Nightclub owner: Discount for Mexicans – sky-high entry for gringos

Federico Crespo, the owner of Mexico City's popular Japan Club, has implemented a drastic price increase for American tourists during the 2026 World Cup, charging them 10,000 pesos (approximately $5,500 USD) for entry, while Mexicans pay only 150 pesos.

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I see it not as having raised the price for gringos. I give a discount to all Mexicans.

Crespo, 39, described the move not as a price increase for "gringos" but as a discount for Mexicans. His protest stems from what he perceives as Donald Trump's disrespectful treatment of Mexico and its president. "I thought I couldn't just sit still and let him humiliate us. And my only weapon is my techno club," Crespo explained.

Initially, Crespo raised the entry fee for Americans to 1,000 pesos (about $50 USD), which garnered widespread support in Mexico. However, after doubling the price to 2,000 pesos, American tourists began complaining about discrimination. Mexican authorities intervened, stating that charging excessive prices was prohibited. Crespo then adjusted the policy, setting the entry fee at 2,000 pesos for everyone but offering a discount to Mexicans, who would pay 250 pesos.

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I thought I couldn't just sit still and let him humiliate us. And my only weapon is my techno club.

Beyond protesting Trump's policies, Crespo's pricing strategy also addresses the gentrification affecting trendy neighborhoods like Roma Norte and Condesa. The influx of American tourists and digital nomads has driven up rents, forcing many Mexicans to relocate. Crespo has been using the extra revenue from American patrons to support his staff, but the latest price hike during the World Cup is expected to deter American visitors entirely.

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They said it is forbidden to charge excessive prices. So I turned it around. The entry fee became 2,000 pesos for everyone, but I offered a discount to all Mexicans who only had to pay 250 pesos.

Crespo acknowledged that the extreme price might have been excessive but reiterated his desire to demonstrate that Mexico does not tolerate Trump's behavior. He feels Trump treats Mexico's president as a subordinate, which is unacceptable. The shift in atmosphere between the three World Cup host nations began when Donald Trump took office in 2017, altering the collaborative spirit that existed when the tournament was awarded.

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It was perhaps foolish to raise it so much, but at the same time I want to show that we do not tolerate how Trump behaves. He treats our president like a subordinate. We do not accept that.