Yucatecans Pack Public Fan Zones to Watch World Cup Action

Yucatán didn’t get an official day off, but that didn’t stop hundreds of soccer fans from finding a way to watch Mexico’s opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Thursday — even as a tropical storm system soaked the state.

The biggest organized crowd in Mérida gathered at the Unidad Deportiva Inalámbrica, the only state-sponsored site in the capital with a giant screen for the occasion. Fans who showed up early were treated to games and giveaways — T-shirts, horns and other prizes — before the opening ceremony began.

Gov. Joaquín Díaz Mena had announced nine official viewing sites across Yucatán earlier in the week as part of a state government program, defending the cost of securing FIFA licenses as part of a broader push by President Claudia Sheinbaum to make the tournament accessible to fans who can’t afford stadium tickets or pay-TV packages. Officials said the Federal Tourism Secretariat helped secure discounted rates, particularly for sites in Pueblos Mágicos.

“We believe Yucatecans deserve to experience this World Cup, and that’s why we’re offering this opportunity to watch the games,” Díaz Mena said Tuesday during a meeting with reporters. “Yes, it’s a financial effort, but Yucatecans deserve it.”

Outside the capital, the state’s screens went up at municipal palaces in Izamal, Valladolid, Ticul, Kanasín and Tizimín, along with the Progreso malecón, the Polifuncional Padre Eterno in Tekax and the Unidad Deportiva Solidaridad in Umán.

The weather didn’t cooperate, though. Forecasters had warned for days that the remnants of tropical storm Cristina would bring heavy rain to the Yucatán Peninsula, with totals of 50 to 75 millimeters (about 2 to 3 inches) expected in parts of the state, along with lightning and wind gusts of up to 50 kilometers per hour (about 30 mph). The system arrived right on schedule Thursday, soaking outdoor gathering spots just as the opening match got underway.

Notably, Mérida’s city government — separate from the state program — had earlier said it would not set up its own public screens for the tournament. Still, activities had been planned at the Plaza Grande and La Plancha park for opening day. Whatever was scheduled there didn’t draw much of a crowd: with the rain falling as forecast, turnout at both spots was thin. It’s unclear whether those locations had screens of their own or just smaller giveaways and recreational activities, separate from the state’s nine official sites.

Many fans simply moved indoors. Bars, cantinas and restaurants across the city showed the match despite the threat of fines for venues that violate FIFA’s commercial restrictions — penalties that can reach MX$28 million (roughly US$1.5 million), according to earlier reporting.

“It’s obvious — if you don’t want to go somewhere family-friendly where there’s no alcohol, you should be able to go to your favorite bar and watch the game like always,” one fan at a downtown bar said.

Families, groups of friends, couples and solo fans packed into bars and restaurants to cheer Mexico’s 2-0 win over South Africa, a result that made history as the first opening match for a three-time World Cup host nation.

Rain or no rain, Yucatecans found a way to take part in the opening day of the tournament — whether that meant a folding chair at a sports complex or a barstool with a good view of the screen.

---

Fast Facts: Watching the World Cup in Yucatán

• State-sponsored screen in Mérida: Unidad Deportiva Inalámbrica (the only official site in the capital)
• Other official sites: Progreso malecón, Polifuncional Padre Eterno (Tekax), Unidad Deportiva Solidaridad (Umán), and municipal palaces in Izamal, Valladolid, Ticul, Kanasín and Tizimín
• Remaining state-screened match dates: June 18 (vs. South Korea) and June 25 (vs. Czech Republic), both starting at 7 p.m.
• Opening day brought 2 to 3 inches of rain in parts of Yucatán, plus lightning and wind gusts up to 30 mph, tied to the remnants of tropical storm Cristina
• The city of Mérida did not set up its own public screens; activities planned for Plaza Grande and La Plancha drew few people due to the rain
• Mexico opened the tournament with a 2-0 win over South Africa at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City
• Bars and restaurants showing matches risk fines of up to MX$28 million (about US$1.5 million) for FIFA broadcast violations

Reporting from La Jornada Maya.