Teacher Protests in Mexico City: Union Threatens Mass Demonstrations for World Cup Opening

Police responded to the unrest with tear gas and pepper spray. The previous day, protesting teachers had toppled several-meter-high plastic figures of football players, erected specifically for the World Cup, with ropes on the grand boulevard Paseo de la Reforma, tore off their jerseys, and publicly burned them. Activists left the inscription "The ball won't roll without a solution" on the toppled sculptures. The strikes and road blockades have now been ongoing for several days, with thousands of demonstrators marching through the historic center of the capital.

Background: Why are the teachers striking?

The conflict stems from stalled collective bargaining negotiations. The CNTE teachers' union called for an indefinite nationwide strike on June 1, 2026. The union is demanding a 100% salary increase and the reversal of a pension reform. According to the Mexican National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI), the average monthly salary for an employed primary school teacher is around 350 Euros, with gross starting salaries varying between 400 and 700 Euros depending on the region and qualifications. The government had previously offered a nine percent salary increase – a compromise rejected by parts of the union and a splinter group.

Rodrigo Arias, one of the demonstrators, told the press: "The government promised so many things, but in the end, they have no intention of changing anything. They simply used the issue to gain votes." The CNTE points out that both the previous government of Andrés Manuel López Obrador and the current government of Claudia Sheinbaum had promised during their election campaigns to reverse the pension reform and restore the solidarity system for public sector employees – so far without success.

Government Between Dialogue and Hardship

Claudia Sheinbaum rejects a hardline approach against the protesters. In her daily press conference, the so-called "Mañaneras," she said: "There have been a lot of provocations. In fact, I don't think they were teachers." Elsewhere, she stated: "There are many provocations. They provoke and want us to act and crack down on the protests." At the same time, the government dismissed the CNTE's maximum demand as "incompatible with the federal budget." Sheinbaum plans to watch the opening match between Mexico and South Africa not in the stadium but on a large screen at the Zócalo.

Security measures for the tournament are enormous: according to the government, more than 100,000 soldiers, police officers, and private security personnel will be deployed. Drones, military aircraft, and explosives detection dogs will also be used. FIFA has already canceled an on-site training session for World Cup volunteers. Meanwhile, striking teachers have occupied the fan fest at the Zócalo, the capital's central square; the area is currently cordoned off by meter-high metal fences.

Other Protest Groups Announce Mobilization

In addition to teachers, other groups have also announced mobilization for the World Cup days. Relatives of approximately 130,000 missing persons in Mexico are planning protests and road blockades; among them are relatives of the 43 students from the Ayotzinapa Rural Teachers' College who have been missing since 2014. Their slogan is: "The ball is coming home – and them, when?" Farmers and truck drivers also plan to demonstrate. Local businesses and logistics companies estimate their economic losses due to vandalism, blocked main roads, and blocked access routes to the airport at around 20 million Euros.

Delivery driver Armando Escobedo described the impact on daily life: "There's too much traffic. Routes that used to take me five to ten minutes now take 20." Delivery times and commercial traffic in the capital are significantly affected. Around five million international tourists are expected in Mexico for the tournament; 13 of the 104 World Cup matches will be held in Mexico – in addition to Mexico City, in Monterrey and Guadalajara.

Security Situation and Review of February Violence

The memory of the wave of violence in February 2026 adds to the unease. Following the arrest and death of drug lord Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, alias "El Mencho," the leader of the Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) cartel, severe riots broke out across Mexico, claiming at least 74 lives. Security concerns for the World Cup intensified significantly thereafter.

Meanwhile, Roberto Velasco received his German counterpart Johann Wadephul in Mexico City. Velasco stated: "We are ready to host the World Cup while adhering to all necessary security measures" and assured that visitors would have a "wonderful time" in the co-host country. He described the protests as an expression of democratic freedom: "We are a democracy, we are a country of freedoms," Velasco said.

International Reactions and Diplomatic Signals

The incidents are being controversially discussed in the Mexican media. Writer and journalist Hector Aguilar Camin, in his column in the newspaper Milenio, spoke of a "pedagogy of violence" and accused the ruling Morena party of deliberately strengthening the CNTE since the 2018 election campaign to secure their members as voters. President Sheinbaum had recently assured that the tournament would be held safely. The next round of negotiations between the union and the government is considered crucial for whether the situation can be defused before the opening match on June 11 at the Azteca Stadium.

Overall, the situation in the Mexican capital remains volatile just days before the kick-off of the year's biggest sporting event. Co-hosts Mexico, the USA, and Canada are preparing for the tournament's start. Mexico will host the opening match against South Africa. Should the CNTE make good on its threat and paralyze traffic and the city center around June 11, it would not only affect logistical operations but also the international image of the tournament. Observers view the coming days as a litmus test for the domestic political stability of the World Cup host.