As Mexico prepares to co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a bitter fight is brewing far from the manicured lawns of the stadiums. While the national team gears up for the opening match, anger and injustice are boiling over among the country’s bar owners, restaurateurs, and even local governments. They are the latest targets of what many are calling FIFA’s aggressive and “anti-soccer” licensing tactics.
The debate centers on the exorbitant fees FIFA demands for the right to broadcast matches in public spaces — practices that have turned what should be a nationwide celebration into a legal and financial nightmare for small business owners.
The Price Tag for Patriotism
For decades, watching El Tri at the local cantina was a sacred, affordable ritual. That tradition is now under threat. According to the Mexican National Chamber of the Restaurant and Seasoned Food Industry (CANIRAC), the costs to legally show the games are prohibitive.
Israel López García, president of CANIRAC Yucatán, recently outlined the strict locks FIFA places on broadcasting. Businesses cannot use domestic cable or streaming services like VIX; they are forced to contract specialized commercial packages from providers like Izzi Negocios or Sky Business.
The pricing is tiered by size but is universally steep, ranging from 5,000 pesos (US$290) per TV in small venues to 25,000 pesos (US$1,450) at venues with 20 tables or more.
For a family-owned restaurant hoping to attract a few extra diners, these costs are devastating. Even municipal governments have been forced to cancel public viewings in town squares because they cannot afford the licensing fees.
The “Anti-Mexico” Sentiment
Beyond the transmission fees, businesses face draconian penalties for simply using World Cup imagery in their advertising. The fear of the Instituto Mexicano de la Propiedad Industrial (IMPI) has swept through the hospitality industry.
“Those who are not registered and linked to FIFA… the restrictions related to the unauthorized use of these logos and trademarks through advertising can lead to fines exceeding 28 million pesos,” López García warned. This staggering figure—roughly US$1.6 million — is the sword hanging over every mom-and-pop shop.
In response, the atmosphere in cities like Mexico City has been described as surreal. Instead of festive decorations, many establishments have stripped their walls clean. A manager for the Wingstop chain in Mexico City told EFE that the World Cup “doesn’t even seem like a World Cup in Mexico; everything is prohibited”. Bars on Paseo de la Reforma have removed flags and balls to avoid the IMPI inspectors, who have the authority to impose these massive fines or even close businesses for 90 days.
“It is disappointing on the part of FIFA and the Government that they allow all this,” said Raúl Torres, a supervisor in Mexico City. The widespread sentiment is that FIFA is prioritizing short-term profit over the game’s cultural spirit, leading many to label the practices “anti-soccer” and punishing the very fans who create the atmosphere FIFA profits from.
A Call to Resist
Ironically, while the chamber of commerce is advising its members to comply to avoid bankruptcy, the grassroots sentiment is shifting toward resistance. Many business owners feel that FIFA is acting as a bully and plan to test their luck.
As one supervisor lamented, the area around the stadium is totally apagada (turned off) and lonely, devoid of the foreign tourists and local energy that was expected.