Sheinbaum: The World Cup will elevate Mexico

▲ The Azteca Stadium will become the first venue in the world to host the opening match of the Copa del Rey for the third time. n Photo Ap Photo Ap

Emir Olivares and Alonso Urrutia

La Jornada Newspaper, Friday, June 13, 2025, p. a11

The FIFA World Cup will elevate Mexico's reputation , said President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, adding that the international tournament will be a great showcase for the country to become even better known around the world.

At the morning press conference, when asked if she would be at the opening of the 2026 World Cup, the president left it unclear. "I don't know yet, I don't know. Politics is for one thing and sports is for another, and each topic has its own space ."

He emphasized that Mexico City will become the first host city in the world to host the opening match for a third time: in 1970, 1986, and now next year. The World Cup will also be played in the United States and Canada.

It's going to be a very good event; the inauguration will be at the Azteca Stadium. It's going to be a very special moment for Mexico , the head of the federal executive branch stated.

A large reflector

He emphasized that this is the sporting event that attracts the most attention in the world. In this regard, he presented data from the last World Cup, held in Qatar in 2022, when the opening match was watched by 550 million people.

At least it will be something similar. So, imagine the opening of the next World Cup , he said, referring to the first game, which will be held on June 11, 2026, in Mexico City.

He expressed confidence that the Mexican national team will perform well in next year's soccer tournament and asserted that there is no other team like the Mexican fans. We're going to show that the best in the world are here .

He said the governments of the three host states—Mexico City, Nuevo León, and Jalisco—have projects linked to the World Cup, but the rest of the Mexican states will also be involved in activities related to the event.

▲ The impact of this type of accommodation will also reach businesses in neighborhoods that lack traditional tourist infrastructure. n Photo La Jornada Photo La Jornada

Alejandro Alegría

La Jornada Newspaper, Friday, June 13, 2025, p. a11

Airbnb stays during the 2026 World Cup will generate more than $3.6 billion in host cities, although in Mexico it will only generate $558 million, the digital accommodation platform said.

With less than a year to go until the start of the biggest soccer tournament, excitement is growing as the company anticipates a record number of fans traveling to support their teams.

He noted that a Deloitte study estimates that more than 380,000 Airbnb guests will travel just to experience the soccer celebration in 2026, including more than 150,000 based in the United States.

The $558 million Mexico expects represents 15.5 percent of the total for the entire tournament.

Additionally, an additional impact of $239 million in return tourism is expected over five years, along with 21,000 jobs generated by the event, $327 million in added value to the country's gross domestic product, $9 million in taxes on generated products, and 90,000 Airbnb guests.

Mexico City is expected to generate $345 million in revenue and 13,070 jobs; Guadalajara is expected to generate $101 million in total economic activity and 3,510 jobs; while Monterrey is expected to generate $113 million in total revenue and 4,420 jobs.

Airbnb said the stays offered on the platform generate a significant economic impact by distributing tourism spending among local cafes, restaurants, and small businesses located in neighborhoods that often lack traditional tourism infrastructure.

The company will also invest $5 million through the Airbnb Host City Impact Program, which will partner with cities to fund select initiatives that foster economic growth and enhance the overall tournament experience for both residents and visitors.

Airbnb and FIFA announced a partnership spanning three of the international organization's tournaments, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The hosting platform will be a partner for the 2025 Club World Cup, as well as an official promoter of the FIFA Men's (2026) and Women's (2027) World Cups.

In addition to affordable stays for fans, it will also offer other experiences, such as immersive cultural activities highlighting regional traditions, hidden gems, and the spirit of host cities , as well as opportunities to interact with football legends and experts.

The Club World Cup will be a defining competition for future generations and will transform football internationally. Meanwhile, the 2026 World Cup will be the largest tournament in history, with 48 teams competing across three host countries. Then, a year later, the women's tournament will be held in South America for the first time , FIFA President Gianni Infantino said.

Airbnb announced that starting yesterday, fans can join a private training session with iconic American goalkeeper Tim Howard, watch a World Cup match from the stands alongside soccer legend Cobi Jones, or experience a behind-the-scenes pre-match analysis session led by a senior expert from FIFA's technical study group .

