Mexico City unveils facelift ahead of 2026 World Cup
Bridges, new transportation lines, 48,000 street lights, and an increase in water supply capacity to 100 liters per second. The 2026 World Cup has prompted a redesign of Mexico City, which, according to authorities, will not have a weighted average for the competition, based on modern stadiums in the United States and Canada.
Authorities say this is all about improving the city's infrastructure, which coincides with the World Cup, but if it weren't hosting the event, what other major event would encourage change?
The Azteca Stadium (Banorte) is undergoing its own renovation process, with an investment of 106 million dollars and is accompanied by a transformation of tourist infrastructure and the activation of key points of the city such as the Zócalo, the airport and the Xochimilco piers.
The stadium area will feature an access bridge and redesigned commercial spaces on public streets.
The venue will reopen on Saturday, March 28, 2026, 75 days before the opening of the World Cup.
The Calzada de Tlalpan, where Metro Line 2 runs, was last expanded in 1942, and now a floating tourist corridor will be built. In addition, a 36-km bike path called "Gran Tenochtitlán" is planned from Tlalpan to the Zócalo, and will include two parking lots: at Metro Universidad (Line 3) and Metro Tasqueña (Line 2).
"This transportation route is one of the largest, with 34 kilometers of bike path, and there will also be cross-sectional bike paths to connect neighborhoods to this bike path," said Héctor Ulises García Nieto, head of the Mexico City Mobility Secretariat (Semovi).
According to the city government, a meeting was held in Santa Úrsula to inform residents about the projects in their neighborhoods.
The new trolleybus line will be called the "Ruta Silvestre de los Pedregales" (Wild Route of the Pedregales), which runs from the University City to the CETRAM Huipulco.
The renovated tourist routes will include the historic center, Xochimilco, Estadio Azteca-Coyoacán, Zona Rosa, and Bellas Artes-Garibaldi. The transportation network will include a new Centrobus, with electric buses that will travel to iconic locations in the historic center.
The Fan Festival will be located in the Zócalo and will offer live broadcasts, sports venues, a hospitality area, concerts, and a baseball game exhibition.
The Lighting, Image and Urban Improvement Program covers a total of 62 km and includes: the Insurgentes de Tlatelolco-Cuicuilco circuit (33 km), the Welcome Circuit at the Airport, Churubisco and Viaduct (24 km), the Garibaldi Corridor from Bellas Artes (3.5 km), and the Arena México Perimeter (1.5 km). The wayfinding spatial orientation system (neighborhood maps, interactive displays, pedestrian destination signs, and apps) will be installed as part of the mobility plan.
The International Media Center will be located in Los Pinos.
A meeting between representatives from the mayoral offices of the 16 World Cup host cities is scheduled for October of this year.
Cultural activitiesThe Mexican government's goal is to engage the population in sports, arts, and recreational activities. This also allows them to be involved in the transformation of urban services.
The World Cup tour will run from February to June 2026 throughout the city, accompanied by activities in mayor's offices, UTOPÍAS (Transformation and Organization Units), and in the Zócalo.
An exhibition called "Epic," the world's largest collection of memorabilia, is planned for the Yancuic Museum and is organized by the Televisa Foundation.
The exhibition "The Eternal Game" will be presented, an archaeological and immersive exhibition of the ball game.
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