World Cup 2026 Could Spike Food Waste in Mexico

The FIFA World Cup 2026 could increase food waste in Mexico by up to 50% during the tournament month, as businesses scale up production to meet demand from millions of expected visitors without a national prevention strategy in place. The surge would intensify pressure on the agrifood, hospitality and retail sectors, where 37% to 40% of annual food production is already wasted, generating economic losses and higher greenhouse gas emissions. 

The FIFA World Cup 2026 could increase food waste in Mexico by up to 50% during the tournament month, as the country lacks a national strategy to manage the surge in food demand driven by millions of expected visitors.

Braulio Valenzuela, Country Manager, Cheaf, a Mexican food-rescue startup, said waste could rise particularly in the three host cities: Mexico City, Monterrey and Guadalajara. In a survey conducted by the company, more than 40% of respondents said the products most likely to be wasted are side dishes, bread and tortillas, cold cuts, cheeses and snacks.

By city, Monterrey leads expectations of surplus food, with 20% of respondents anticipating they will have “quite a lot” or “a lot” of food left over after matches. The figure was 13% in Mexico City and 12% in Guadalajara. In Monterrey, Valenzuela explained, habits associated with carne asada and its side dishes increase the risk of excess.

Valenzuela pointed out that, unlike the Paris Olympic Games 2024, where a national plan was implemented to prevent waste, Mexico has yet to put forward a comprehensive strategy to address the issue. For the Paris Olympics, the organizing committee implemented an integrated, sustainability-focused food management system aimed at cutting in half the carbon footprint of the 13 million meals served over four weeks.

To reduce food waste, planning covered the entire supply chain and portion control to minimize surpluses, alongside a commitment to recover 100% of unconsumed resources through donation, composting or conversion into renewable gas. The plan also prioritized local sourcing, with 80% of products coming from France, at least 30% organic inputs, full reuse of catering equipment and reduced single-use plastics by 50%.

Valenzuela added that with 5.5 million tourists expected to arrive in the country during the World Cup month, food businesses will be driven to produce based on optimistic sales projections. “It is very difficult to project how much food you are going to produce,” he said. In that context, overproduction and limited shelf life can generate surplus food with no destination.

According to the Cheaf executive, the risk is not limited to businesses. Large gatherings and celebrations in homes will also increase food purchases and preparation under a just-in-case mindset, which Cheaf has identified as one of the main sources of waste during special occasions. “Waste does not start when you finish eating; it starts at the moment of purchase,” Valenzuela said.

Cheaf estimates that between 37% and 40% of Mexico’s annual food production is wasted each year, accounting for more than 30Mt, with an economic value exceeding MX$490 billion (US$28.5 billion). That is equivalent to 2.5Mt per month. Considering that a person consumes around 500 kg of food per year, the monthly volume wasted could feed millions of people, Valenzuela said.

“When we talk about 30 million tons annually, we are talking about roughly one-third of all food produced not being consumed. If we are going to produce much more, we expect waste to be even higher,” he warned.

While Mexico has initiatives such as Cheaf, which has saved more than 10,000 t of food in the last five years, and Mexico’s Food Bank Network (Red BAMX), an organization that recovers more than 180 million kg of food annually, food waste remains a structural challenge in the country. In this context, Valenzuela noted that although the General Law on Adequate and Sustainable Food was approved in 2024, the corresponding regulations have not yet been published, hindering its implementation.

“There were 180 days after its publication in the Official Gazette to issue the regulations, and that has not happened. A few weeks ago, the Circular Economy Law was approved, which also covers much of this issue, but we are concerned it may face the same fate. Let’s not allow it to become a dead letter,” he said.

Valenzuela called for the design of a national plan to reduce food waste before and during the 2026 World Cup, with measures targeting businesses, households and authorities to prevent economic and environmental losses during one of the most important events the country will host.

Food Waste in Mexico

The 2013 World Bank report Pérdidas y Desperdicios de Alimentos en México (Food Lost and Waste in Mexico) highlights that each year the country wastes 28.7% of the tortillas produced, 43.1% of white bread, 35.4% of beef, 37.2% of rice, 38.7% of fish, 48.7% of shrimp, 43.1% of milk and 40.2% of pork. These figures place Mexico among the countries with the highest levels of food waste.

Luis Fernando González, Researcher, University Coordination for Sustainability, UNAM, underscored that food loss is not the same as food waste. The former refers to losses throughout the production process before food reaches the table, while the latter occurs when food is already available in stores or at home.

According to FAO, 14% of food, valued at approximately US$400 billion, is lost between harvest and distribution, while 17% is wasted at the distribution stage and among final consumers. Beyond the economic loss, decomposing food generates methane, the second-largest contributor to global warming after carbon dioxide. Food loss and waste account for 8% to 10% of annual global greenhouse gas emissions and contribute significantly to biodiversity loss, using nearly one-third of the world’s agricultural land, according to the UN Climate Change department.

González emphasised that to reduce the problem, the first step is better meal planning, taking into account the number of people for whom food will be prepared. Other actions include proper food storage to extend freshness and shelf life, purchasing local and seasonal fruits and vegetables, making use of available ingredients at home and separating organic waste to produce compost that can be used as fertilizer.