LuxuryLab ESG Forum Frames Mexico City’s 2026 Urban Challenges

LuxuryLab ESG convened public officials, financial executives, and business leaders in Mexico City to explore how the capital can leverage the 2026 FIFA World Cup as a catalyst for sustainable urban development. The sixth edition of its Corporate Collaboration Talks, held at the JW Marriott Polanco, framed the global sporting event as a test of governance, investment discipline, and long-term planning, rather than a short-term infrastructure exercise.

Opening the conference, LuxuryLab ESG co-founders Erica Valencia and Abelardo Marcondes emphasized that Mexico faces a narrow window to define the city model it wants to present to the world. They urged participants to view the World Cup as an opportunity to integrate hospitality, mobility, environmental management, and social inclusion under a unified sustainability strategy, noting that global visibility would amplify both achievements and shortcomings.

Discussions began with governance and sustainable finance. Dunia Ludlow Deloya, director of SUPERISSSTE, highlighted that urban disorder and pressure on public space remain structural challenges for Mexico City. She stressed the importance of clearer regulations and coordinated planning that prioritize collective well-being and enable high-impact projects to scale.

Representing the financial sector, Mariuz Calvet, chief sustainability officer at Santander México, emphasized the role of capital allocation in shaping sustainable cities. “Sustainability means directing capital toward projects that generate measurable environmental and social benefits,” she said, stressing the need to accelerate climate finance and strengthen measurement and risk management systems to prevent greenwashing and ensure investor confidence ahead of major events like the World Cup.

Executives from the restaurant, automotive, and food sectors agreed that urban experience is closely tied to mobility, identity, and sustainability. Jack Sourasky, president of CANIRAC CDMX, noted that Mexico City has over 64,000 restaurants, calling the tournament “the greatest opportunity to transform hospitality, raise standards, and strengthen the sector’s global competitiveness.”

Sourasky highlighted the challenge of aligning thousands of SMEs with higher expectations around waste reduction, water use, labor practices, and supply chain transparency. He added that restaurants often shape visitors’ first impressions, making the sector strategically important for the city’s international image.

In response to the environmental challenges presented by the tournament, authorities have begun reinforcing public transport infrastructure across Mexico City. A new trolleybus line from Ciudad Universitaria to Huipulco will improve access to Estadio Azteca, which will host five matches, including the opener. The Xochimilco Light Rail line is being upgraded with 17 new trains, increasing daily capacity to 400,000 passengers. Along Calzada de Tlalpan, a key corridor served by both light rail and Metro Line 2, authorities are constructing a 36-kilometer bicycle lane, providing fans a zero-emissions alternative to reach the stadium.