Monterrey Prepares to Shine as a FIFA World Cup 2026 Host

Q: What makes Monterrey stand out as one of the three Mexican host cities for the FIFA World Cup 2026, and what unique experiences can fans expect here? 

A: Monterrey is proud to be one of the 16 host cities for the FIFA World Cup 2026, and one of only three in Mexico. This is a testament to its rich soccer culture and vibrant community. Hosting the World Cup is a unique opportunity to showcase the city's soccer fervor to a global audience and reaffirm the city’s reputation.

Monterrey is recognized for its strong economy, industrial prowess, and role as a major business hub in Mexico. The city’s modern infrastructure, including state-of-the-art stadiums, demonstrates its preparedness to host this event. Monterrey is also an emerging tourism destination, with much to offer fans beyond the matches. Surrounded by stunning mountain landscapes, the city is increasingly attracting outdoor enthusiasts and adventure seekers. Its growing tourism sector includes unique attractions, cultural landmarks, and a rich gastronomic scene. Northeastern cuisine has also been gaining national and international acclaim, providing visitors with a taste of the region’s bold and authentic flavors.

Q: How has Monterrey’s rich football culture and history influenced the city’s selection and preparations as a host city?

A: Monterrey’s strong football tradition and history as a host city in the 1986 FIFA World Cup played a key role in its selection for 2026. Back then, the city hosted matches at Estadio Tecnológico and Estadio Universitario, welcoming iconic teams from the United Kingdom, Portugal, Morocco, and Spain. This time, the state-of-the-art Estadio BBVA will take center stage. Built just nine years ago, the stadium boasts modern amenities and recently renewed its LEED certification, highlighting its commitment to sustainability and recycling. Its cutting-edge design meets FIFA’s high standards.

The 2026 tournament is historic in many ways — spanning 16 cities across three countries, featuring 48 teams, 104 matches, and lasting 39 days. Monterrey will host four matches: three group-stage games on June 14, 20, and 24, and a round-of-32 match on June 29. This presents a unique opportunity for the city to once again showcase its football heritage and world-class facilities on the global stage.

Q: How is the city preparing its infrastructure to ensure a smooth experience for international visitors?

A: Monterrey is coordinating efforts among multiple stakeholders, including FIFA, municipal and state authorities, and private entities, to ensure a seamless experience for international visitors. The city is aligning its plans with global standards, drawing on FIFA’s benchmarks from previous tournaments. Collaboration efforts involve several municipalities like Guadalupe, Monterrey, Apodaca, San Pedro, and Santiago, ensuring all key areas — stadiums, hotels, the airport, and training facilities — follow a cohesive strategy.

One priority is improving mobility, so the state is investing heavily in eco-friendly buses, new metro lines, and other public transportation upgrades. These enhancements will support a robust mobility plan, including public transit, metro access, designated traffic corridors, and Park-and-Ride systems. These measures aim to make transportation to matches at Estadio BBVA and events like the 39-day Fan Festival at Parque Fundidora convenient and efficient for both locals and visitors.

In 2024, the city hosted significant events like the Supercopa Monterrey, featuring international Sub-19 teams, and a Legends Game that united global football icons with Mexican legends. These events showcased Monterrey’s organizational capacity, generating over 428 million media impressions across 56 countries. It also debuted the “Jersey Regio,” symbolizing unity among fans. Monterrey has scheduled at least six high-profile events in 2025 between March and October. These events will include four city-organized activities and potentially two additional events. With infrastructure improvements, enhanced transportation, and a packed agenda of activities, Monterrey is not only preparing to welcome the world but also positioning itself as one of the standout venues for the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Q: How is Monterrey planning to leverage this international exposure to foster long-term growth in areas like tourism, real estate, and business? 

