Mexico City is not waiting for the 2026 FIFA World Cup kickoff to celebrate the beautiful game. The capital has already transformed football into a massive cultural spectacle, putting iconic treasures like Pele's crown and Diego Maradona's jersey on public display.
At the Museo Yancuic in Iztapalapa, the "Album Epico" (Epic Album) exhibition is showcasing over 15,000 pieces of football memorabilia, including jerseys from 90 national teams. The exhibition is free to the public and runs through August 2026 to welcome both local residents and international tourists during the tournament.
The vast majority of the items belong to collector Gabriel Bustamante, who has spent over 40 years gathering professional football artifacts. Alongside notable match shirts worn by David Beckham, Jorge Campos, Lionel Messi, and Cristiano Ronaldo, the crown presented to Brazilian legend Pele during his 1970 World Cup victory in Mexico stands out as the crown jewel.
"We have many iconic artifacts from the history of football, but the item everyone wants a photo with is Pele's kit and the crown he was presented with here in Mexico in 1970," said exhibition curator Ricardo Rivera.
The interactive museum features digital displays, vintage broadcast recordings, and acoustic zones that mimic stadium echoes. The top floor offers recreational areas complete with foosball, mini-pitches, penalty challenges, and a replica of the World Cup trophy for selfies.
Meanwhile, across the city in Polanco, the Museo Jumex is hosting a more cerebral exhibition titled "Football & Art: A Shared Emotion." Curated by Guillermo Santamarina, the gallery explores the intersection of contemporary art and football through July 26.
The show features nearly 100 works—ranging from paintings and sculptures to photography and video installations—created by more than 60 artists from 13 countries. Architect Mauricio Rocha designed the exhibition space to mirror the football universe. In the museum's outdoor plaza, an emotional installation named "Tribunas" by the Tercerunquinto collective uses original stadium seats recovered from the historic Azteca Stadium, each bearing plaques named after iconic Mexican footballers.
These two major events are part of a broader cultural campaign involving over 20 museums and arts spaces from Xochimilco to Iztapalapa. With Mexico City expecting over five million tourists during the sporting event, the cultural ball has already started rolling.
