Thousands of protesters blocked the main access road to Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium on Tuesday, just two days before the opening ceremony and opening match of the World Cup are scheduled to take place there on Thursday. Authorities deployed thousands of police officers and set up concrete barriers, including a trailer placed across the roadway, in an effort to prevent the demonstrators from advancing toward the stadium, which is set to host the tournament’s opener between Mexico and South Africa.
The protest is led by a breakaway faction of the CNTE teachers’ union. The mobilized teachers are demanding higher wages and the repeal of a pensions law, saying the government’s responses have not gone far enough. “We want to reach the stadium,” one demonstrator, Angel Villalobos, said, adding that the measures announced by the government do not satisfy the group. Another protester, Austreberto Flores, said the movement would continue.
The blockade is part of wider unrest surrounding the start of the tournament. Protesters have also camped near Mexico City’s Zocalo, the city’s central square, where a fan zone has been established for supporters. They are already calling for more actions on Thursday, the day of the opening match, raising concern just hours before the competition begins. The demonstrations have included road blockages and damage to World Cup-related statues.
President Claudia Sheinbaum has condemned the protests as a “provocation.” So far, she has ruled out a police crackdown and said she wants to ensure the event proceeds smoothly. She pledged that the World Cup inauguration would take place “in peace and tranquility.” Sheinbaum will not attend the opening ceremony at Azteca Stadium and said she is considering whether to appear at the nearby fan zone, located close to the presidential palace. “We will see how the situation develops with the teachers,” she said Tuesday.
The standoff highlights the tension between security preparations for a major international event and long-running labor grievances from teachers seeking better pay and pension reform. With the opening match approaching, officials are trying to keep the stadium accessible while avoiding escalation that could deepen the crisis or disrupt the World Cup’s launch.
