Mexico has hosted more FIFA World Cup competitions than any other nation. The first was 1970, where Brasil triumphed with star Pelé. Next in 1986, Argentina won with Maradonna’ Hand of God move that captivated the world. Finally, in 2026 Mexico co-hosted the opening group stage matches held in Mexico, Canada and the United States. The event was eventually won by Span. For 2026, CDMX and six Mexican states issued special optional plates for the world event: Ciudad de Mexico, Baja California, Guerrero, Nuevo Leon, Puebla, San Luis Potosi, and Tlaxcala. If you are a collector, there are 12 different optional states from CDMX and six states all to celebrate the 2026 Copa Mundial.
This commemorative booster plate celebrated the first time that Mexico hosted a World Cup tournament. The 1970 World Cup was the ninth edition of FIFA’s quadrennial international football championship for men’s senior national teams. Held from 31 May to 21 June in Mexico, it was the first time hosted in North America, and the first held outside Europe and South America.
In addition to Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, matches were held, as you can see on the booster plate, in four other venues: Toluca (Estado de Mexico), Jalisco, Leon (Guanajuato), and Puebla hosted matches. Teams representing 75 nations from all six populated continents entered the competition, and its qualification rounds began in May 1968. From this long process, fourteen teams qualified to join host nation Mexico and defending champions England in a 16-team final tournament. El Salvador, Israel and Morocco made their debut appearances at the final stage.
In the final, Brazil won 4–1 against Italy, another FIFA two-time champion. Brazil also overcame another two-time champion and South American champions Uruguay, by 3–1 in the semi-final. England, the defending FIFA champions, lost to Brazil in the group stage and were later eliminated by West Germany in the quarter-finals.
The win gave Brazil their third World Cup title, which allowed them to permanently keep the Jules Rimet Trophy, and a new trophy was introduced in 1974. The victorious team, led by Carlos Alberto and featuring players such as Pelé, Gérson, Jairzinho, Rivellino and Tostão, is often cited as the greatest football team of all time. They achieved a perfect record of wins in all six games in the finals, as well as winning all their qualifying fixtures.
Despite the altitude and high temperature, the finals featured attacking football which created an average goals per game record not since bettered by any subsequent World Cup Finals. With advancements in satellite communications, the 1970 Finals attracted a new record television audience for the FIFA World Cup as games were broadcast live around the world and, in a few cases, in color for the first time.
The 1986 FIFA World Cup was the 13th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial football tournament for men’s senior national teams. Originally, Colombia had won the right to host the FIFA competition but withdrew in November 1982 due to financial pressures. Mexico was selected as the new host in May1983, and became the first country to host the World Cup more than once, after 1970
The World Cup was won by Argentina (their second title, after winning in 1978). Argentina was captained by the 25-year-old Diego Maradona, who played a large part in his team’s success by scoring his “Hand of God” goal, as well as another voted the “Goal of the Century”, in the same quarter-final match against England. These were two of the five goals that Maradona scored during the tournament, and he also created another five for his teammates. Argentina beat West Germany 3–2 in the final at Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca.
Argentina would not win the World Cup again until 2022, 36 years later and nearly won again in 2026. For 1986, nearly 2.4 million fans attended. Canada, Denmark and Iraq made their first appearances at the final stage.
The 2026 World Cup was jointly hosted by 16 cities—11 in the United States, 3 in Mexico, and 2 in Canada. The tournament was the first FIFA World Cup to be hosted by three countries and the first to include 48 teams, an expansion from the previous 32-team format.
The 2026 tournament was the second World Cup to be hosted by multiple nations, after the 2002 edition. Mexico became the first country to host the World Cup three times, having hosted the 1970 and 1986 tournaments. The United States previously hosted the World Cup in 1994, while it was Canada’s first time hosting the tournament. The event returned to its traditional June–July schedule after the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, which was uniquely held in November and December to avoid Qatar’s extreme summer heat. Canada, Mexico, and the United States qualified automatically as hosts, while Cape Verde, Curaçao, Jordan, and Uzbekistan made their World Cup debuts.
Mexico celebrated it’s third time hosting the world’s biggest sporting event with commemorative plates from Mexico City and six states, including Baja California, Guerrero, Nuevo León, Puebla, San Luis Potosí, and Tlaxcala.
