Nine months before the 23rd edition of the FIFA World Cup, which will host some matches in the country, Coahuila and Nuevo León face limitations in ensuring accommodation and transportation for attendees of the event organized by the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA).
“FIFA is very nervous because they won’t be able to accommodate the number of people who will come,” said Héctor Horacio Dávila Rodríguez, president of the Coahuila Hotel and Motel Association.
According to the hotel leader, more than 400,000 visitors are expected.
“There are 26,000 rooms in Monterrey, and that can accommodate about 200,000. We have around 1,400 rooms in Saltillo, which covers approximately 100,000 people. We still need to accommodate about 100,000 more guests,” he explained.
The Transportation Challenge at the 2026 World Cup
The World Cup will be held from June 11 to July 19, 2026, with venues in Canada, the United States, and Mexico.
Although reservations are already showing some growth, Dávila warned that the main problem won’t be hotel occupancy, but rather transportation between Saltillo and Monterrey.
“We need about 400 buses to transport guests, but if there’s an accident on the highway, people won’t be willing to watch the game on their cell phones on the bus,” he said.
The Saltillo-Monterrey highway, both its toll-free and tolled sections, registers hundreds of accidents each year. Rescue operations and forensic examinations often cause congestion on both roads.
Alternate routes take up to two additional hours, which could extend travel times from 45 minutes to five hours.
The businessman added that there are also transportation gaps within the region.
“There are no taxis, buses, or sufficient service from platforms like inDriver or Uber to transport so many people to the events. We want them to stay here, to visit the Desert Museum, General Cepeda, or Parras, but we have no way to get them there.”
Taxi Fare Increases Expected for the World Cup
Despite the limitations on lodging and transportation, the hotel industry in southeastern Coahuila announced that fares will increase during the World Cup.
“Rooms won’t cost the same; they’ll always be a little higher. It’s supply and demand. Generally, they go up between 50 and 60 percent. Rooms will be tight,” warned Dávila.
Currently, the hotel industry in southeastern Coahuila has a fixed business occupancy base, which reduces the available supply for sports tourism expected in the summer of 2026 by up to 15 percent.
Source: elfinanciero
