Thousands of demonstrators block a road leading to Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium on Tuesday, AFP journalists report, days before the 2026 World Cup begins at the venue. The protest is led by a breakaway group of Mexico’s CNTE teachers union and follows a week of demonstrations in the capital that included periods described as chaotic.
The stadium is scheduled to host the tournament opener on Thursday, with Mexico set to play South Africa. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum says the match is “guaranteed,” and she characterizes the teacher protests as a “provocation,” saying the aim is to show that conditions in Mexico are worsening.
Authorities have deployed thousands of officers and installed concrete barriers about one kilometer (600 meters) from the stadium to prevent the march from reaching it, though the protest has not yet arrived. Protesters state their intention to continue toward the stadium, saying government responses have not been sufficient and they will keep up their struggle.
