Mexico City weighs alcohol curbs after World Cup crowds fill downtown
Officials may restrict street alcohol sales after celebrations drew 700,000 people and left 40 tonnes of waste in central Mexico City.
By Lucas Ferreira · Science & Environment Writer
2 min read
Mexico City officials are considering tighter controls on alcohol sales in public areas after World Cup celebrations brought more than 700,000 people into the capital’s downtown, Reuters reported. The move could affect how fans gather for Mexico’s next matches as the city tries to manage crowds, waste and public drinking during the tournament.
The celebrations followed Mexico’s 1-0 win over South Korea, a result that sent the national team into the World Cup knockout stage. According to Reuters, supporters packed central streets in green Mexico jerseys, some wearing Lucha Libre masks, while waving flags, singing and playing vuvuzelas in the rain.
By the following morning, Reforma Avenue, one of the city’s key roads, was covered with rubbish, Reuters reported. Yellow cempasuchil flowers planted along the avenue had also been damaged, and authorities collected about 40 tonnes of waste around the historic centre.
Mexico City government secretary Cesar Cravioto said at a Friday news conference that prevention is part of the city’s responsibility while hosting large football crowds. He said that includes acting against unauthorized alcohol sales on streets, according to Reuters.
Cravioto said officials would ask restaurants and bars in the area to keep customers from carrying alcoholic drinks outside. He also said nearby convenience stores could be asked to suspend alcohol sales in the hours before major matches.
The city government is also preparing crowd-control changes. Reuters reported that officials plan to add seven large screens around the centre, on top of the 12 already operating, in an effort to spread fans across more locations.
Authorities also plan to send more personnel into the area to curb beer sales by street vendors, according to Reuters. Cravioto said the government would continue urging fans to celebrate without excessive drinking.
The pressure on host cities is not limited to Mexico. Reuters reported that in Boston, another World Cup host city, Scottish supporters known as the Tartan Army drank large amounts of beer after Scotland beat Haiti 1-0, with several bars saying they ran out.
Mexico’s next group-stage match is scheduled for Wednesday against the Czech Republic. City officials have not announced final rules for alcohol restrictions, but the measures under discussion signal a stricter approach before the next large gathering of fans downtown.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.