The Government of Mexico City presented the new commemorative vehicle license plate for the 2026 World Cup, a special edition celebrating that the capital will host the tournament’s opening for the third time. It is an optional badge, with limited availability, designed for drivers who want to join in the World Cup spirit in the capital.
Clara Brugada, Head of Government, emphasized that this measure does not represent a mandatory re-registration, but rather an option for those who want to display it as an official piece of the event. At ESTADIO Deportes, we tell you everything you need to know.
Why was a special license plate launched for the 2026 World Cup?
The mayor explained that this commemorative edition aims to recognize that Mexico is the only country to host three World Cup openings. Additionally, the plate incorporates modern security elements and will be valid in the same way as a traditional license plate.
Mobility Secretary Héctor Ulises García Nieto highlighted that the design serves as a symbol of sports pride and supports safe mobility. Vehicle owners with valid license plates may request the World Cup-themed version without paying a de-registration fee, simply by covering the specified cost.
The process can be completed online starting in January 2026, with pickup available at Mobility Secretariat and Treasury service centers. The goal is for users to receive the plate on the same day or, at the latest, within three days.
Authorities confirmed there will be no fees for de-registering or re-registering the vehicle. Owners of new, pre-owned, or out-of-state vehicles may request the new plate, provided they are up to date with their tax obligations.
Telemundo 20 reports:
According to the Baja California Tax Administration Service (SATBC), the license plates cost $1,480 pesos. They indicated that they are not mandatory and are only for those who, due to World Cup fervor, wish to have them. “They will be entirely voluntary for anyone who wants them.
I also want to share that some citizens have been calling us to ask about the license plates because they want their World Cup-themed plates. It’s something that has to do with the mood and the atmosphere. But also, in the forums we’ve attended, people have asked if they will be mandatory. They won’t be mandatory; it’s for anyone who wants them,” explained Jesús García Castro, director of the SAT BC (Tax Administration Service of Baja California).
“The State is participating in this national policy in support of the World Cup, given that our country is hosting the World Cup and it is a distinct category from other seasons; it is a public policy, and for that reason it was determined that these measures would be implemented regarding the World Cup,” García Castro added.
The Secretary of Finance of Baja California, José Andrés Pulido Saavedra, reported that 95,463 special license plates alluding to the World Cup were manufactured, while the rest of the plates planned for this year will retain the traditional design.
The official explained that the new license plates feature textures and official World Cup logos, as well as holograms, QR codes and other security elements authorized by the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation (SICT), as well as by FIFA. “They have all the corresponding licenses and authorizations. They are official license plates and have all the safety features,” he said.
License plates can be obtained through vehicle registration procedures, changes of ownership, and replacement of plates for national, border, pickup, trailer, and other applicable vehicles.
Guerrero joined the celebrations of Mexico’s record-breaking hosting of a third World Cup by issuing a special Placa Conmemorativa. The design is perhaps the most radical of all FIFA designs for 2026. “México 26” dwarfs the state name, which is barely recognizable. In another unique symbol of national pride, Guerrero honors the 1970, 1986 and 2026 events with the host logo from each year.
To celebrate the historic Copa Mundial event, authorities in Nuevo León have decided to release 40,000 commemorative plates specially designed for the tournament. These plates were available starting March 4 at various locations of the Nuevo León Institute of Culture (ICV).
Motorists purchased these plaques at six ICV kiosks, allowing football fans and collectors to acquire this symbolic item.
The initiative aims not only to pay tribute to the magnitude of the 2026 World Cup but also to foster regional pride in being one of the host cities for this major event.
Each plate features an exclusive design that captures the essence of the tournament, making it a collector’s item that will surely be valued by fans of the beautiful game.
Besides being a tangible memento of the World Cup, the commemorative plates hold profound cultural significance. Football in Mexico is not just a sport; it is an essential part of the national identity. The creation of these objects is part of a tradition of celebrating the passion and history of football in the country. Nuevo León, known for its football fervor and rich culture, will add a new chapter to its sporting history with this international event.
The 2026 World Cup was a spectacular event that brought together fans from all over the world to Mexico to showcase its hospitality and love for football.
The commemorative plates are just one of the many ways the region is preparing for this monumental event. With its rich cultural tradition, Nuevo León hopes to leave a lasting mark on the history of world football.
Puebla joins several other states with a choice of Copa Mundial commemorative plates for 2026: one red and one green. The government announced the issuance of 40,000 commemorative vehicle license plates for the 2026 FIFA World Cup , as part of a strategy to project the state’s identity internationally.
