Uber in talks with Mexico government over airport access ahead of and beyond World Cup

Published: 2026-04-27 11:25:08 ET UBER

Published on 04/27/2026 at 11:25 am EDT

Uber is in active negotiations with the Mexican government to secure agreements allowing it to operate at the country's airports before, during and after the 2026 World Cup, as a complex legal battle with taxi operators and federal regulators continues to block the platform from serving airport zones, Bloomberg Línea reported.

'We are literally in current conversations with the government to be able to reach agreements where before, during and after the World Cup, we can offer the best possible experience to users and drivers,' Uber Mexico chief executive Félix Olmo said in an interview.

Mexican airports are federal zones where only companies authorised by the infrastructure and transport ministry may operate ground transport. Uber holds a court injunction obtained in October 2025 that bars arbitrary detentions of its drivers at airports pending a full trial, but the ministry has maintained that the suspension does not constitute authorisation to operate within airport perimeters. The dispute has been accompanied by taxi blockades and occasional attacks on ride-hailing drivers.

Sheinbaum said in March that her government would facilitate a designated pickup area away from the main airport zone for ride-hailing platforms at Mexico City's airport. The navy minister said a former defence ministry parking area outside the federal perimeter was being adapted for this purpose.

Uber, which has 450,000 vehicles on its platform in Mexico, is preparing a range of World Cup services including strategic pickup and drop-off points near hotels, stadiums and high-traffic zones, group vehicles, ride reservations and a partnership with taxi app MX Taxi. The company is offering guaranteed earnings incentives to attract new drivers ahead of the tournament. Mexico expects 5.5mn visitors, $1bn in revenues and 24,000 direct jobs from the World Cup, according to the Tourism Ministry.

The ride-hailing market in Mexico was valued at $3.86bn in 2025. A trip from Mexico City's international airport to the Azteca stadium costs around MXN275 ($16) via Uber Comfort, compared with MXN495 to MXN825 ($29 to $48) for authorised taxi companies.