texas14 hours agoTexas Tech football vs BYU live updates, start time, TV channel for Big 12 title
-
Politics1 week agoRep. Swalwell’s suit alleges abuse of power, adds to scrutiny of Trump official’s mortgage probes
-
Politics5 days agoTrump highlights comments by ‘Obama sycophant’ Eric Holder, continues pressing Senate GOP to nix filibuster
-
News1 week agoVideo: Two National Guard Members Shot Near White House