Anti-World Cup Protests Announced for Mexico vs Portugal Match at Estadio Azteca

ByKarla Mora

This article by Karla Mora originally appeared in the March 22, 2026 edition of El Sol de México.

Residents and groups opposed to the World Cup in Mexico City announced that on March 28, during the reopening of the Estadio Azteca (Azteca Stadium) with the friendly match between Mexico and Portugal, they will hold demonstrations in the area.

Members of the Neighbourhood Assembly Against Megaconstructions are demanding an end to police and media harassment, stating that there is repression against their movement.

In a statement issued next to the Estadio Azteca, where they have been carrying out various activities for several months to express their disagreement with the World Cup, they pointed out that, despite the recently inaugurated works around the stadium, privatization and water scarcity continue in the area.

They asserted that the newly inaugurated Water Garden is “a bargaining chip” to prevent protests over water access in the area. Furthermore, they accused the Mexico City Water Management Secretariat of having promised, since its construction, to implement a joint project managed by the residents themselves.

They also point out that the agency did not provide technical details about the project, nor did it comment on the storage capacity. Similarly, there was no explanation as to why the rainwater harvesting infrastructure is located within the parking lot of Azteca Stadium, a private property.

“Within the meetings called by SEGIAGUA with the surrounding residents, they presented a series of properties that would serve to recharge the aquifer and that are even larger than the Rain Garden presented by the head of government,” the Neighbourhood Assembly indicated.

“One of these sites is the Teotongo property, where Clara Brugada once announced a theme park called ‘Coyoasauria’ to host the World Cup. All of the neighboyrhood proposals have been overshadowed bythe city authorities.”