From bustling streets and public parks to cafes and fan zones, the Mexican capital has embraced football's biggest celebration. National flags flutter from balconies and bicycles, giant murals of Mexican football stars dominate city skylines, while the vibrant orange marigold flowers traditionally associated with Mexican culture have become a striking feature across the city.
Everywhere, conversations revolve around the tournament.
The atmosphere is electric. Music fills public spaces, football jerseys are a common sight, and supporters from around the world have begun arriving for a competition that will place Mexico City at the centre of the global sporting stage.
For the third time in history, the city is hosting the World Cup, making it the first city in the world to achieve the feat.
Yet beneath the celebrations lies a different story—one of grief, frustration and demands for justice.
Families of the Missing Seek Global Attention
At the foot of the Angel of Independence, one of Mexico City's most iconic monuments, hundreds of photographs line the base of the structure.
The faces belong to men, women and children who have disappeared.
As tourists gather to take pictures and football fans soak up the atmosphere, volunteers move through the crowds distributing leaflets written in both Spanish and English.
The message is impossible to ignore.
"WE ARE FAMILIES SEARCHING FOR MISSING PEOPLE."
The leaflet outlines the scale of a crisis that campaigners say has devastated communities across the country.
"We are searching for over 133,000 missing people. People we love, miss and wait for every single day. This number is more than one and half times the capacity of Banorte stadium [Azteca stadium]," the leaflet states.
It continues:
"It is estimated that a bus full of people disappear every day in this country."
The document ends with a powerful appeal aimed directly at World Cup visitors:
"The cup came back home. When will our loved ones?"
The display offers a stark contrast to the celebratory mood surrounding the tournament.
For campaigners, however, the arrival of the World Cup represents a rare opportunity. With thousands of journalists, broadcasters and international visitors descending on Mexico, they see a chance to bring a long-running national crisis to a global audience.
Many residents describe disappearances as an issue that affects almost every community. Families continue searching for relatives while regularly organising demonstrations to demand greater action from authorities.
According to campaign groups, many of those who disappear are believed to have been forcibly recruited by criminal organisations or killed after refusing to cooperate with them.
The United Nations has previously described Mexico's disappearance crisis as "a human tragedy of enormous proportions."
With 13 World Cup matches scheduled across Mexico—including the opening match and several fixtures at the famous Estadio Azteca—activists hope the world's attention will help amplify their message.
Football and Frustration
The World Cup spotlight has also provided a platform for other social movements.
Along Paseo de la Reforma, one of the capital's most important avenues, hundreds of striking teachers gathered near the offices of major national newspapers.
Their demands centred on higher wages, improved pensions and better working conditions.
Many had travelled long distances to join the demonstrations, while local residents said workers from other public sectors had also shown support.
Aware that international visitors were watching, some protesters translated their chants into English to ensure foreign fans understood their grievances.
Their message was direct.
"We don't want a World Cup," they chanted. "We just want better pay."
Another protester addressed crowds through a megaphone, saying:
"The World Cup is not made for local people. It's made for rich businessmen who can afford tickets."
The remarks reflect a sentiment shared by some residents who feel disconnected from an event being celebrated around them.
The Cost of the Beautiful Game
For many ordinary Mexicans, attending a World Cup match remains financially out of reach.
Conversations about tickets often provoke laughter rather than excitement.
Residents frequently express the same concern:
"Tickets are far too expensive. We could never afford those."
Instead of entering stadiums, many football fans say they will watch matches from local bars, restaurants and public fan zones, where they can still participate in the excitement without the significant expense.
While enthusiasm for the tournament remains high, questions persist about who benefits most from hosting such a major international event.
A Global Stage for More Than Football
As kick-off approaches, Mexico City continues to present itself as a vibrant, welcoming and football-loving metropolis eager to host the world once again.
The celebrations are impossible to miss.
But so too are the voices seeking justice, accountability and change.
Families searching for missing relatives, teachers fighting for improved livelihoods, and residents questioning the economic realities of hosting a global sporting spectacle are all using this moment to make themselves heard.
For the next several weeks, the eyes of the world will be fixed on Mexico.
Whether the stories beyond the football remain in focus after the tournament ends is a question many protesters hope the international community will continue to ask long after the final whistle has blown. :::