World Cup art initiatives go for goal in Mexico City

Mexico City is planning a large cultural programme to coincide with the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which kicks off in June at the recently renovated Estadio Azteca—its third World Cup opening match after 1970 and 1986. Mayor Clara Brugada announced that more than 1,000 murals will be painted across the city, many inspired by the Mesoamerican ritual ball game, while culture secretary Claudia Curiel de Icaza said in December that renovations are underway at 12 museums and 46 archaeological sites nationwide, including Teotihuacan. Mexico’s tourism ministry expects the tournament to bring more than 5 million visitors, and a new Indigenous textile museum in Mexico City, the Museo Textil de los Pueblos Indígenas y Afromexicanos, is scheduled to open in May. Museo Jumex will mount “Football & Art. A Shared Emotion” (28 March–26 July 2026), curated by Guillermo Santamarina, including a new participatory installation by the collective Tercerunquinto using bleachers made from recycled Estadio Azteca seats.

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