June tourist numbers fall short of World Cup expectations

Mexico did not meet its expectations for increased tourist numbers following the co-hosting of the FIFA men's World Cup, according to official data released on Thursday. The national statistics agency INEGI reported that 4.11 million international tourists visited the country in June, a mere 1.1% increase compared to June 2025. This year-over-year growth was the lowest of any month so far in 2026, even though Mexico hosted all 12 of its 13 World Cup games in June, with the final match taking place on July 5.

Mexican authorities had anticipated that the World Cup would bring up to 5.5 million additional tourists to Mexico, but this prediction was proven to be overly optimistic. In June, 42.6% of international tourists arrived by air, while the remaining 57.4% entered the country by land from the United States, Guatemala, or Belize. International travelers increased by 2.1% in June, with spending rising by 5.9% to reach $2.91 billion.

Among international tourists, those who arrived by air spent an average of $1,283.80 per person, an annual increase of 9.6%. However, international day-trippers, such as cruise ship visitors, spent a significantly lower average of $63.50 per person, with an annual decrease of 1.7%. President Claudia Sheinbaum highlighted that international tourist numbers reached a record high of 51.1 million in the first six months of 2026, marking a 7.7% annual increase.

This figure also surpassed the previous record of 24.5 million international travelers within the same period.