Mexican fans are passionately celebrating their national team's World Cup victories through massive street parties in cities like Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey, even as high ticket prices prevent many from attending games. With the average worker earning around $433 a month, tickets ranging from $140 to $8,680 (and up to $32,970 for the final) are largely unaffordable. This has led to social tensions, with many feeling excluded from "a party we weren't invited to," according to Diego Merla of Oxfam Mexico, who notes the World Cup's focus on maximizing revenue from those able to pay.
FIFA's high prices have drawn criticism, with FIFA President Gianni Infantino defending them as appropriate for the U.S. market, comparing them to college game prices of at least $300. In Mexico City, fans have set up TVs in working-class neighborhoods, reminiscent of the 1986 World Cup when neighbors shared screens. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has also criticized the costs and encourages attendance at free public watch parties in Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey, with nearly 20 such venues in the capital.
For the opener in Mexico City, tickets at Estadio Azteca reportedly cost between $3,000 and $5,000, nearly 10 months' wages for a median Mexican salary. Beyond stadium entry, viewing games at home has become more expensive, with many matches now requiring paid subscriptions rather than being available on free-to-air television. Even commercial establishments face fees ranging from about 4,000 Mexican pesos (approximately $230) for businesses with fewer than five tables to 22,000 pesos (approximately $1,260) for larger venues to broadcast the full tournament. This sentiment of exclusion is heightened by Mexico hosting only 13 of the 104 matches, with the majority in the U.S.
