The 2026 World Cup has barely begun and already faces an empty stadium for its opening match. Thousands of executive box owners at Mexico City's iconic Estadio Azteca are threatening to boycott the tournament's curtain-raiser between Mexico and South Africa, in a bitter dispute over control of the 87,000-seat venue.
At the heart of the row are 15,000 seats in the recently revamped stadium – all part of executive boxes sold with unrestricted 99-year rights when the ground was completely rebuilt in 1966. Those rights, which applied to all sporting events and music concerts, allowed box holders to sell their seats and supply their own food and drinks during the 1970 and 1986 World Cups.
“Thousands threaten to boycott World Cup opener over FIFA's restrictions on 15,000 executive box seats at Azteca Stadium.”
But FIFA, which has demanded full control of stadiums for its tournaments since 1998, has now imposed severe restrictions on those same rights for the 2026 edition. Box owners say they can no longer sell their seats or cater for guests as they did before.
Roberto Ruano, a representative of the Mexican Association of Box and Grandstand Seat Holders, said: “They are forcing us to accept the support offered by the CNTE. If there is no dialogue by Wednesday or Thursday, we will ask for the support of our friends who are also protesting.”
Ruano has appealed directly to Emilio Azcarraga, whose company Grupo Ollamani owns both the stadium and Club America, the club that plays there. “I want to take this opportunity to make a gentlemanly appeal to Emilio Azcarraga, to tell him that I am ready to sit down and talk with him,” Ruano said. “We are three days away from the World Cup, and we have the CNTE, the transport workers, and many other groups ready to support us if he wants to continue blocking us.”
The CNTE – the National Coordinator of Education Workers – has already pledged to back the box owners with protests. Ruano accused the stadium management, FIFA, FIFA Mexico, Grupo Ollamani and Grupo Banorte of refusing to meet with them. He warned that on Wednesday at 2pm, box holders would deliver their own food and drinks to the stadium, defying the restrictions, in accordance with precautionary measures issued by the Sixth District Judge of Mexico City.
The 2026 World Cup has already been mired in controversy before a ball is kicked, with complaints over ticket prices and the volatile political situation. Now, just days before the opening ceremony – one of three planned for this year's tournament – the threat of empty executive boxes and protests looms over the historic venue. Negotiations are at a standstill, and the clock is ticking.