Cancun World Cup Tourism Surge Hinges on Performance of Four Teams

Cancun, Quintana Roo — The surge in summer tourism to Cancun during the 2026 FIFA World Cup could reach up to 50%, but only if certain teams advance deep into the tournament, according to the director of the Quintana Roo Tourism Promotion Council (CPTQ).

Andrés Martínez Reynoso said the destination launched an ambitious strategy last year to position the Mexican Caribbean as a tourism hub, leveraging Cancun International Airport’s connectivity to World Cup host cities.

“Visitor flow will be closely tied to the sporting performance of the national teams; the advancement of the teams will be key to fan mobility,” Martínez explained. “In the case of South America, countries like Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Colombia mobilize a large number of fans.”

He outlined two scenarios for the summer: a conservative one with a 20% increase in traveler arrivals, and a more optimistic one that could reach up to 50%, depending on team performance.

Currently, Latin American travelers account for 8% of the state’s total visitors. The CPTQ aims to raise that figure to 10% during the season, a target Martínez called achievable.

Fan mobility is also linked to star players such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal, he added.

Meanwhile, José Chapur, CEO of Grupo Palace Resorts, had previously ruled out a second national team choosing the Moon Palace hotel as a base camp for the World Cup. Only Uruguay has confirmed it will set up camp at the Mayakoba resort in Riviera Maya, as reported by REPORTUR.mx.

Chapur said about 20 teams had visited Moon Palace in recent months to consider it as a training base, but with just over a month before the tournament kicks off in Mexico City, it is now virtually impossible for any other team to choose Cancun.

Teams that could have selected Cancun were those that qualified through the playoffs, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Czech Republic, Sweden and Turkey.

Officials are also counting on continued openness from the U.S. government to receive tourists from the United States and Canada. Some countries unhappy with President Donald Trump’s policies have preferred to travel to Mexico, which has helped the Mexican Caribbean and boosted Canadian tourism.