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.

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)

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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)

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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.

The Detroit Lions defeated the Dallas Cowboys 44-30 on “Thursday Night Football,” cementing themselves as the top challenger for the final seed in the NFC playoffs.

Dallas entered the game riding a three-game winning streak to climb back into the playoff hunt. But the loss drops the Cowboys to 6-6 and into the 10th seed, two and a half games behind the San Francisco 49ers for the final NFC playoff spot.

Detroit improved to 8-5, putting the Lions firmly back into the race just one game behind San Francisco.

Thursday’s game was also the subject of criticism against referees on social media. 

Two calls in particular were widely scrutinized: when Prescott was seemingly tackled in his own end zone in the first quarter, but referees did not call a safety, and in the fourth quarter when offensive pass interference was called on Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson during a crucial red-zone third down — even as many argued Lions defender Alex Anzalone committed the infraction.

DAK PRESCOTT, CEEDEE LAMB LEAD COWBOYS PAST CHIEFS IN THANKSGIVING THRILLER

Detroit’s running backs led the way in the red zone, as Jahmyr Gibbs scored three touchdowns and David Montgomery added another. Lions quarterback Jared Goff threw for 309 yards. 

Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott threw for 376 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. His first interception ended Dallas’ opening possession of the second half and set up a Lions touchdown to extend the lead to 27-9. His second interception ended the Cowboys’ final drive as they attempted to rally late.

Prescott has now thrown eight interceptions this season. He was considered an MVP contender earlier in the year, but no player has ever won the award without reaching the postseason.

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Dallas now has just an estimated 8% chance of making the playoffs.

If the Cowboys fall short, it will mark their 30th consecutive season without a Super Bowl title.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

WASHINGTON — With the World Cup just six months away and the tournament draw unfolding Friday, members of California’s congressional delegation are expressing concern about preparations for what will be the largest and most complex single-sport competition in history.

The tournament, which will feature 48 teams playing 104 games across the U.S., Mexico and Canada, offers a once-in-a-generation opportunity for the 11 U.S. host cities to both showcase themselves to the world and grab a slice of what FIFA estimates will be a $30.5-billion economic impact. But to take full advantage of that opportunity, organizers need government assistance on issues ranging from visas to security while also dealing with ticket prices far beyond the means of the average fan.

The tournament draw will take place Friday morning at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., where the 42 countries that already qualified will be randomly assigned to one of 12 groups for the tournament’s opening round. That’s the last major hurdle for a World Cup that will open June 11 in Mexico City and end July 19 in East Rutherford, N.J.

After that comes the Herculean task of putting on the first World Cup in the U.S. in 32 years, one that will require bipartisan government cooperation on multiple levels. Get it right, and the upside is enormous. Get it wrong, and the damage to U.S. prestige will be significant.

And so far, the politicians say, the Trump administration has proven to be as combative as it has been cooperative.

“There’s so many layers to the economic engine that is the World Cup. It’s going to be successful. I’m highly confident of that,” Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) said. “But to ensure its success — not just on an economic front, but on a logistical and security front — the best thing that we can all do is focus on the task at hand.

“Focus on federal government, state government and local government collaboration.”

Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Los Angeles) also is optimistic but guardedly so, given the work still to be done.

“You’re talking about visas, you’re talking about infrastructure, you’re talking about transportation, you’re talking about national security,” said Kamlager-Dove, whose district abuts Inglewood and SoFi Stadium, site of eight World Cup games. “You’re actually also talking about morale and a brand. People don’t want to buy a brand that sucks, or that’s losing or that isn’t inclusive.

“We can’t afford to have that happen for the World Cup.”

According to a November study by the consulting firm Tourism Economics, 1.24 million foreign visitors are expected to come to the U.S. for the World Cup, less than half what FIFA, the tournament organizer, projected. Still, that reverses a trend in which international tourism dropped more than 6% this year. Nearly 2 million World Cup tickets have been sold, with most going to people in the three host countries. More seats will go on sale next Thursday.

Fans in 209 other countries and territories also bought tickets, according to FIFA, and many of those fans will need visas to use them. Getting those documents has proven difficult.

Last spring Congress warned the State Department that its visa-processing system — which required applicants in some countries to wait more than a year simply for an appointment — needed to be streamlined. Three weeks ago the Trump administration rolled out the FIFA Prioritized Appointment Scheduling System, or PASS, which will allow applicants with World Cup tickets to apply for an expedited visa interview.

The administration doubled down on that Thursday, instructing embassies and consulates to prioritize visa applications for foreigners planning to attend the World Cup or the 2028 L.A. Olympics. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the administration added more than 400 consular officials around the globe to handle the demand.

“All attention should be on our outstanding athletes, not bureaucratic backlogs,” said Rep. Young Kim (R-Anaheim Hills), who partnered with Kamlager-Dove to urge the State Department to expedite visa processing. “The administration has made clear that these major sporting events are a top priority.”

Yet while players and coaches are clear to come, some World Cup fans are ineligible even for the expedited visa process. In June the Trump administration, citing safety concerns, blocked or restricted travel to the U.S. for citizens of 19 countries — including Iran and Haiti, whose countries qualified for the World Cup — and is considering expanding the ban to another dozen nations following the shooting of two National Guard troops in Washington last month.

