(Bloomberg) -- Mexico City is preparing for the 2026 FIFA World Cup with plans to increase investment in mobility and security next year, according to a top official.
The city’s proposed mobility budget, which includes initiatives to make it easier for fans to enter and exit the iconic Azteca stadium, will increase to nearly 7 billion pesos (around $348 million), representing 186% more than the 2024 allocation, said Juan Pablo de Botton, the capital’s finance minister, in an interview with Bloomberg News following the presentation of the budget proposal.
The capital, led by the ruling party’s Clara Brugada, is also proposing a record high budget for its subway system, planning for 23 billion pesos in investment. The public works budget will increase 12.5% to 13.5 billion pesos, and includes investments in the historic Tlalpan causeway to facilitate access to the games, de Botton said.
“The challenge is for people to be able to enter and leave on time and move around the city freely, feeling happy and safe,” de Botton said.
Mexico City will host the opening match for the FIFA World Cup that will be held alongside the US and Canada. The stadium is separately undergoing renovations to expand seating to 87,000.
The city’s plans to prepare for the international event also include 600 million pesos set aside for the installation of security cameras in the subway.
The public works budget will also be spent on facilities known as “utopias,” while the mobility budget also includes three additional Cablebus lines and a separate bus line.
Social Spending
The budget’s top priority will be social spending, with an allocation of 17 billion pesos for subsidies and social programs, de Botton said.
A second priority is strengthening the local budget for municipalities, including the largest allocation in history of resources to that segment, he added, bringing it up 8.8% to 291.5 billion pesos.
“It’s a responsible, prudent and austere budget that combats inequalities,” the minister said.
Sustainable Debt
Congress approved Mexico City to offer 3.5 billion pesos in debt next year, which must now be approved by the local legislature, de Botton said, and which will be used primarily for the issuance of sustainable debt for mobility projects, like the construction of the new cable car lines.
De Botton said Mexico City is planning to carry out the issuance by mid-2025. “This will help us reduce polluting emissions from other types of transport,” he added.
The capital is also setting aside 15 billion pesos on water-related projects that aim to make water management more efficient by changing distribution networks, rehabilitating wells and eliminating leaks. Water has become an increasingly pressing issue for the city amid recurring dry seasons, with President Claudia Sheinbaum pledging to tackle the problem in her inauguration speech.
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