A: Monterrey is strategically collaborating with key stakeholders, including Nuevo Leon Minister of Tourism Maricarmen Martínez, the Tourism Cluster, the Office of Conventions and Visitors, the Association of Hotels, and CODETUR, to ensure the FIFA World Cup 2026 leaves a lasting legacy. The goal is to create meaningful impact across tourism, real estate, business, and broader societal areas such as education, health, human rights, environmental sustainability, and inclusion.

These efforts aim to ensure that the World Cup becomes a turning point for the city and the metropolitan area, improving the quality of life for its residents. Investments and initiatives aim to create a positive transformation in communities surrounding the stadium and across Monterrey.

Recent events, such as the Legends Game, have already showcased Monterrey’s potential on the global stage. International players and visitors left impressed by the city’s stunning mountain landscapes, warm hospitality, and the passionate energy of its people. These experiences highlight Monterrey’s ability to create memorable moments and position itself as a vibrant and attractive destination for tourists, investors, and businesses alike. 

Q: What initiatives are underway in Monterrey to prepare for the FIFA World Cup 2026 and ensure an exceptional experience for visitors? 

A: Monterrey is actively working on several key initiatives to ensure the success of the FIFA World Cup 2026 and to establish itself as an exemplary host city. A major focus is the Volunteer Program, which extends across all three host cities but will require over 4,500 volunteers in Monterrey alone. The program’s timeline includes the opening of a Volunteer Center in September 2025. Volunteers are envisioned as the core of the visitor experience. To complement this effort, city-wide campaigns will encourage the broader community to participate as exceptional hosts during the event.

Monterrey is also leveraging a pre-World Cup event platform that combines sports, culture, and local identity to build excitement. The Music, Football, and Gastronomy Festival, scheduled for May 3, 2025, in Parque Fundidora, will celebrate the region’s vibrant culture and cuisine. The Cinema and Football Festival, a four-day event planned for August 2025, will offer a unique blend of film and football. These events will allow organizers to refine logistics and address challenges ahead of the World Cup. 

Q: What lasting legacy do you hope the World Cup will leave for Monterrey, both in terms of sports culture and community development? 

A: The World Cup is expected to leave a lasting legacy in Monterrey and in key institutions like FEMSA, Monterrey Football Club, Tigres, and CEMEX. The city is actively working on a legacy program that includes the creation of a dedicated Legacy Committee. We will deliver a comprehensive report three months after the World Cup, detailing the tangible impacts made in areas such as education, health, the environment, human rights, inclusion, and sustainability. This will be supported by concrete data and testimonies to ensure that the World Cup leaves a meaningful, long-term impact on the community. 

Q: How will the FIFA Corridor project enhance connectivity and mobility for fans visiting Monterrey during the World Cup? 

A: The FIFA Corridor project is being developed in collaboration with FIFA and Deloitte to assess the economic impact of the World Cup on all 16 host cities, including Monterrey. The city is actively working to calculate its expected economic benefits, as this data will be crucial in understanding the true economic impact of hosting the World Cup.

Q: What are Monterrey’s goals for future international sporting events, and how is the city positioning itself on the global stage? 

A: Monterrey’s goal is to become the best host city for the World Cup, using these events as opportunities to showcase the city and region, test its capabilities, and create valuable experiences for visitors. While Monterrey is well-positioned as a destination for festivals and football, it is working to strengthen its cultural image, which is not yet fully recognized internationally. Efforts are underway to raise awareness of its cultural offerings, including a collaboration with the Festival Internacional Santa Lucía, which will align with the World Cup in 2026 to enhance the city’s content offerings during the event. The city aims to break the Guinness World Record for the most visitors at a fan festival, targeting over 2 million attendees. 

Monterrey has also been leveraging social media to increase its visibility, becoming the host city with the most followers. Moving forward, the city will continue to engage in strategic partnerships, create content, and explore new opportunities to elevate its global presence.

Monterrey FWC26 is managing the organization of four matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and several other events. The FIFA World Cup will be hosted across 16 cities in Mexico, the United States, and Canada.