During a press conference led by Governor Alejandro Armenta Mier, the Secretary of Planning, Finance and Administration, Daniela Stephanie Pérez Calderón , explained that these limited private vehicle plates incorporate emblematic elements of Puebla , such as volcanoes, the Voladores de Cuetzalan (flying men of Cuetzalan), coffee producers, agave plants, and references to pre-Hispanic culture like the Cantona ballgame. They also include modern components such as the Olinia electric car, as well as World Cup symbols, including the tournament’s name, the mascot “Axolín Mundialista” (World Cup Axolin), and an informative QR code.
Officials explained the plates aim to strengthen a sense of belonging and position Puebla during the sporting event . “Each vehicle will be a traveling ambassador for the state,” she noted, while also stressing that the strategy intends to boost tourism and the local economy.
The 2026 Puebla FIFA Placa Conmemorativa won a different competition–in over 100 years of Mexico license plates from all states, districts and territories, this plate wins for having the most graphic elements on a single plate–we have identified 20 different elements.
At the top:
1. F for frontera or T for Trasera (front or rear plate)
2. Puebla state name logo with heart
3. QR code
In the center:
4. Puebla volcanoes
5. Traditional dancer
6. Cuetzalan indigenous flyers
7. The ancient indigenous balls used on the courts at Cantona
8. Coffee products
9. Olinia, Mexico’s first electric car, a triump for the national automotive industry and make in Puebla state
10. Agave plant, the source for the world’s favorite Tequila drink.
11. Beautiful ceramics, designed in Talavera
At the bottom:
12. Vehicle Type, “Transporte Privado Automovil” (Passenger Automobile).
14. “Placa conmemorativa 2026” with soccer ball logo.
15. Puebla FIFA mascot
16. Mexico national seal, with the eagle.
17. Puebla brand slogan, “Por Amor a Puebla” (Puebla For Love)
18. Mexico FIFA 2026 Aztec medallion symbol
19. Another Puebla brand slogan, “Pensar en Grande” (Think Big).
20. Puebla state seal.
The Governor of San Luis Potosí, Ricardo Gallardo Cardona , announced that commemorative 2026 FIFA World Cup plates were issued starting February 26, at the tax collection offices of the Ministry of Finance (Sefin) in the four zones of the state.
The governor of Potosí announced that these commemorative metal license plates have finally begun to arrive and will be available in three different models for vehicle owners who want to own these collectible plates.
During a live broadcast, the Governor presented the three designs, which incorporate iconic elements such as the World Cup trophy, soccer fields, soccer balls, and the jaguar, Mexico’s mascot for the tournament.
Gallardo explained that these plates will cost approximately 500 pesos, which covers only the cost of production, die-cutting, and molds. He clarified that this is simply a commemorative option for those who wish to keep a souvenir, as regular license plates and driver’s licenses remain free in San Luis Potosí, and this special edition is entirely optional. The state government, headed by Ricardo Gallardo Cardona , has launched an initiative that highlights Mexican pride and encourages the international sporting atmosphere with license plates for cars and motorcycles featuring designs alluding to the 2026 World Cup.
One design features Zayu™ the Jaguar from the jungles of southern Mexico, embodies the rich heritage and vibrant spirit of the country. With a name inspired by unity, strength and joy, Zayu transforms on the pitch as a striker, showcasing exceptional ingenuity and agility that intimidates defenders. Off the pitch, Zayu embraces Mexican culture through dance, food and tradition, uniting people across borders with passion and pride. More than an athlete, Zayu is a symbol of cultural celebration and connection, carrying the heart of Mexico with pride.
The Ministry of Mobility and Transportation (SMyT) of Tlaxcala introduced a commemorative vehicle license plate program for the 2026 World Cup,
Marco Tulio Munive Temoltzin, explained that these plates were designed as a souvenir of the sporting event and 24,730 sets of license plates were acquired, which include images and graphic elements related to soccer, such as fields, gloves, whistles, balls and players, in addition to a special sticker with the same visual identity authorized for this commemorative edition.
Munive Temoltzin emphasized, “This has generated significant interest among vehicle owners who want to acquire their plates; they are now available at our local offices and headquarters,” he stated.
He also clarified that “Their acquisition is voluntary and does not represent a vehicle registration program; it is not mandatory,” he noted.
The established costs are 1,877 pesos for vehicle registrations and 1,232 pesos for license plate exchanges,
