Modernizing payments: Mexico's challenge ahead of the 2026 World Cup

Mexico faces the challenge of modernizing its payments infrastructure to meet the demands of a new consumer profile, in a context in which it will host the 2026 FIFA World Cup along with the United States and Canada, according to studies by firms specializing in financial technology and payment methods.

According to the Retail Report 2025 by payment specialist Adyen, visitors to the country expect fast, secure, and frictionless payment experiences. However, Mexico remains a cash-dominated economy, with 66% preference among consumers, while 30% have become familiar with digital wallets.

The use of cash predominates despite the growth in the adoption of modern methods, such as the increase in Point of Sale Terminals (POS), which exceed 6.8 million devices. According to data from the 2024 Economic Census (INEGI), 84.5% of microbusinesses and 74% of small economic units continue to make the majority of their sales in cash.

This contrasts with trends in markets such as the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Japan, where consumers are already accustomed to paying via Apple Pay, Google Pay, smartwatches, QR codes, and even social media.

The Adyen report also indicates that 37% of Mexican companies plan to invest in improving their payment processes over the next 12 months. However, the document emphasizes that the country must accelerate its pace if it wants to capitalize on such a significant opportunity.

“This event could mark a turning point for national commerce. It's not just about accepting payments, but about facilitating global shopping experiences: integrating multiple methods, enabling omnichannel, anticipating peak demand, and responding to consumers with international expectations,” said Fabricio Moreno, general manager of Adyen in Mexico.

The study highlights the case of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games: foreign visitors generated 35% of total sales volume, with American tourists leading the spending at 22%, exceeding the combined spending of Germany, the United Kingdom, and Spain.

Furthermore, visitors from China spent up to nine times more in sectors such as luxury, highlighting the fact that users in these countries are more accustomed to payment systems such as digital wallets or contactless payments.

Security

On the other hand, a report from the payment platform Kushki indicates that during large-scale events like the World Cup, fraud attempts tend to increase considerably. Given this scenario, the firm recommends that merchants adopt more robust protection technologies, such as tokenization, which replaces sensitive card data with unique, encrypted identifiers, making information theft more difficult.

It also suggests implementing 3D Secure authentication, a system that adds an extra layer of verification during online transactions, typically requiring the customer to confirm via their bank or mobile device.

Although World Cup matches will only be played in three cities in the country, the platform emphasized that visitors are expected to travel to other regions, so modernization efforts must be extended nationwide to ensure a consistent, secure, and efficient payment experience.