MEXICO CITY (AP) — The thunderous cry of "GOOOOOOOOOAL!" rings out over crowds gathered in downtown Mexico City, their eyes glued to televisions propped on plastic tables. Across the nation, similar roars echo as fans watch Mexico's national team compete in the FIFA World Cup, taking their celebrations into the streets because stadium tickets are out of reach.
These impromptu street parties have become a common sight in working-class neighborhoods, below highway underpasses, and in taco stands, as many Mexicans are priced out of attending games hosted partly by their country alongside the U.S. and Canada. While not the same as being in the stadium, Esmeralda Serrato, who watched a match with neighbors, described the street experience as feeling like "watching the game from my living room," adding, "I feel the blood rushing through my veins saying ‘This is the World Cup.’"
World Cup festivities have generated significant buzz, with hundreds of thousands gathering in mass celebrations in host cities like Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey following Mexico's consecutive victories. However, these street parties highlight global criticism of FIFA's soaring ticket prices, a point felt acutely in Mexico where the average worker earns around $433 a month and soccer is a unifying force across social classes.
Diego Merla, fiscal justice coordinator for Oxfam Mexico, stated that the situation leaves many Mexicans feeling like "it’s a party we weren’t invited to." He explained that the World Cup's economic model prioritizes extracting maximum value, leading to the exclusion of many fans. Ticket prices, initially ranging from $140 to $8,680, have since escalated, with some World Cup final tickets reportedly costing around $32,970.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has defended the high prices, citing the U.S. market where, he noted, top-tier games can cost upwards of $300. "And this is the World Cup," he added.
For fans like Guillermo Ramírez, the solution has been to create their own World Cup experience. Ramírez, a resident of Tepito, a working-class Mexico City neighborhood known for its sprawling markets and street soccer culture, set up a TV and speakers in front of his home before a match. He recalled watching the 1986 World Cup from neighbors' TVs as a child, unable to attend games himself. "There are a lot of us who simply can’t afford to go to the stadium," Ramírez said. "Tepito is a soccer barrio, and when there’s a match on, everyone takes out their TVs to watch, especially now during the World Cup."
Throngs of neighbors, some wearing lucha libre masks and holding children, gather around Ramírez's screen, enjoying beers from his corner shop. When Mexico wins, these celebrations spill into the streets, with tens of thousands flooding major city monuments like the Angel de la Independencia.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has also voiced criticism regarding the costs, suggesting that FIFA leaders should reconsider their pricing strategies. "Soccer has to be something else," Sheinbaum said. She has encouraged fans to attend free public watch parties organized by local governments and FIFA in various cities, with nearly 20 such venues in the Mexican capital, including in lower-income areas.
One such event in the Zocalo, Mexico City's main plaza, drew over 200,000 fans. Armando Soriano, who attended a smaller Fan Fest with his family, felt the atmosphere was more authentically Mexican than official FIFA events. He expressed a desire for his children to "be swept up in the spirit — to feel, more than anything, what it means to be Mexican, and to experience the traditions that people here live and breathe."