FIFA World Cup 2026: Fans poke fun at Mexico City’s FIFA World Cup decorations

The sound of construction roared over the most memed metro station in Mexico City as workers hammered at marble floors under a chandelier and rows of lamps reminiscent of a scene from Harry Potter or Titanic racing to finish ahead of the FIFA World Cup opening ceremony Thursday Mexicans milling through the busy Hidalgo metro station pointed and laughed occasionally snapping pictures of the facelift that has become the subject of a cascade of internet memesThe cosmetic makeover that authorities have attempted to give the capital as visitors arrive from around the globe also has become a symbol of criticisms that the government is prioritizing its superficial appearance for World Cup fans over fixing critical structural issues that have long plagued the cityPeople make fun of it because its a failed aesthetic it doesnt make a lot of sense said Silvia Escamilla 28 who was hustling to work among a crowd of Mexican commuters All these renovations are like putting makeup on the city because the infrastructure they could actually invest in just isnt thereDecorations cover the problemsFor weeks Mexico City workers have plastered walls and metro cars with cartoon axolotls the mole salamander that has become a city mascot They also have painted bridges purple and planted Mexican marigold flowers typical of Day of the Dead celebrations in November The 22 million residents of the sprawling capital known as Chilangos have jokingly referred to the renovations as the citys axolotlization They have posted videos of flooded underpasses next to freshly painted murals of axolotls and crumbling stairs and potholes painted bright purpleHidalgo station in the heart of the downtown has perhaps become the subject of more memes than anywhere else in the city When city workers installed the chandelier near the metro entrance and rows of Victorian wall lamps in May social media users were quick to joke that authorities were trying to make the gritty metro system look like it was in a European citySocial media creators mock the changesResidents began to show up at the station in elegant dresses in videos layered over Mozart music One social media influencer descended the marble stairs dressed as the Beast from the classic Disney cartoon Beauty and the Beast Another arrived as Napoleon Bonaparte in a white wig and French military uniformMay you have an elegant metro connection one social media influencer said as he strolled through throngs of commuters dressed in a tuxedo and top hat Another filmed herself selling pink dresses aboard one of the metro trains yelling to passengers that the items matched the etiquette of Metro HidalgoMany more posed next to marble floors and walls torn up by construction ahead of the soccer tournament being hosted by Mexico the United States and CanadaThe humor highlights larger issuesThe crush of jokes amused Mexicans for weeks but also cut to the core of a deeper problem in the city said Aldo Solano Rojas an art historian in Mexico City who has criticized the remodel Failures to prioritize issues like the metros crumbling infrastructure and holes in the major municipal roadways show the government doesnt understand the real needs of the city he saidState presence at its best is reflected in wellmaintained sidewalks and adequate transportation infrastructure that doesnt collapse every day Solano Rojas said Its not reflected in frivolous superficial axolotl murals while the streets are flooding The criticisms come in the midst of wider social unrest in Mexico City as the countrys teachers union families of Mexicos 130000 missing people and a range of other social movements use the proximity to the event to pressure authoritiesThe government also has faced accusations of displacing sex workers and street vendors in an effort to clean up the streets Despite the tensions city workers on Wednesday were still racing to complete construction ahead of the opening ceremony and first match Mirna Baranco looked fondly on the renovations but the 46yearold laughed at the chandelier over Hidalgo construction workers She nudged her boyfriend and pointedIve already seen it all over the place on Facebook but not in real life she said Baranco understood the criticisms but said she didnt think it was necessarily a bad thing that authorities were making changes to be more attractive to international visitors The World Cup has helped push local governments to make needed renovations even if some look a little out of place she said The changes show that Mexico isnt just how others stereotype us as a country with narcos Baranco said Mexico has a lot to give the worldThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever