"The only problem with this World Cup is that it isn't taking place in Mexico the whole time." A fan from Yorkshire said it. Plenty more are thinking it.
While the United States scrambled headlines about entry issues, costly public transport, and tipping confusion, Mexico just got on with the job. Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey have delivered something the other two co-hosts haven't quite managed: the feeling that a World Cup is actually happening.
What the streets of Monterrey look like
Older women dancing salsa arm-in-arm with Dutch fans in sandals. Locals jumping in circles with Moroccan tourists, swapping flags. Mexican fans tossing South Korean supporters into the air — and catching them — after a 1-0 defeat, then handing them tequila shots as consolation.
"Everyone took photos with me as if I were a pop star," said Leonardo Jun from South Korea. "It's pretty cool to be welcomed like that."
That's not a PR campaign. That's just what the country is doing.
In New York, meanwhile, soccer was losing column inches to the Knicks winning their first NBA title in over 50 years. That tells you everything about the difference in football culture between these three co-hosts.
Three-time host, zero learning curve
Mexico is now the only country to have hosted the World Cup three times — 1970, 1986, and now 2026. That experience shows. National team players are on every billboard. Coca-Cola cans have gone green. Taxi drivers, flight attendants, pizza delivery workers — all in the jersey.
Both Mexico and Canada were allocated just 13 matches each out of 104 total. The opening game was in Mexico City, and the Round of 16 tie between El Tri and England will be the last match on Mexican soil. From the quarterfinals, everything moves to the United States.
That's a small share of the tournament for the country doing the most. Pre-tournament protests and security debates have faded into the background — though crowd safety remains a live concern after three fans died in a crush during celebrations, a sobering reminder that atmosphere without organisation carries real risk.
Still, ask almost anyone who made the trip. "Mexico performed better than the United States and Canada," said Jenny. "For me, they are the winners among the hosts."
Hard to argue with that from where the fans are standing.
