Mexico City is cracking down on alcohol ahead of Wednesday evening’s World Cup clash between Mexico and the Czech Republic, banning sales in some of the city’s most heavily trafficked areas to prevent a repeat of last week’s rowdy street celebrations.
The sales restriction will be in effect from 3 p.m. local time Wednesday through 7 a.m. Thursday, timed around the match, which is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. at Mexico City Stadium.
While bars and restaurants will be allowed to continue operating normally, the ban will affect convenience stores, grocery stores, and supermarkets located in the historic downtown area and several surrounding boroughs.
The restricted zone includes the well-known Zona Rosa entertainment district and Reforma Avenue — the city’s main boulevard — where fans traditionally flock to celebrate soccer victories near the iconic Angel of Independence monument.
City officials had already signaled last week that additional personnel would be stationed to keep watch over beer sales by street vendors. That announcement came after more than 700,000 people flooded downtown streets to cheer Mexico’s win over South Korea, a result that pushed the co-hosting nation into the World Cup knockout round.
It’s worth noting that public drinking is prohibited under Mexican law.
Even so, thousands of fans took to Reforma Avenue after the South Korea match despite rainy conditions, transforming one of the city’s most recognizable streets into a massive outdoor celebration filled with green jerseys, Mexican flags, national songs, and late-night revelry.
When the party was over, city crews faced a significant cleanup — hauling away roughly 40 metric tons of trash from in and around the historic center.
