Mexican Parents Criticise Ending the School Year a Month Early for World Cup
The Mexican government has decided to end the 2025-2026 school year a month early to ease preparations and travel for the FIFA World Cup in June and July. Parents are protesting the move, citing academic losses and extra costs for summer childcare.
Mexico's Education Ministry has confirmed that the 2025-2026 school year will officially close in mid-May rather than mid-June. The move is meant to free up venues, hotels and transport corridors before the FIFA World Cup, jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Parents have reacted angrily. Many say they are struggling to find affordable summer programmes and that private childcare fees will stretch family budgets. School parent associations in Mexico City and Guadalajara accuse the government of sacrificing the academic calendar to the sporting one.
Education specialists warn the bigger danger is a slide in maths and reading literacy. The ministry argues that extra teaching days were added in March and April to make up for lost lessons, but independent assessments have not yet been published. For the host country, this is shaping up as one of the first big logistical tests of the tournament.
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