Iran qualified for the 2026 World Cup but is among the countries whose fans face restricted access traveling to the United States for the tournament.

(Mohamed Farag / Getty Images)

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That isn’t exactly in line with the philosophy behind the tournament, which FIFA says is to bridge cultural, political and social divides. The ban also clashes with what President Trump said during his first term in 2018, when he promised FIFA in writing that fans from all countries would be able to enter the U.S. without discrimination.

“When we made the bid to host, we were taking on the responsibility of making sure that every country that qualified would be able to travel and play,” said Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Livermore), who attended college on a soccer scholarship. “I don’t like what it says about us as a host country, if we’re just denying visas and excluding countries.

“We’ve dramatically increased the number of teams who qualify. And that model cannot work if you have a host country that is making political decisions that affect who is eligible and who’s not.”

Swalwell worries about the long-term effects of such bans if the U.S. effectively determines which qualified teams can compete in the tournament.

“We will never have the World Cup again,” he said. “We will be permanently banned, essentially, from hosting. We will so tarnish our reputation.”

The congressman isn’t naive to the potential dangers the Trump policies are supposed to address. He is a member of the Task Force on Enhancing Security for Special Events, which focuses on oversight of security preparations for the World Cup as well as the 2028 Olympics and other international sporting events.

“The response, to me, is not to deny teams from playing,” Swalwell said. “It’s to surge resources and have security conditions and requirements for countries that are riskier.”

“There has to be proper security, vetting for folks coming in from other countries,” Padilla agreed. “Los Angeles is no stranger to these large-scale events, from prior Olympics that we’ve hosted, Super Bowls that we’ve hosted. State and local officials in California know what we’re doing. We just need the federal government to do its part.”

Some help was included in the so-called “Big Beautiful Bill,” which passed Congress in July. It includes $625 million for a grant program to help U.S. host cities fund measures such as enhanced background checks and cybersecurity. The bill also sets aside an additional $500 million in grants to counter the threat of drone attacks, which have become a key worry for organizers of large events.

“We’ve had, obviously, Super Bowls. But the World Cup is going to be multiple Super Bowls happening at once,” said a legislative aide for Congressman Michael McCaul (R-Texas), the chairman of the security task force. “We’ve never had this number of people coming in for this many events over two months, essentially.”

In addition to the threats from outside, human rights groups and Congressional representatives also raised fears that dispatching National Guard troops and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, who have been sent to the streets of at least 17 major U.S. cities — including seven World Cup markets — will send the wrong message by militarizing the games.

“Scaring the bejesus out of people unnecessarily, who are scared that if they go to a game, somebody’s going to jump out of a dumpster and snatch them and put them in a U-Haul van and deport them to Liberia, that’s not how you boost ticket sales,” said Kamlager-Dove, whose concerns are shared by Padilla, Swalwell and others in the California congressional delegation.

SoFi Stadium in Inglewood will host eight matches during the 2026 World Cup.

(FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images)

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Ticket distribution, which is managed by FIFA, also has become a concern amid brisk sales. For the first time, FIFA stepped into the lucrative secondary market for World Cup tickets, taking a 30% cut — in two separate 15% transactions — from every resale, a markup many scalpers would consider excessive. On a ticket resold for $1,000, for example, FIFA takes $150 from the seller (who receives $850) and charges the buyer an extra $150 (who pays $1,150 total), resulting in a $300 profit for FIFA.

In previous World Cups, resale prices were capped at face value and FIFA charged fees of 10% or less. Not so this year, with one seller reportedly asking $44,000 for a ticket to July’s final while FIFA’s lowest price for a private suite to that game is $199,000.

Yet there’s a waiting list to pay that.

By comparison, the most expensive ticket for the World Cup final in Qatar four years ago was $1,607, a 46% increase from 2018.

“They have to get a little more transparent about why they’re charging so much,” Kamlager-Dove said. “Why does it feel like price gouging?”

Finally, there’s the uncertainty that descends over World Cup cities every time Trump, who will attend Friday’s draw, muses about taking games out of places like Seattle, Boston and the San Francisco Bay Area, a warning he last made just three weeks ago. While FIFA officials dismissed the threats, they are difficult to ignore — especially for fans about to spend tens of thousands of dollars to travel to those cities.

The distractions, Swalwell said, are ones the World Cup doesn’t need less than 200 days from the opening game.

“It’s a real opportunity for America to shine. That’s appealing,” he said. “We have an opportunity to show that we’re open for business, we’re open for sport. I hope the president embraces that rather than sabotage the Americans who would suffer if he gets this wrong.”

Kim, like Padilla, is confident the tournament will be a historic success and says the president will deserve credit for that.

“This summer’s World Cup, along with the upcoming L.A. 2028 Olympics, is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for Southern California to shine — bringing in billions in economic activity, millions of visitors, and showcasing the very best of our communities,” she said. “We can’t afford to take our eye off the ball. We must meet the moment and be prepared to welcome fans, athletes and media from around the globe.

“I have no doubt President Trump will continue driving this effort forward to make these games not just successful, but the greatest America has ever hosted.”