Mexico cancels plan to end school year early for World Cup
Mexico's Education Ministry has dropped a plan to bring the school year to a close two weeks early ahead of the FIFA World Cup opening. The reversal followed sharp criticism from parents and teachers' unions. The government said the standard calendar will be preserved.
The Mexican government had planned to bring the 2025-26 school year to an early close to accommodate the FIFA World Cup that Mexico will co-host with the United States and Canada in June 2026. Officials said the proposal had been put forward over transport congestion and security concerns.
Parent associations and teachers' unions warned that the change would leave significant curriculum gaps and complicate examination schedules. Opposition parties argued it would sacrifice education to tournament logistics, and a number of state governments said they would not adopt the early-finish locally.
Education Minister Mario Delgado said in an evening statement that the plan had been withdrawn and that schools would close at the start of July on the standard calendar. He added that World Cup transport and security measures would be handled through a separate dedicated commission.
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