Mexico Reconsiders School Closure for World Cup After Outcry

Mexico is set to review plans to end the academic year more than a month early to accommodate the 2026 FIFA World Cup, following criticism from parents, education experts and state governments.

President Claudia Sheinbaum announced on Monday that her administration would reassess the proposal after widespread opposition to the decision, which would have shortened the school year by about 40 days.

The controversy began on Friday when Education Secretary Mario Delgado said classes would end on June 5, citing both preparations for the World Cup and an ongoing heat wave.

Under the original academic calendar, the school year was scheduled to conclude on July 15, with students returning after a six-week holiday on August 31.

Mexico is co-hosting the 2026 World Cup alongside the United States and Canada. The tournament will begin on June 11, with Mexico facing South Africa in the opening match at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.

Sheinbaum said education officials would meet with parents and stakeholders to consider alternatives while preserving the traditional six-week vacation period.

“The idea is to keep the vacation period to six weeks, as it has always been,” the president said, adding that some schools may begin classes earlier while others maintain the existing schedule.

Several state governments have already rejected the plan. Authorities in Jalisco said schools would only suspend classes on the four days that Guadalajara hosts World Cup matches, while Nuevo León announced that schools in Monterrey would stick to the original calendar.

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Education think tank Mexico Evalúa warned that reducing the school year would affect 23.4 million students and further limit instructional time.

Sheinbaum also assured that Mexico would provide adequate security and complete key infrastructure projects, including upgrades to Estadio Azteca and Mexico City International Airport, ahead of the tournament.

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