Yucatan Launches Six Social World Cup 2026 Tournaments and Builds 32 Soccer Fields

Merida, Yucatan — Yucatan Governor Joaquin Diaz Mena announced six free-entry soccer tournaments as part of the Social World Cup 2026, a national initiative promoted by Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo to bring the sport to communities across the country. The state will also build and renovate 32 soccer fields in 23 municipalities to expand access to community sports infrastructure.

The governor presented the six cups alongside Wendy Mendez Naal, honorary president of the Yucatan DIF family services agency. The tournaments include the School Cup, Conade Cup, Paralympic Cup, Neighborhood Cup, Golden Age Cup, and Workers’ Cup, designed to leave a lasting impact on residents’ daily lives.

“This initiative stems from the national push by President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, whose vision is for the 2026 World Cup to not only be an international spectacle but an opportunity to strengthen social fabric in every state,” Diaz Mena said.

He added that registrations will be free, with the tournament organized in stages across two semesters starting in March. Yucatan has been divided into 16 regions to ensure participation from all municipalities, with each region having state representation in every category and branch.

Regional elimination rounds and finals will be held in Hunucma, Maxcanu, Tikul, Tekax, Yaxcaba, Valladolid, Piste, Tizimin, Buctzotz, Motul, Progreso, Izamal, Kanasin, and Merida.

The Conade Cup will feature under-14 and under-15 youth in 11-a-side format; the School Cup includes primary and secondary schools in 5-a-side and high schools in 11-a-side; the Neighborhood Cup is 6-a-side for ages 12-18; and the Paralympic Cup opens space for visually impaired athletes in B1, B2, and B3 categories.

The Workers’ Cup includes Fut 11 and Fut 7 for ages 18 and up, while the Golden Age Cup invites people over 60 in mixed categories to promote sports as public welfare policy.

Diaz Mena thanked President Sheinbaum, Sedatu head Edna Vega Rangel, and Conade director general Rommel Pacheco Marrufo for supporting the field renovations and construction.

New fields will be built in Buctzotz, Celestun, Chicxulub Pueblo, Chumayel, Cuncunul, Kanasin, Kopoma, Maxcanu, Oxkutzcab, Panaba, Progreso, San Felipe, Tecoh, Izamal, Temozon, Tzucacab, Ticimul, two in Rio Lagartos, Tizimin, Hunucma, Valladolid, and Tekax.

In Merida, three fields will be built at Paseo Verde near El Porvenir neighborhood, Paseo Henequenes, and the Dinosaurios module; one at Casa Otoch; one at Girasoles Opichen; and another at La Inalambrica sports unit. In Uman, one field will be built in Ticimul and another in the Piedra de Agua subdivision.

Mendez Naal stated that the Social World Cup 2026 is a platform to strengthen participation, inclusion, and unity nationwide. The DIF Yucatan will lead the Golden Age Cup for seniors and coordinate with 106 municipal DIF offices for related activities.

“It will have two modalities: Walking Football for all 106 municipalities with mixed teams of 10 players, where the state champion qualifies for the national stage; and Fut 7, open to all seniors in the state with teams of 10 and a minimum of three women,” she explained.

The DIF will also organize screenings of key World Cup matches in various communities and host a “World Cup of Family Renaissance, Smiles and Goals” event on March 7 at the Kukulkan Sports Complex.

Education Secretary Juan Balam Varguez presented the School World Cup 2026, which he called the largest tournament of its kind globally, involving 25,000 schools and 125,000 teams across girls’ and boys’ divisions. The tournament will start at individual schools and progress to state representatives, with primary (ages 9-12), secondary (13-15), and high school (15-18) categories. The national final will be held at Ciudad Universitaria’s Olympic Stadium.

The event was attended by IDEY director general Armin Lizama Cordova, Conade Yucatan representative Omar Barquet Carbajal, National Workers’ Sports Institute delegate Victor Martin Palma, IMSS Yucatan delegate Alonso Sansores Rio, Issste subdelegate Mario Alcocer Basto, and rover scout Emanuel Marcial Ek Moo.