Sheinbaum’s mañanera in 60 seconds
- 🏟️ Protests won’t stop fans reaching stadium for World Cup opener: Sheinbaum dismissed concerns that Thursday’s planned demonstrations near Mexico City Stadium would impede World Cup fans, saying “everything is under control” and recommending fans simply leave earlier than usual to reach the venue in time for the opening ceremony.
- 🎪❓ Zócalo Fan Festival opening in doubt: The president raised the possibility that the FIFA Fan Festival in Mexico City’s main square may not open on Thursday — likely due to the CNTE protest camp nearby — and directed fans to 18 alternative free viewing sites across the capital. An official announcement was expected Wednesday afternoon.
- 👮♀️ Security guaranteed for World Cup tourists: Sheinbaum insisted that visitors to Mexico during the tournament would enjoy “complete safety.” She cited rising international tourism figures and noted that Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey are all seeing an influx of arrivals ahead of the 13 matches to be played in Mexico.
- ✈️🕳️ CDMX Airport “perfect” despite structural incidents: The president declared AICM fully operational, despite a sinkhole appearing on a Terminal 2 vehicle ramp and a pedestrian bridge section falling last week. She said a second and third phase of renovations would follow after the World Cup.
- ⚽ President to monitor opening day closely: Sheinbaum said she must remain “attentive to everything that happens” on Thursday — security, protests, logistics — whether she watches the Mexico–South Africa match at a fan site or from the National Palace.
- 🍀🇲🇽 No prediction, just good vibes for El Tri: Asked for a score forecast, Sheinbaum declined, offering only “good vibes” for the Mexican national team before closing the press conference with three World Cup videos and a wish of good luck to El Tri.
Why today’s mañanera matters
The start of the FIFA men’s World Cup is now just one day away, and the situation in Mexico City — where the opening ceremony and first match will take place on Thursday — is not exactly as authorities would like.
Various groups of protesters plan to descend on the Mexico City Stadium on Thursday just as the Mexico-South Africa match is kicking off, but President Claudia Sheinbaum on Wednesday asserted that demonstrations would not cause problems for football fans traveling to the arena better known as Azteca Stadium (Estadio Azteca).
Among the other significant remarks the president made at today’s mañanera was her revelation that the FIFA Fan Festival in the Zócalo, Mexico City’s main square, may not open on Thursday. Sheinbaum didn’t cite a specific reason why the Fan Festival might not open, but teachers affiliated with the CNTE teachers’ union have been protesting in the area for weeks, and their presence on Thursday could potentially create security concerns.
While most of Mexico’s World Cup focus is currently on Mexico City, Guadalajara is also gearing up to host a match on Thursday. South Korea will take on the Czech Republic at the Guadalajara Stadium at 8 p.m. Thursday.
Sheinbaum: Protests won’t affect World Cup fans’ travel to Mexico City Stadium
A reporter asked the president whether there were any concerns about World Cup fans’ capacity to reach the Mexico City Stadium due to the protests planned for Thursday.
“None,” Sheinbaum responded. “Everything is under control.”
⭕ La presidenta de México, Claudia Sheinbaum, asegura que “todo está bajo control” para la inauguración del #Mundial2026https://t.co/KQmmLYtT2l pic.twitter.com/3MNEwGh2h9
— EL PAÍS México (@elpaismexico) June 10, 2026
She agreed with the reporter’s suggestion that fans should leave early to make their way to the stadium, located in the southern Mexico City borough of Coyoacán.
“So that there is no problem, there is a recommendation to leave earlier,” Sheinbaum said.
“[Fans] will arrive at the stadium and it will be a very good opening ceremony,” she said before wishing the Mexican national team success in its opening match.
Sheinbaum raises the possibility that the FIFA Fan Festival in the Zócalo won’t open on Thursday
Asked whether she had decided where she would watch the Mexico-South Africa match, Sheinbaum responded:
“Yes. It’s very important. If for any reason the Zócalo can’t open on the day of the inauguration, there are 18 [additional fan] sites in Mexico City that were planned in advance by the mayor. … There are 18 sites you can attend without any problem. … I will take a decision in due course about whether we watch it here [in the National Palace] or whether I go to one of the 18 sites.”
Sheinbaum said that an announcement about the FIFA Fan Festival in the Zócalo — located adjacent to the National Palace in the historic center of Mexico City and near a large teachers’ protest camp — would likely be made on Wednesday afternoon.
⚽🎤 ¡A solo 2 días del Mundial 2026! Así luce el enorme escenario instalado en el Zócalo de la CDMX para la máxima fiesta del futbol.
Con pantallas gigantes, luces y montaje casi listo, el corazón de la capital ya se transforma en punto de reunión para miles de aficionados que… pic.twitter.com/jLpifXziCC
— La Crónica de Hoy (@LaCronicaDeHoy) June 10, 2026
“But if the Zócalo can’t be used for the inauguration for any reason, there are 18 sites where you can watch the match for free,” she said.
Sheinbaum: No security concerns for World Cup tourists in Mexico
Sheinbaum asserted that tourists visiting Mexico during the World Cup will enjoy “complete safety.”
She highlighted that international tourism to Mexico has increased this year, and noted that visitors are arriving in Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey for the upcoming World Cup matches, 13 of which will be played in Mexico.
“Mexico is in vogue,” Sheinbaum said, using a phrase that has become something akin to a tourism slogan for the federal government.
Sheinbaum: Mexico City airport is ‘perfect’
A sinkhole appeared on a vehicle access ramp at Terminal 2 of the Mexico City International Airport (AICM) this week and part of a pedestrian bridge at the airport detached and fell to the ground last week, but Sheinbaum asserted that AICM is in “perfect” condition.
“The first stage of the [upgrade to] the Benito Juárez International Airport was completed on time and [the airport] is operating very well,” she said.
“… After the World Cup, the second and third stages of the remodeling are coming,” Sheinbaum said.
Asked whether there was any concern about protests at AICM during the World Cup, the president responded:
“Both the Mexico City government and the government of Mexico are prepared. There is a lot of coordination and there is no problem.”
Sheinbaum says she will be attentive to ‘everything that happens’ on the opening day of the World Cup
Sheinbaum told reporters that she “obviously” has to be “attentive to everything that happens” during the opening day of the World Cup, the 23rd edition of the tournament.
“There is a [government] team that is in charge, but I have to be attentive,” she said.
Sheinbaum said she would be monitoring World Cup issues closely — including any security concerns or disruptions by protesters —whether she watches the opening match at one of the 18 fan sites in Mexico City or “right here” at the National Palace.
Sheinbaum declines to make a prediction on the Mexico-South Africa match
Sheinbaum, who presided over an official “sendoff ceremony” for the Mexican football team on Monday, declined to make a prediction on the outcome of the match between El Tri (Mexico) and Bafana Bafana (South Africa).
“There is no prediction, just good vibes for the [Mexican] team,” she said before presenting three World Cup-related videos.
“Good luck to the national team,” Sheinbaum said before concluding her press conference.
By Mexico News Daily chief staff writer Peter Davies (peter.davies@mexiconewsdaily.com)
