The last several days in Guadalajara’s metropolitan zone have been mostly all things FIFA, as the 2026 World Cup held its tournament opener in Mexico City on Thursday and the GDL metro area successfully hosted its first 2026 World Cup match on the same day at Guadalajara Stadium (Estadio Akron). The excitement brought local fans and foreign visitors alike into the streets all weekend — to attend Thursday’s game in town, to raucously celebrate Mexico’s 2-1 victory over South Africa and to party and watch games throughout the weekend at fan zones set up in Guadalajara and Zapopan.
Violent rainstorms on Friday, however, literally put a temporary damper on celebrations as the metro zone saw flooding that suspended afternoon fan events in the afternoon right in the middle of the much-hyped U.S.-Paraguay match.
World Cup fan zones draw crowds into the streets throughout the weekend
By Friday afternoon, a day after Mexico’s emphatic win against South Africa and the massive crowds around the various fan fests across the metro area, the scene around Zapopan on Friday was less hectic, but still lively.
Canada’s opening game on Friday in Toronto, against a feisty and foul-prone Bosnia and Herzegovina squad and which ended in a 1-1 draw — brought enthusiastic viewers to Zapopan’s Fan Fest zone in the municipality’s historic center —a relaxed crowd of mostly Mexicans, along with a smattering of foreign tourists.
With the 15th-century Basilica de Zapopan as its backdrop, this Fan Fest zone is occupying the Plaza de las Americas, with live broadcasts on match days under a massive tent with three enormous screens and capacity for about 3,000 fans. Inside, concession stands are offering an array of refreshments, including tacos de barbacoa, burgers, Corona beer, tejuino — a corn-based fermented drink popular here — and devastatingly potent Tequila popsicles, a culinary invention that’s pure Jalisco.
A pair of friendly Czechs who were visiting from Vancouver said they were still reeling from their team’s lackluster 1-2 loss against South Korea at Guadalajara Stadium on Thursday — and their arduous three-hour postgame journey from the stadium to the Colonia Americana neighborhood, where they were staying. Despite the logistical challenges they faced, they were quick to praise Guadalajara’s warm hospitality and excellent food.
Also enjoying Zapopan’s Fan Fest was Harry, a Seoul native who had traveled here from Dallas. He was still beaming from the South Korean squad’s victory over Czechia. Keen to take in his team’s next match next Thursday against Mexico at Guadalajara Stadium but lacking a ticket on account of the US $3,000 asking price, Harry said he was bound for Monterrey, Nuevo León.
Apart from the displeasure with astronomical ticket prices, another recurring theme in our conversations with first-time visitors to Guadalajara at this event was the stark contrast between what they said were international media headlines fixated on Jalisco’s cartel violence and the peaceful, fun-loving city they’ve been experiencing firsthand.
Unexpected thunderstorms on Friday abruptly halt festivities
Fans at a celebration in Guadalajara’s historic center react to the FIFA Fan Fest zone’s outdoor broadcast screen announcing the halting of festivities due to oncoming thunderstorms.
Friday’s highly anticipated U.S.-Paraguay match, held in Los Angeles, drew a few hundred watchers to the University of Guadalajara’s open-air Fut Fest fan celebration zone, located at the University Cultural Center (UCC) on Zapopan’s north side. At a clamshell-covered amphitheater, on what’s billed as the largest screen in Latin America — the venue also hosts Guadalajara’s annual international FICG film festival — the largely pro-U.S. crowd enjoyed the fast-paced, scrappy play as Team USA surged to a 3-0 lead at the half.
A few minutes into the second half, however, all hell broke loose as an intense storm swept across the UCC grounds, bringing hurricane-like winds and buckets of rain. Drenched fans and staff scurried for cover, taking refuge under porticos and the venue’s small service area.
It was just one example of official outdoor fan events around the metro area that were abruptly halted due to the inclement weather. The thunderstorms raged off and on for several hours, paralyzing the metro area with flooded streets, downed trees and power lines, as well as the suspension of light-rail service. Electrical and internet outages continued to plague the metro area well into Saturday.
Families of missing persons hold silent protest in Guadalajara center
A coalition of four civilian missing persons search groups displayed the faces and basic details of 16,000 missing persons, according to reporting by the news media outlet Milenio.
Against a backdrop of 50,000-plus World Cup revelers last Thursday afternoon in Guadalajara’s historic center, a group of silent protesters took advantage of the crowds to ask a simple but poignant question:
Dónde están? (Where are they?)
Carrying umbrellas featuring photographs of their missing relatives (and to protect themselves from the midday sun), members of the collectives Manos Buscadoras (Searching Hands), Huellas de Amor (Footprints of Love), Guerreros Buscadores de Jalisco (Searching Warriors of Jalisco) and Colectiva Hilos marched from the Obregón area to the historic center’s Fan Fest zone. Blocked from entering by local police, they moved on to the front of the iconic Guadalajara cathedral.
The protesters were calling for more public resources to support the search for missing people. Their presence in the city’s historic center is also intended to increase awareness among those celebrating the World Cup that their self-funded searches for missing loved ones continue unabated.
“Just as people are very attentive to the World Cup, just as the government used all its resources to make the city look beautiful and welcome all the foreign people, we also want the government to turn its attention to us,” said María Guadalupe Cortés, a member of Guerreros Buscadores de Jalisco.
Around the Zapopan Fan Fest zone, there have been far fewer signs of protest, save a handful of posters long predating the tournament that feature the faces of missing persons.
Light-rail service expands hours and capacity during World Cup
There’s good news for residents and soccer fans concerned about getting around Guadalajara during the World Cup: City officials announced last week that light-rail operating hours and capacity have been expanded to accommodate the high volume of visitors attending games and locals with plans to celebrate around town.
The urban train operator Siteur said it’s increasing capacity by 12% on lines 1, 2 and 3 of the light-rail system through July 19 — the day of the FIFA World Cup finals — from 24,000 to 27,000 passengers.
In addition, the Mi Macro Periférico and Line 5 Macro Airport routes will extend operating hours on match days at Guadalajara Stadium — June 18, 23 and 26 — for up to four hours afterward.
For those attending Fan Fest in the historic center, service on light-rail lines 1, 2 and 3 will also be extended by two hours on the remaining days of the tournament. Normally, light-rail service in Guadalajara ends around 11 p.m.
Click here for Siteur’s map of the city’s entire public transport system.
MND Writer Dawn Stoner is reporting from Guadalajara.
