A cosmopolitan city by nature, Mexico City will be inscribed in the annals of history on June 11. For on that Thursday, just weeks away, our Capital City will be the only venue in the world to have hosted the opening of the quadrennial pinnacle of association football—the FIFA World Cup—on three separate occasions. But that's not all: due to its significance, it cannot be overlooked that in the very same sporting space, on that same pitch, the opening match of the Women's World Championship was held in August 1971, during its second edition. With this background, on June 11, the opening match of the 23rd FIFA World Cup will take place at the historic Estadio Azteca, renowned for over six decades as an iconic venue, which will host the match between the teams of Mexico and South Africa. A curious coincidence: the 2010 World Cup in South Africa also began with a match between the same two teams. That is why it is no coincidence that the world is looking at us again. This World Cup moment is not just a coincidence; it is a confirmation that we are a city capable of organizing, receiving, and coexisting, but also a city that transforms, evolves, and understands that sport is not just a spectacle, but also a meeting, an identity, and a community. For 90 minutes, borders disappear, differences fade, and millions share the same emotion. And that emotion, that collective heartbeat, will begin here. History will record it as the first time an urban heart has received the inauguration of the planet's most universal sport by FIFA for a third time, but also as a space that, decades ago, opened the door to the visibility of women's football. Because this city not only receives the world, but also shows the new reality that is transforming. Moments have been lived here that need no explanation, because they are part of who we are. Because Mexico City is not just a host city; it will be the protagonist. It has been before and it is again now because this city has something that few have: living history, authentic diversity, and a proven ability to open up to the world without losing its essence. Today, under the leadership of our Head of Government, Clara Brugada, this calling is strengthened with a clear vision: to make our city an increasingly inclusive, prepared, and worthy space for great challenges. Here, the local dialogues with the global every day. There is something almost symbolic about it, as if football also had memory. But beyond the anecdote, there is something deeper worth saying: this moment is not just sporting; it is profoundly human. In our city, the World Cup will begin, lasting 38 days and, for the first time, being shared by three countries: Mexico, the United States, and Canada. CDMX is doing its part, but not only to receive those who will come to the event. With the clear objective of integrating the citizenry into the climate that this sporting event will generate, more than 300 football pitches have been built or inaugurated in all corners of Mexico City, intended so that the capital's residents are not just spectators of the matches, but can also play their own in their neighborhood. There will be those in the stands, those who watch from their homes, those who follow from work or from public space. Also important are the various urban infrastructure improvement projects that have been completed. The renovation and urban renewal works in Xochimilco, Calzada de Tlalpan, the hotel zone of the Reforma corridor, Coyoacán, and the Historic Center are part of this effort. The interventions in the neighborhoods adjacent to the stadium, which will once again be the center of world attention, cannot be left aside. The infrastructure being improved today will remain at the service of the citizenry going forward, in very different directions of our city. Such is Mexico City: diverse, emotional, intense, beating at the same time. Many of us grew up listening to stories about the Estadio Azteca, seeing it full, vibrating, becoming that place where Mexico finds itself.
