Estadio Azteca box owners threaten World Cup boycott over access rights

Owners of luxury boxes and premium seats at Mexico City's iconic Estadio Azteca are warning of a potential boycott of the upcoming World Cup, scheduled to begin on June 11. The group, represented by the Association of Mexican Holders of Boxes and Seats, is protesting new restrictions that limit their ability to sell their spots and access food and beverages inside the stadium.

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They are pushing us to accept the support that the CNTE is offering us. If there is no dialogue from here to Wednesday, on Thursday we will ask for the support of our friends who are also protesting.

Roberto Ruano, the association's representative, stated that if dialogue with stadium authorities fails by Wednesday, they will seek support from other protesting groups, including the National Union of Education Workers (CNTE), to disrupt the World Cup's opening. "They are pushing us to accept the support that the CNTE is offering us," Ruano said.

The conflict arises from FIFA's long-standing demand to control all seating in World Cup stadiums, a policy in place since 1998. However, the Estadio Azteca's unique situation involves private sales of these boxes and seats in 1966, granting owners 99-year rights to access all events without restrictions. This contract has allowed them to attend numerous concerts, sporting events, and, crucially, the 1970 and 1986 World Cups hosted by Mexico.

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I want to take this opportunity to make a gentleman's call to Emilio Azcárraga, to tell him that I am ready to sit down and dialogue with him. We are three days away from the World Cup, and we have the CNTE, the transporters ready, and we have many groups supporting us if the gentleman wants to continue blocking us.

Ruano expressed readiness to negotiate with Emilio Azcárraga, likely referring to the owner of Televisa, which holds significant interests in the stadium. He warned that if negotiations fail, they are prepared to use the support of the CNTE and other social groups, who have recently staged disruptive protests in Mexico City. The owners plan to formally notify stadium management, FIFA, and related groups of their intention to bring their own food and drinks to the stadium on June 9, despite anticipated refusal to accept the notification.

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The people from the stadium, FIFA, FIFA Mexico, Grupo Ollamani, Grupo Banorte, are refusing to receive us. We are going to notify them publicly here, based on the precautionary measures granted by the Sixth District Judge of this Mexico City, that tomorrow at two in the afternoon we will be with all the owners of boxes and seats to supply our drinks and food. They do not want to receive this notification, but we will leave it under the door.