Reportage: Monterrey, when industry meets the football

Monterrey already benefited from its proximity to the United States to boost its economic standing. It was in fact in the capital of Nuevo Leon that Elon Musk had announced the project for a Gigafactory three years ago. It is now moving closer to Europe with the inauguration of a brand new first direct flight from Paris CDG by Aeromexico last April. This new link should strengthen the already solid economic ties between the two cities, and between two countries celebrating 200 years of diplomatic relations this year. Relations between France and the Mexican hub have indeed strengthened over the past ten years with the inauguration of the French Consulate General in Monterrey at the end of 2021, and CCI France Mexique has had a branch there since 2018. More recently, Schneider Electric inaugurated the "Monterrey 4" factory last year, and the governor of Nuevo León announced an investment of 850 million USD from Saint-Gobain on May 26th last.

As well as Aeromexico, Iberia has also just launched its bid for the destination. Since June 2nd, the Spanish airline has been connecting Monterrey to Madrid three times a week. This is set to further boost activity at the international airport, which recorded growth of nearly 10% in 2025. The Mexican hub is also looking to the future and thinking bigger: Vinci Airports launched expansion works in 2024, bolstering the investment programme initiated in 2021 by the operator OMA (Grupo Aeroportuario del Centro Norte) for the extension and renovation of its network of 13 airports.

More connected than ever to the European sky, the airport will soon also be to the centre of Monterrey. The construction of a Monorail although the improvement of access to the platform has indeed been delayed, it will therefore not be ready for the World Cup as originally planned. But the situation is nothing new – let's think of CDG Express expected for Paris 2024… – and the project testifies to the destination’s acknowledged ambitions regarding mobility and attractiveness.

As is often the case, the organisation of a global sporting event has provided the impetus for numerous infrastructure projects. Projects that benefit, or will benefit, business travellers, particularly with regard to hotel offerings. As a symbol of this momentum, the Torre Rise is set to become the tallest tower in Mexico and Latin America, standing at 484 metres with 94 floors. However, here too, the goal of an inauguration to coincide with the World Cup has been hampered by practical realities. Under construction, the completion of the Torre Rise is expected "during 2026" according to the developers, possibly in 2027 according to experts. The tower will notably house a 120-room Kimpton hotel, and over 1200 m² of meeting and events facilities.

The Presidente InterContinental Monterrey hotel will also feature prominently on the 2026 World Cup schedule. Set to open in January 2025, it will offer 293 rooms, including 25 suites. The function rooms and meeting spaces cover a total area of over 1,625 m² spread over two floors, with a total capacity of 1,500 people.  

Monterrey’s already substantial range of hotels is expanding further. “L'The state of Nuevo León is ready, and we hoteliers are more than ready to welcome you. “said Jesús Nader Marcos, president of the Mexican Hotel Association of Nuevo León, at the end of May.” We have 135 tourist-quality hotels and around 17,500 rooms – enough to accommodate all the visitors who will come to enjoy this World Cup. ". According to Jesús Nader Marcos, the World Cup will also benefit the destination in terms of training: " We have closely followed the training programmes offered by the State Government, both through the Secretariat of Tourism and Labour, which have helped us to promote and improve the English language level of our collaborators. The municipality of Monterrey has also approached us to contribute to this training effort. Nuevo León is ready. ".

MICE and bleisure benefits

The process initiated prior to the World Cup will thus benefit individual business clients, as well as the MICE sector (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions). Monterrey ranks among the major hubs for business tourism in Mexico, as confirmed by Convention Bureau officials: " It has established itself as one of Mexico and Latin America's favourite cities for professional meetings, thanks to its 17,500 rooms spread across more than 130 hotels, 56,000 m² of space available in its convention centres, a wide range of specialised providers for the events industry, a great variety of tourist attractions for unforgettable moments, and also a convention and visitors bureau with 25 years of experience, which offers organisers valuable support to successfully carry out their next event in Monterrey. ".

However, in the immediate term, the destination will suffer the collateral impact of the World Cup on business clientele, as was the case during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. In its latest annual report published in May – which ranks Monterrey at 239^e world stage, and the 48^e for the Americas region – theCICA noted: “ The 2026 FIFA World Cup, the first edition to be hosted across three countries with 16 host cities spread across the United States, Canada and Mexico, represents both a disruption and a once-in-a-generation opportunity for the region. In the short term, constraints on accommodation and meeting venues are disrupting the usual patterns of association conferences. But the infrastructure it generates — whether through transport modernisation or the expansion of hotel capacity — will make the host cities more competitive for conferences from 2027 onwards. For Mexico in particular, the international visibility offered by Mexico, Guadalajara and Monterrey achieved in a few months what years of slower development would not have been able to achieve ".

If Monterrey does not enjoy a cultural offering comparable to Mexicothe destination nevertheless boasts strong assets for incentive operations and bleisure stays. In the city centre, Parque Fundidora is a green oasis in this urban ocean. The park, built on the site of Latin America's first iron and steel foundry, pays tribute to this industrial heritage and offers boat tours via the canal – with the option of privatisation for groups. It also houses Monterrey's main MICE infrastructure, the congress centre Cintermex, as well as the fan zone for the 2026 World Cup.

However, for a true escape and greater authenticity, head for Cola de Caballo and Santiago. Less than an hour from Monterrey and its hustle and bustle, Santiago enjoys the status of a "magical village". The "Pueblos Mágicos" programme was established in the early 2000s to promote small Mexican towns offering " a cultural wealth, historical interest, gastronomy, crafts and great hospitality – according to its managers. An opportunity to take a little break over lunch or a stroll in this charming, and oh-so-peaceful, old town centre.

A visit to Santiago can easily be combined with an excursion to the Cola de Caballo waterfall. The ecotourism park surrounding this waterfall has been equipped over the years with numerous outdoor activities that attract both leisure and corporate clients. It is said to feature the highest bungee jump in Mexico, according to its managers. Without going to such extremes for thrills, visitors can also try zip-lining, a horse or buggy ride, or a "simple" hike. The park also has a hotel (showing its age, to be honest) with around a hundred rooms, which can host events for up to 200 people.