In Mexico, large-scale teacher protests have raised concerns just weeks before the start of the football World Cup in early June. On Friday, thousands of public school teachers marched through Mexico City demanding higher wages. Organized by the National Education Workers union, around 3,000 members took to the streets, attempting to reach the Education Ministry before being blocked by police. Protesters warned that if their demands are not met, they will launch a nationwide movement from June 11, potentially disrupting the tournament.

The unrest stems from internal divisions within the teachers’ union. While union leaders and the government agreed on a 9 percent pay increase, a major faction rejected the deal and demanded a 100 percent raise instead. Currently, a public school teacher in Mexico earns about 967 dollars per month. Demonstrators criticized the government’s focus on World Cup spending over education, with banners highlighting the issue.

As Mexico co-hosts the World Cup with the United States and Canada, the threat of mass protests has alarmed authorities, given teachers’ history of paralyzing Mexico City during previous movements.