The World Cup Opportunity: Accelerating Digital Payment Growth

The 2026 FIFA World Cup represents a critical window for Mexico to modernize and strengthen its payments ecosystem. The country is expected to welcome more than 5.5 million international visitors, generating an estimated economic impact of US$3 billion, with average spending of approximately US$1,165 per visitor. This is more than a tourism milestone, it is a historic opportunity to accelerate Mexico’s transition toward a modern, resilient payments infrastructure.

During major global events, visitors expect more than safety and a compelling cultural offering. They look for fast, secure, frictionless payment experiences akin to those available in advanced financial hubs. Experiences from previous Olympic Games, World Cups, and global expos demonstrate that the sophistication of a country’s payment infrastructure significantly shapes international perceptions of its modernity and economic readiness.

The influx of visitors and economic activity will place unprecedented pressure on Mexico’s payment rails — pressure that can serve as a powerful catalyst for change. It can help shift consumer behavior, drive the deployment of new technologies, and meaningfully reduce the nation’s structural reliance on cash. According to the National Survey of Financial Inclusion 2024, digital adoption continues to grow, yet cash remains the most frequently used payment method, particularly for low-value transactions.

This is precisely why the World Cup stands as a strategic inflection point. Most international visitors are accustomed to technologies that, in Mexico, are still in early-stage expansion: contactless payments, interoperable digital wallets, widely adopted QR codes, instant transfers, and seamless point-of-sale experiences. Their presence will require merchants, service providers, financial institutions, and regulators to meet higher operational and service standards.

And the challenge extends far beyond accepting foreign cards. It requires ensuring that the entire payments value chain operates efficiently and securely: updated terminals, robust connectivity, omnichannel service models, real-time fraud prevention, and biometric authentication that minimizes friction at the point of sale.

However, true transformation will not be defined solely by how Mexico serves visitors. It will depend on how effectively this momentum is leveraged to improve the everyday payment experience for Mexican consumers. Findings from our Pulso study confirm that trust — not knowledge — is the most decisive factor influencing digital payment adoption. People rely on cash not out of preference but out of fear: fear of fraud, poor connectivity, transaction errors, and unreliable service. Building trust requires far more than technology; it demands education, guidance, and user-centric design.

The World Cup can accelerate this process — if the event is treated as a strategic milestone that encourages the industry to elevate its technological, operational, and service benchmarks. The deeper question is not merely whether visitors will transact seamlessly. It is whether, once the stadium lights dim, Mexico will stand as a more digital nation, with higher electronic payment uptake, more small businesses integrated into the ecosystem, and stronger institutions prepared to compete in a global financial landscape.

This is where financial services must assume a role far beyond transaction processing. Genuine partnerships are needed, not simply to manage the event but to use it as a strategic springboard toward a more inclusive, efficient, and competitive financial system. Small businesses, particularly those operating informally, represent one of the most significant opportunities for digitalization.

We must also advance financial and digital literacy initiatives that help consumers overcome their concerns. If millions of Mexicans discover during those months that paying with a phone, a QR code, or an instant transfer is more convenient than using cash, that behavioral shift can endure and reshape the market long after the event concludes.

I view this World Cup not merely as a sporting event, but as a foundational moment for Mexico’s payments ecosystem, one that can reposition the country as a competitive financial destination capable of delivering world-class payment experiences. Once the visitors depart, the legacy should be clear: stronger infrastructure, more digitalized merchants, more confident consumers, and a financial industry better prepared for the future. That is the real match we need to win.