▲ The Monterrey native declares himself ready after becoming the first tricolor driver to compete in this category in Mexico. Photo Cuartoscuro Photo Cuartoscuro

La Jornada Newspaper, Friday, June 13, 2025, p. a12

Daniel Suárez, driver for the Trackhouse Racing team, is aware that he faces one of the biggest challenges of his life this weekend, competing in the first scoring race in Mexico of the NASCAR Cup Series, the top category of the championship, which will be held at the Hermanos Rodríguez racetrack. The Monterrey native believes it is extremely important to have a Mexican representative to attract more fans, just as Sergio Pérez did in Formula 1.

I've met many fans in recent days who have followed me from NASCAR Mexico, as well as other motorsports fans who were unaware that a Mexican driver was in the series. Checo was the Latin American representative in F1 for many years, and I'm sure he'll continue to do so. It was my turn to represent the country in NASCAR, and I feel very fortunate to have that responsibility , he declared yesterday at a press conference.

A sport with deep roots in the United States requires a major media push to go international. Ben Kennedy, great-grandson of NASCAR founder Bill France Sr., decided in recent years to move the family business beyond its comfortable confines in search of greater reach.

In 2022, he moved the preseason exhibition—the Clash—from its usual home at Daytona International Speedway in Florida to a temporary track built inside the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. This year, Kennedy moved the Clash to The Madhouse, the historic Bowman Gray Stadium, which last hosted a Cup Series race in 1971.

"I've been racing in various American cities for over 10 years, and the Mexican and Latino communities have always made me feel at home, it's incredible. However, it's not where I was born and raised, so racing at the Hermanos Rodríguez is truly extraordinary. There are so many people excited, and rightfully so; it's the first time NASCAR's biggest stars have come to our country ," Suárez commented.

Kennedy intends to expand, which will materialize on Sunday with the first international points-scoring race in the Cup Series since 1958. It will be only the third time in 67 years that NASCAR's top series will hold a championship race outside the United States. The most recent two were in Canada. The Cup Series has held exhibitions in Japan and Australia.

Our greatest opportunity to grow as a sport is to go international , Kennedy emphasized when he announced that Mexico City would replace one of the two races on the schedule assigned to the Richmond International Raceway.

The United States will always be our main base. We've said we wanted to expand for a long time, but we also needed to make sure it was the right time, the right partners, and the right location. This city ticked all the boxes. Being in one of the largest cities in the world, with more than 20 million people, is a huge opportunity to showcase the sport .

The roar of engines in the capital begins today and ends on Sunday. It includes the second-tier Xfinity Series and the NASCAR Mexico Series. Ticket prices range from 1,400 to 10,000 pesos.

Suárez, the only Mexican-born driver to win a race in the national series, has two wins in the Cup Series, three in Xfinity Series, and one in the Truck Series.

I've been looking forward to this weekend since the announcement. The track looks incredible, it's impressive, and there are so many people just like me who are excited. I started dreaming about this back in 2016, when I became the first non-American driver to win a championship. Then, many people realized there was a Mexican representative in the series, and I realized there were so many opportunities.

AFP

La Jornada Newspaper, Friday, June 13, 2025, p. a12

Brussels. The legendary Eddy Merckx, considered one of the greatest cyclists of all time, follows the sport closely and admitted that he would have liked to compete in the current peloton , just days away from turning 80.

"Of course I would have loved to compete against the riders in the current peloton! Who wouldn't dream of racing now?" said the former Belgian cyclist, admitting that he would have especially liked to compete against Slovenian Tadej Pogacar.

The man with 525 victories, a cycling legend who was received yesterday by King Philippe of Belgium, is very informed about what is happening in his sport: I now watch the Dauphiné every day; it is a very beautiful race .

Merckx enjoyed Wednesday's victory over fellow countryman Remco Evenepoel in the Dauphiné time trial, which helped him take the overall lead in the competition, considered the dress rehearsal before each Tour de France.

Evenepoel pulled off a huge coup. Beating Jonas Vingegaard by 20 seconds and Pogacar by even more (48 seconds) is a huge feat. Maybe Remco was having a great day and Tadej a worse one. But a gap like that surprised me , he said.

