Chetumal, Quintana Roo — Despite high hopes for an economic boost from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the president of the Chetumal-Tulum Chamber of Commerce (Canaco Servytur) acknowledged that the expected surge in sales has not materialized.
Adrienne Díaz Villanueva said that projections from the national chamber Concanaco had anticipated at least a 30% increase in sales during World Cup matches, but that target has not been reached in Quintana Roo or across the country.
“We are receiving tourists, but something has been missing for local businesses to take advantage of this dynamic,” Díaz Villanueva said.
She noted that even Playa del Carmen, which is a sub-host city for the tournament, has not seen the expected uptick, citing comments from Rodrigo de la Peña, president of the local hotel association.
In Chetumal, match days have failed to revive the local economy, she insisted.
Díaz Villanueva described the state government-organized “Fut Fests” as family gatherings without food or alcohol sales. “After the matches, the economy should be activated, but there is no consumption — it’s not happening as we expected,” she said.
The chamber plans to conduct a survey to measure sales levels at restaurants and commercial establishments. Díaz Villanueva said she has toured local businesses and found that many do not even have televisions tuned to the matches.
She attributed this to fears over FIFA licensing issues or potential penalties.
