Playa del Carmen builds 9 new sports courts for 2026

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — Mayor Estefanía Mercado inspected the progress of sports infrastructure projects under the “Mundial Social 2026” initiative, a national program promoted by President Claudia Sheinbaum aimed at recovering public spaces for family recreation and peacebuilding.

“Thanks to the support of the President and Governor Mara Lezama, we have recovered sports spaces, fields that now have synthetic turf for soccer,” Mercado said during a tour accompanied by Jacobo Arzate, head of the Quintana Roo Sports Commission (Codeq), and Alberto López, director of the municipal sports institute.

During the visit to the El Petén and Las Flores neighborhoods, the mayor announced that Playa del Carmen will receive four new five-a-side soccer fields and five multi-purpose courts at various locations across the city. The investment exceeds 10 million pesos (about $500,000) from the National Infrastructure Fund (Fonadin).

“We are transforming public spaces into safe, dignified, and functional places for our children, young people, and families, because sports also build peace and community,” Mercado said, reiterating her administration’s commitment to bringing infrastructure and social welfare to the city’s neighborhoods.

Jacobo Arzate reported that the projects will benefit more than 45,000 people as part of a national strategy to strengthen social coexistence, recreation, and family values through sports.

The new five-a-side soccer fields will be located in the Pescadores II (two fields), El Petén, and Misión de las Flores neighborhoods. The five multi-purpose courts will be built at Domo Villamar, Colonia 28 de Julio, Parque Independencia (two courts), and Parque Gonzalo Guerrero.

Alberto López explained that, according to technical specifications from the National Commission for Physical Culture and Sports (Conade), the new spaces will include earthworks, grading and leveling, synthetic turf installation, drainage, regulation goals, sports lighting, and perimeter fencing.