World Cup to Boost Mexican Meat Exports

Mexico's meat industry expects exports to the United States and Canada to increase by up to 12% during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, driven by higher regional demand for beef, pork and processed meat products. The growth outlook comes as the sector adapts to restrictions on live cattle exports linked to the New World screwworm, prompting investment in feedlots, processing capacity and value-added production. Meat producers, livestock operators, processors and retailers across North America face ongoing supply chain, animal health and trade challenges that continue to influence market dynamics and pricing.

Mexican meat exports to the United States and Canada are expected to increase by as much as 12% during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. These projections come amid growing challenges across North America's meat supply chain. Raúl Riquelme, Director General, National Association of Federal Inspection Type Establishments (ANETIF), said exports of meat products to Canada and the United States are projected to rise between 5% and 12% during the 2026 FIFA World Cup season. "The World Cup represents a major opportunity to drive growth in Mexico's meat sector, both in domestic consumption and exports, particularly to North America," he said.

Riquelme noted that consumption of Mexican meat products during World Cup matches will be closely tied to fast-food businesses, bars, restaurants and households. Demand is expected to increase for sausages, chorizo, longaniza, skirt steak, ribeye, T-bone steaks, ribs, beef, pork and chicken products, as well as meat snacks such as jerky and dried meats.

"Together with our exporting partners and the National Association of Self-Service and Department Stores (ANTAD), we will offer a wide variety of products, all carrying the TIF Seal, a symbol of food safety, quality and hygiene," Riquelme said.

According to ANTAD, the World Cup is expected to boost sales at supermarkets and convenience stores by as much as 30%. Neighborhood retailers are projected to see direct sales growth of between 20% and 25%, while sales of beverages and snacks could increase by up to 35% during the tournament.

"The World Cup will generate significant benefits for Mexico City, Monterrey and Guadalajara, as higher attendance at restaurants and bars throughout June and July is expected to substantially increase meat consumption," said Riquelme.

The executive added that the tournament will also bring challenges for the meat industry, including preventing food waste in the restaurant and hospitality sectors, managing food demand, ensuring efficient cold-chain logistics, and complying with sanitary and regulatory standards.

A Complex Outlook for North America's Meat Industry 

These sales projections come as North America's meat supply chain faces mounting difficulties. In Mexico, restrictions on live cattle exports to the United States due to the New World screwworm, in place since 2024, have generated estimated losses of US$1.8 billion, according to the Mexican Meat Council (COMECARNE).

Ernesto Salazar, Economic Studies and Trade Manager, COMECARNE, said the impact has fallen primarily on Mexican cattle producers, who have been forced to keep animals longer than expected, increasing costs for feed, veterinary services, labor and production inputs.

However, Macarena Hernández, Director General, COMECARNE, said the beef sector has demonstrated resilience despite the export restrictions. Mexico's meat industry has taken advantage of the trade disruption by building its own feedlots, retaining cattle for longer periods before slaughter, and expanding processing facilities. Moving further up the value chain could ultimately prove profitable. During the first four months of 2026, Mexican meat exports to the United States surged, Hernández noted.

In 2025, exports of processed and packaged Mexican beef and pork gained greater market share in the United States. Mexico shipped 300,000 metric tons of beef and pork products to the US by the end of 2025, compared with 273,000 metric tons the previous year, representing a 10% increase. As a result, the value of Mexico's meat exports to the United States reached US$3.2 billion, up from US$2.9 billion a year earlier.

This shift in the value chain has generated controversy in the United States. "If they end up feeding and processing them in Mexico, how are we supposed to compete? We're handing them the feedlot industry on a silver platter. That's jobs, that's labor, that's people who won't have the opportunity to do that work here in the United States," said Kyle Williams, manager and co-owner of Lubbock Feeders, a Texas-based cattle feeding operation.

The situation has become even more complicated after the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) confirmed the detection of New World screwworm (NWS) in Texas last week. The case marks the first domestic detection following a year of intensified surveillance and cross-border containment efforts in Mexico and Central America aimed at delaying the parasite's entry into the United States. As of Monday morning, four cases had been confirmed in the state.

As a precautionary measure, authorities established a 20-kilometer quarantine zone around the farm where the first case was detected. Canada also temporarily banned the entry of any cattle that had been in Texas during the previous 21 days, according to a statement from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. The USDA estimates that combating the parasite could cost as much as US$1.8 billion in Texas alone.

These developments, combined with a prolonged drought across the United States, have contributed to rising retail beef prices. Steak prices increased 17% over the past year to reach US$13.02 per kilogram, while ground beef climbed to a record US$6.90 per kilogram, up 19% year over year. Meanwhile, wholesale beef brisket prices in Texas rose approximately 28% from a year earlier, according to data reported in April by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.