Mexico has cancelled a controversial proposal to shorten its school year in anticipation of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, following widespread backlash from parents, think tanks, and local authorities.
Education Secretary Mario Delgado had unexpectedly announced on Friday that the school year would end approximately 40 days early — on June 5 — citing both the upcoming tournament and a prevailing heat wave as justification. The announcement was met with immediate resistance across multiple sectors.
President Claudia Sheinbaum, who had expressed scepticism over the proposal, convened a meeting of education and government officials on Monday to gather public input and explore alternatives. Following deliberations, it was agreed that the school calendar would remain as originally planned, with the year ending July 15 and classes resuming August 31.
“The idea is to keep the vacation period to six weeks, as it has always been,” President Sheinbaum stated. “The goal is for it to be a consensus decision.”
Two states had already rejected the proposal before it was formally cancelled. Think tank Mexico Evalua warned that the shortening would reduce effective learning time for 23.4 million students, pushing them further behind academically.
The World Cup — co-hosted by Mexico, the United States, and Canada — kicks off on June 11, with Mexico facing South Africa in the opening match at Mexico City’s iconic Azteca Stadium.
President Sheinbaum also assured citizens of adequate security arrangements for the tournament and confirmed that ongoing public works, including upgrades to the Azteca Stadium and Mexico City International Airport, would be completed ahead of the games.
