Mexico City seems to be resuming street drinking after the big party of the World Cup | World Cup 2026

Mexico City’s government says it is considering measures to limit the sale of alcohol in public places, after more than 700,000 people gathered in the city to celebrate Mexico’s World Cup soccer team.

The victory of Mexico against South Korea saw huge street celebrations, with fans wearing green El Tri jerseys or colorful Lucha ⁠Libre masks and dancing in the rain, waving flags, singing national anthems and blowing vuvuzelas.

The next morning, Reforma Avenue – one of the main arteries of the city – was littered with rubbish, and many of its yellow cempasuchil flowers had been trampled. Officials collected 40 tons of garbage around the historic capital.

Mexico City’s Secretary of State Cesar Cravioto told a press conference on Friday that part of the government’s duty to take care of the big football event is prevention, and this includes banning the illegal sale of alcohol on the streets.

Cravioto said the government will ask restaurants and bars in the area to prevent customers from taking alcoholic beverages on site and that nearby convenience stores may be asked to stop selling alcohol a few hours before the big game.

The government said it planned to install seven large screens around the capital – in addition to 12 now – to help disperse crowds, and that it would send more people to curb alcohol sales by street vendors.

“We will continue to say that the fans should have fun but not drink too much,” Cravioto said.

In Boston, another World Cup host city, Scotland fans, known as the “Tartan Army”, drank so much alcohol after the Scottish team beat Haiti 1-0 at the city’s stadium that several bars ran dry.

Mexico will face the Czech Republic in the group stage on Wednesday.