Cancún, Quintana Roo — Free tickets for a Banda MS concert at Cancún’s Carnival were resold for as much as 10,500 pesos, forcing local authorities to launch a crackdown on illegal scalping ahead of Tuesday’s show.
More than 3,000 people camped outside Estadio Beto Ávila starting early Sunday morning hoping to secure one of the 17,000 free tickets for the popular Mexican band’s performance, which officially closes the 2026 Cancún Carnival.
Despite the tickets being free, resellers offered them on social media and around the venue for between 3,000 and 10,500 pesos. Municipal inspectors seized tickets being sold at inflated prices, reminding the public that reselling free tickets is an administrative violation under Benito Juárez municipality’s Public Shows and Entertainment Regulations.
Mayor Ana Patricia Peralta warned that no one would be admitted without a ticket and confirmed that screens would be set up outside the stadium for those unable to get in. Authorities limited distribution to one ticket per person to prevent bulk buying by scalpers.
Antonio Riveroll, director of municipal Civil Protection, said gates would open at 8 p.m., with controlled access to the field and stands. A food zone was set up for early arrivals, and Mayapán Avenue was fully closed while Kabah Avenue was partially shut down for the event.
The frenzy highlights the drawing power of Banda MS, led by Sergio Cruz Lizárraga, whose hits like “El Color de Tus Ojos” have made them one of Mexico’s most popular acts. However, the chaos also exposed ongoing issues with event planning and scalping prevention.
“The concert will officially close Cancún Carnival 2026, but the day has already made clear that the appeal of a massive band can overwhelm any planning if effective mechanisms against resale and disorder aren’t anticipated,” said Horacio Lemollé of Quintana Roo’s Consumer Protection Union.
In addition to the black market for tickets, informal vendors set up early selling T-shirts, caps, and other merchandise related to the band, capitalizing on the large crowd.
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