Mexico City Orders Remote Work, School Closures for World Cup Opening Day

MEXICO CITY — President Claudia Sheinbaum issued a decree Wednesday requiring federal employees in the capital to work remotely on Thursday, when the opening match of the 2026 World Cup is scheduled to take place at the iconic Azteca Stadium. The measure aims to ease traffic congestion in Mexico City during the opening ceremony and related events. A joint tournament by the United States, Mexico and Canada, the World Cup runs from June 11 to July 19, with group-stage matches underway in their first week. Federal agencies were instructed to implement remote work plans for personnel residing in the capital. Health workers, security staff, critical infrastructure employees and World Cup operations personnel are exempt from the requirement. All public and private schools from pre-kindergarten through university level will remain closed for the day. The government also called on private-sector companies to adopt similar remote work arrangements for their employees.