Mexico City suspends work and classes for World Cup inauguration

Mexico City is implementing measures to manage urban mobility and road safety for the 2026 World Cup inauguration on June 11, with President Claudia Sheinbaum announcing a suspension of federal public administration activities and a push for remote work.

The decree, published in the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF), aims to facilitate the arrival of millions of tourists to the capital. Federal public administration entities and the private sector are urged to adopt teleworking, remote work, or flexible organization schemes. The directive emphasizes using technology to ensure the continuity of services and public attention during the sporting event.

However, President Sheinbaum clarified that these measures are not mandatory for private companies, as implementing such a scheme would require a different framework. The focus remains on encouraging flexible arrangements to mitigate potential disruptions.

Educational institutions will see a significant suspension of activities. Classes are suspended for preschool, primary, secondary, normal, and teacher training schools within the National Education System. Additionally, public and private middle and higher education schools affiliated with the Secretariat of Public Education (SEP) located in Mexico City will also suspend classes. The National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) has also announced a suspension of activities solely for June 11, citing expected mobility impacts.

Despite these suspensions, certain sectors in the capital are exempt due to their essential nature for society and the event's development. The decree specifies that these essential activities will continue as usual, ensuring the city's core functions and the World Cup's logistical needs are met.