As Mexico prepares to host matches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, communities and conservationists are sounding the alarm: large-scale infrastructure tied to the games could undo years of environmental progress.
While the international spotlight is often on stadiums and spectacle, in Guadalajara, Mexico City, and Monterrey—the country’s three host cities—the impact of World Cup preparations is being measured in threatened ecosystems, water scarcity, and disappearing wildlife corridors.
“We expect 50,000 spectators and 4,000 cars for the Cup,” said Sandra Valdes, coordinator at ITESO University in Guadalajara. “It’s urgent to assess the pressure this will place on protected zones like La Primavera.”
This isn’t the first time a FIFA tournament has drawn environmental scrutiny. Organizers have repeatedly pledged carbon neutrality and green construction, but results have been mixed:
With North America jointly hosting the 2026 tournament, the question is whether the environmental legacy will reflect ambition—or fallout.
Guadalajara’s La Primavera Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO-designated site, surrounds Akron Stadium and provides critical habitat for Mexican pumas (Puma concolor), golden eagles, deer, and migratory birds. Conservationists with Anillo Primavera, a local network founded by ITESO University, have documented a rebound in the puma population since 2017 using camera traps.
But new roads and urban development linked to the World Cup could encroach on protected recharge zones and undermine this fragile comeback.
“Developers view the reserve as an opportunity for real estate,” said Pedro Alcocer, Anillo Primavera coordinator. “If the pumas disappear, so do the legal obstacles.”
Despite official claims of no current World Cup-related construction in Zapopan, local observers point to similar precedents—such as the 2011 Pan American Games, which led to illegal construction inside protected areas and the controversial repurposing of the Villa Panamericana.
Activists are now calling for a buffer zone around La Primavera to prevent further fragmentation, alongside protections from agave and berry monocultures driven by tequila exports.
In the capital, the planned expansion of Azteca Stadium—site of the 2026 World Cup opening match—has triggered legal challenges by Indigenous residents of Santa Úrsula Coapa and San Lorenzo Huipulco. Without prior consultation or environmental assessments, construction plans include:
Over 800 native trees face removal, including species critical to maintaining the Water Forest, a massive biological corridor that filters groundwater for millions in Mexico City.
“People are fascinated by football and don’t see what’s behind it,” said local activist Natalia Lara. “These buildings threaten the forest that supplies our water.”
In Monterrey, the BBVA Stadium was built in 2015 inside La Pastora Park, once a public green space. The stadium borders Río La Silla, a federally protected area and corridor for species such as migratory birds and the American beaver—recently spotted again after years of absence.
Infrastructure projects tied to the World Cup, including expanded roads and pedestrian paths, are raising red flags. Although marketed as public mobility improvements, residents argue they serve tourism logistics rather than local needs.
“These projects don't solve congestion,” said biologist Antonio Hernández. “They enable faster access from the airport to the stadium—but at the cost of wildlife protection.”
Despite requests, Mexico’s environment ministry (SEMARNAT) has not commented on the potential violations. Neither have local governments in Jalisco or Mexico City.
If the 2026 World Cup is to deliver on global expectations for environmental responsibility, Mexico’s local concerns must be taken seriously. Conservationists warn that without intervention, the games will prioritize short-term tourism gains over long-term ecological health.
“Light and noise pollution disrupt more than human life—they drive species like pumas away permanently,” Valdes said. “What we need is conservation-centered policy, not construction disguised as legacy.”
As the countdown to kickoff continues, the eyes of the world—and the climate—will be watching.
