Mexico City’s Estadio Banorte will host the opening game of the World Cup next month. Hector Vivas/Getty Images
Mexico will make history this summer as the first country to host three World Cups, but the excitement over that record is not reflected among Mexican fans.

Francisco Javier Ferreira remembers the two World Cups he attended in his home country in 1970 and 1986, but he will not be able to attend the third. The 70-year-old says the high cost of tickets for the 13 matches on Mexican soil, combined with the difficulty of getting a ticket and the limited number of games assigned to Mexico as the third host country, has dampened his excitement as a fan.

“For Mexico’s economic reality, the only people who have the most means will be able to get in,” he said.

Of the 104 matches in this year’s World Cup, four will be played in Monterrey, four in Guadalajara, and five at the newly renovated Banorte Stadium in Mexico City, including the opening match between Mexico and South Africa.

When FIFA released a second round of tickets in April, prices for the first game in Mexico, on June 11, ranged from $3,000 to $10,000. The sky-high ticket costs are unaffordable for most Mexicans, like Ferreira, who is retired and receives an average monthly income of $1,000.

Fans walk near the Estadio Banorte before a friendly match between Mexico and Portugal in March. Quetzalli Nicte-Ha/Reuters
“It doesn’t feel the same as the previous two World Cups. This World Cup basically belongs to the United States. It doesn’t feel Mexican. That’s how it feels to me because even ticket prices are out of reach for everyone,” he laments.

Criticism from fans has been increasing over ticket prices at this year’s tournament. When FIFA released a new set of official tickets for the World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey last week, they went on sale at $10,990 each, per the Associated Press.

On FIFA’s own resale marketplace, the cheapest standard ticket for the final is now listed at just under $11,000, with some lower deck tickets for the final going for nearly $3 million each. FIFA does not control the asking prices on this portal, with existing ticket holders essentially allowed to charge whatever they want. FIFA does, though, take a 15% cut from both the buying and selling sides.

When asked about the ticket prices in Mexico, FIFA said it had “established a ticket sales and secondary market model that reflects standard ticket market practices for major sporting and entertainment events across the host countries.”

FIFA added that it has also offered tickets starting at USD $60, and at least 1,000 tickets at that price point were made available for every match, including the final, allocated specifically to supporters of qualified teams through their respective national associations.

It is not clear how many of those $60 tickets were purchased by Mexican fans for in-country games. FIFA did not provide figures on how many tickets at the lowest price tier were sold or claimed.

Complaints cloud the build up

Mexico City’s Estadio Banorte, formerly known as the Estadio Azteca, reopened after 22 months of renovations, which included installing a new hybrid pitch, an LED screen system, surveillance cameras, new seats and an expansion of capacity from 82,000 to 86,000 spectators. However, attending matches at this stadium during the World Cup has become unaffordable for many.

Alan Rea attended the reopening match at Estadio Banorte with his one-year-old son in his arms. He admits his dream of taking him to a World Cup vanished when he couldn’t get tickets. Still, he remains upbeat and decided to share with him the experience of seeing the renovated stadium during the Mexico vs. Portugal international friendly match on March 28.

“I think we should have gotten the whole World Cup and not just the 13 games in Mexico — but anyway, we’re going to make the most of every match that comes,” he said after taking a selfie outside the stadium before going in.

The stadium’s reopening in Mexico City — one of the largest in the world — also sparked disappointment. While city authorities described the “test run” as positive, fans said otherwise. The stadium was still not fully finished, there was no parking access for the general public, and drivers’ entry was restricted to “special guests.”

That forced the nearly 82,000 spectators who attended that Saturday to walk about two kilometers, clogging access points even for those who arrived an hour early for the friendly. The game ended in a scoreless draw but not without incident: a 26-year-old fan died after falling from the box-seat area while intoxicated.

Security as another point of concern

Although authorities have reiterated that this will be a great World Cup, security remains one of the main concerns for tourists. Mexico recently saw scenes of violence with cartel roadblocks after the arrest of Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes, the founder of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel on February 22. On April 27, there were tense moments, with cars set on fire in Nayarit after the capture of Oseguera’s alleged successor, known as “El Jardinero.”

The security concerns were reinforced by FIFA President Gianni Infantino during his visit to the National Palace on March 30, after meeting with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.

“Are there security conditions for the millions of international visitors who plan to come to Mexico for the World Cup?” President Claudia Sheinbaum was asked at her morning news conference after these events.

Mexico faces big challenges, and the reality contrasts with the image authorities are trying to project of this World Cup as a celebration.

Police officers stand guard near posters of missing people during a protest outside the Estadio Banorte in March. Quetzalli Nicte-Ha/Reuters
Proof of that were the demonstrations that took place outside the stadium during its reopening, which included protesters denounced the country’s disappearance crisis.

Young people also organized a pickup soccer game on one of the main access avenues, blocking traffic for vehicles trying to reach the stadium. Their complaint: a lack of water and affordable housing in Mexico’s capital. The World Cup has driven up rents in Mexico City, with many apartments converted into short-term rentals. The young people said this World Cup “has become elitist.”

With problems at home far more pressing than hosting a World Cup, the celebratory mood appears to have deflated.