Difficult to compare

Regarding Pogacar, whom many often consider his sporting heir, Merckx prefers not to analyze the two. "It's difficult to compare two different eras ," said the Belgian, whose career spanned from 1965 to 1978.

I think there was even more competition in my time. Today, in the classics, Pogacar especially has to be wary of (Mathieu) Van der Poel and (Wout) Van Aert. In the major races, he has other opponents , he noted.

Slow

Regarding safety in the current peloton, Merckx believes that people are moving fast now and taking big risks on the descents .

Therefore, he would not be opposed to taking measures to reduce speed, although the president of the International Cycling Union (UCI), David Lappartient, is initially reluctant to address the issue.

The strongest will survive. In Formula 1, there are rules to limit car performance. Why not do the same in cycling? he wondered. But in his opinion, speed isn't the only cause of crashes.

I'm noticing that cyclists are riding less and less in competitions to prioritize long training sessions. They lose their bearings when they go to races and perform less well in the peloton , he estimated.

Personally, Merckx is confident that he will be back on a bike soon , a few months after suffering a fall in January that forced him to undergo surgery twice.

Regarding his 80th birthday, which will be next Tuesday, he said he plans to celebrate it quietly and with his family. "I won't do anything special ," he concluded.

AP and AFP

La Jornada Newspaper, Friday, June 13, 2025, p. a12

London. Wimbledon's prize money has increased to a record 53.5 million pounds (about $73 million), and the singles champions will each earn 3 million pounds ($4 million), All England Club officials announced yesterday.

The total amount is 3.5 million pounds ($6.8 million) more than last year, a seven percent increase – and exactly double the prize money awarded to competitors in the grass-court Grand Slam 10 years ago.

Deborah Jevans, All England chairman, said: "We're immensely proud of the fact that if you look back 10 years you can see the increase over that period and the seven percent this year. We've listened to the players ."

The 2025 winners' checks represent an 11.1 percent increase over last year's prizes for men's and women's singles champions, and come amid growing demands from players for a larger share of Grand Slam earnings.

In early April, members of the world's top 20 tennis players wrote to Grand Slam organizers (the Australian Open, the US Open, Roland Garros, and Wimbledon) regarding the redistribution of revenue generated. The signatories believed that the portion allocated to players was too low.

Tennis players who lose in the first round of singles will receive 66,000 pounds, 10 percent more than the previous year.

“The prize money changes at four Grand Slam events do not address the core challenge facing tennis,” Jevans added.

The challenge with tennis is the fact that players don't have the off-season they want, they have mounting injuries that they're talking about, and we've always said that we, as Wimbledon, are willing to engage and talk to the tours to try to find solutions, and that door remains open.

Wimbledon begins on June 30 and ends on July 13, with reigning champions Carlos Alcaraz and Barbora Krejcikova competing. For the first time at the oldest Grand Slam , line umpires will be replaced by an electronic line calling system.

▲ Isaac Paredes hit a four-run shot in the fifth inning to make it 4-2 at Daikin Park in Houston. The Mexican hit his 15th home run of the season. AP Photo

From the Editorial Staff

La Jornada Newspaper, Friday, June 13, 2025, p. a30

Isaac Paredes' batting power was key in connecting a home run that led the Houston Astros to a 4-3 victory over the Chicago White Sox and a 2-1 series victory.

With the scoreboard at 3-2 in the fifth inning in favor of the Houston franchise, Paredes hit a home run to increase the lead by another run, which would be the difference.

It was the 15th home run of the season for the Mexican, who had only hit a home run a week ago in the series against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Although the White Sox added another run in the ninth inning on a home run by Tauchman, the victory was already sealed for the Astros.

Pitcher Framber Valdez earned the win by striking out 12 in five innings, while Davis Martin took the loss after six innings.

The New York Mets, led by Dominican Juan Soto, confirmed their status as the team in best shape so far by beating the Washington Nationals 4-3.

Meanwhile, the New York Yankees swept the Kansas City Royals in their series, beating them 1-0 in Game 3 after Pablo Reyes came home after taking advantage of a defensive error by Lucas Erceg.

In Milwaukee, Jacob Misiorowski pitched five hitless innings to give the Brewers a 6-0 win over the Cardinals, in a game that marked his debut and which he was forced to leave due to calf and quadriceps cramps.