Our area of New York has already begun to celebrate the 2026 Soccer World Cup with the lighting of the iconic Empire State Building with the colors of the flags of Mexico, Canada and the United States, which organize this long-awaited sporting event, from June 9 to July 18.
The tower of the historic building was illuminated rotating with the colors of the flags of the three host countries “as a symbol of unity, friendship and cooperation towards a historic World Cup,” the first organized jointly by three nations, said the Mexican consulate in New York.
The event commemorated the 100 days left until the start of the FIFA World Cup in which 48 teams will participate and will be held in 16 cities in North America, indicates a statement from the consulate, which organized the event in which Iñigo Riestra López, general secretary of the Mexican Football Federation, participated.
Also Alex Lasry, executive director of the New York-New Jersey host committee and JT Batson, executive director and general secretary of the United States Soccer Federation and Peter Augruso, president of Canada Soccer, as well as the mascots of the three host countries, ‘Maple’, ‘Zayu’ and ‘Clutch’.
The consuls of Mexico and Canada in New York, Marcos Bucio and Tom Clark, respectively, were also present at the symbolic ceremony along with other Latin American consuls whose teams will play in the World Cup.
“The Soccer World Cup represents a historic moment for North America and for world soccer,” said the Mexican consul, highlighting that it is the first time it has been organized by three countries, “which constitutes a powerful symbol of friendship, cooperation and shared vision among the nations of the region.”
He also highlighted that Mexico will make history by becoming the first country to host three World Cups, 1970, 1986 and 2026, which he assured reflects the country’s deep soccer tradition and its organizational capacity to contribute to the success of this global event.
Likewise, Bucio highlighted the central role of the region, since New York and its neighboring state of New Jersey will host several matches, including the World Cup Final.
According to the consul, the World Cup will also be an opportunity to celebrate the cultural diversity and pride of the Mexican and Latin American communities that form an essential part of the social fabric of New York and New Jersey.
For Mexicans in particular, he stated, 2026 will have a special meaning since it marks the 200th anniversary of the establishment in 1886 of the consulate in New York, “a reflection of two centuries of presence, friendship and cooperation between Mexico and the United States.”
This year, Mexico also has the pro tempore presidency of the Coalition of Latin American Consuls in New York and New Jersey (CLACNY), which it said will allow it to strengthen regional coordination and promote joint initiatives for the benefit of Latin American communities during the World Cup.
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