On Location: “Mexico, the country that knows the least about our hospitality”

After 40 years, the World Cup returns to Mexico City , but 2026 promises to be a revolutionary year. The Estadio Azteca is scheduled for its opening match, and its renovation process already includes areas that will offer VIP experiences operated by On Locarion . A fan needs at least 26,000 pesos to pay for the one-day hospitality package, the most affordable option.

On Location launched its role as the official hospitality provider for the 16 World Cup stadiums, where the 104 matches will be held between Mexico, the United States, and Canada. The company has already provided VIP experiences in Mexico City , the last two NFL games, and last March's UFC, but they believe it's necessary to expand their presence.

“I don't know if I'd say Mexico is the hardest country to launch the idea for On Location, but it's the country that knows the least about what we are and what we do. I don't think fans are used to hospitality; the norm is just buying a ticket. We're offering so much more; we want to say we're more than just a ticket. I wouldn't say it's the hardest country, but when they see it, understand it, they'll buy it.”

On Location 's senior vice president, Leah Linke, spoke to El Economista during the presentation and declined to provide any figures related to the number of hospitality packages already sold or the cost of operating these areas within a stadium.

“I can't comment on the number of packages already sold one year before the World Cup. I'd also like to know about Mexican fan behavior (in terms of experience purchases), but what my sales team tells me is that the most popular packages are those that include the game series in the city. We're launching in Mexico, and in a couple of weeks we'll see what the trend is. We hope Mexican fans will want to go to the United States or Canada.”

Leah Linke also commented on On Location's active participation in the remodeling process of the Azteca Stadium .

“One hundred percent. We have a local team working with them. We're in contact with the stadium to review operational aspects and ensure the renovations they're undertaking fit with the operation we want to deliver. That's the support we have from FIFA. They want to be sure that everything we do is driven and that we can operate without packing too many people into a space. We see everything from the kitchen to the On-Location spaces. We don't want full spaces. We work every step of the way to meet standards. Everything, including the food, will be locally sourced. We don't yet know how many Mexican companies will be suppliers, but we're working with a couple of companies that are looking at the architectural space, and there will be more as we enter the venues in Mexico.”

Regarding the conflict between the Azteca Stadium and the owners of the stadium's seats, On Location stated in the presentation that it is not part of the negotiations or agreements.

“It's a challenge to operate in three countries. Our responsibility is the hospitality venues, using local companies. We'll have fans who will purchase packages for Mexico, the United States, and Canada. We want to be as consistent as possible. We rely on local experts to tell us what's expected in Mexico and how to do it. At the Paris Olympics, we had 23 different venues; everything was done locally, and we also had to bring in suppliers from abroad. We learned a lot about managing multiple venues.”

The 2026 World Cup, a once-in-a-lifetime event, unrepeatable. Neither the Super Bowl nor the Coachella Music Festival will surpass it in terms of the VIP expectations that On Location has.