Checklist · Pre-Trip + Match Day

✅ CDMX Checklist

Three lists: what to handle before you fly, what to pack, and what to do in your first 24 hours on the ground. Plus the match-day kit for Estadio Azteca. Mexico City's altitude, rainy season, and cash-heavy economy each demand specific prep — none of it expensive, all of it skippable only if you enjoy avoidable misery.

Before You Fly

Documents & Apps

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Visa / FMM permit
No tourist visa needed for US/Canada/UK/EU/AU passports. 180-day FMM/visitor permit issued at airport — keep the QR/PDF until departure.
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Vaccines
Mexico does NOT require vaccination for entry. CDC recommends Hep A and Typhoid for travelers eating widely. Confirm with your doctor 4-6 weeks before flight.
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Travel insurance
Get travel insurance with a medical evacuation rider. CDMX has world-class private hospitals (ABC Medical Center, Médica Sur) but evacuation home is what insurance is for.
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eSIM pre-load
Airalo Movistar Mexico eSIM pre-loaded before departure ($4.50 / 1 GB / 7 days, $10.50 / 3 GB / 30 days) — get it here. Activates the moment you land.
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Notify bank
Some US banks block first MX charges as fraud. Bring chip-and-PIN Visa/Mastercard + a backup card. Tell your bank the dates and country.
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FIFA ID + ticket
FIFA ID created and linked to your match ticket in FIFA mobile wallet. Keep a screenshot of the QR — useful if the app misbehaves at the gate.
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Apps to install
Uber, DiDi, Cabify, Citymapper CDMX, Metro CDMX, Google Translate (offline Spanish), WhatsApp. WhatsApp is dominant in Mexico — hotels and tour operators reply there.

Pack

Bag List

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Light layers
June 18°C night to 26°C day with afternoon thunderstorms. T-shirt + long-sleeve + light jacket. Don't pack heavy.
☔
Compact rain shell / umbrella
June rainy season — afternoon downpours short but heavy, 16:00-19:00 routine. Packable shell beats umbrella for stadium policies.
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Walking shoes
Uneven sidewalks. Expect 12k+ steps daily — broken-in trainers or hiking-style sneakers, not new ones.
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Sun hat + SPF 30+
UV at altitude is intense (CDMX UV peaks 13-14, see weather page). Brimmed hat, broad-spectrum SPF 30+ minimum, ideally 50.
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Reusable water bottle (city use only)
Plus LifeStraw or Steripen, OR plan to buy bottled. Don't drink the tap. Altitude dehydrates fast. Do not bring to Estadio Azteca — water bottles are banned inside all 2026 World Cup stadiums (FIFA confirmed, June 2026).
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Stomach + altitude meds
Hand sanitizer, Imodium, Pepto. Altitude prep: ibuprofen for headaches; optional chlorophyll drops or coca tea; consult doctor about Diamox if you have prior altitude issues.
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Type-A/B plug (NA 120V)
Same as US/Canada. UK/EU travelers need an adapter; Aussies/NZ need an adapter. Voltage 120V — most modern devices auto-switch.
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Cash belt or zipped crossbody
Cash-heavy city. Front-pocket wallet or zipped crossbody bag — back-pocket wallet at the Metro is the canonical pickpocket setup.

On Arrival

First 24 Hours

1. Activate eSIM at MEX. Profile should switch on automatically; if not, follow the Airalo email instructions (5 minutes).
2. Pre-paid taxi from inside terminal OR Uber from the designated zone (T1 Sala E2 / T2 Door 7 — verify on arrival).
3. Drink water immediately + skip alcohol day 1 (altitude).
4. Buy MI card (15 MXN) at any Metro station, load 50 MXN.
5. First meal: comida corrida at a neighborhood fonda — easy intro to Mexican food, low-key, low-price.
6. Don't drink tap water. Buy bottled or use the Airbnb's garrafón.
7. Save accommodation address in Spanish + screenshot for offline reference. WhatsApp it to a travel buddy too.

Match Day · Estadio Azteca

Stadium Kit

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Phone charged + power bank
10,000 mAh power bank. Cell signal collapses post-match — but you still want phone usable for Uber when the surge zone clears.
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FIFA Mobile Ticket
In your phone wallet. Screenshot the QR as a backup. Photo ID matching FIFA profile + passport copy.
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Clear stadium bag
FIFA standard — clear plastic, dimensions per official guidance. Avoid black-out backpacks.
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No water bottles at Estadio Azteca
Water bottles — sealed or empty — are banned inside for all World Cup matches (FIFA confirmed, June 2026). Pre-hydrate before entering; free water at hydration stations inside.
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Light rain shell
Afternoon storms routine in June. Packable, fits in your stadium bag. Estadio Azteca's canopy doesn't cover all seats.
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Cash 500-1,000 MXN
For return Uber/taxi/snacks. Card readers at Azteca concessions are unreliable in heavy crowds — small-bill cash is the safe move.
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Allow 90 min transit
Metro Line 2 + Tren Ligero — both packed match days. Leave earlier than you'd think, the Metro queues at Tasqueña are real.
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Walk away post-match
Walk away from Azteca for 10 min before requesting Uber — clears the surge zone, drops your fare, and saves you the 60-min wait at the stadium itself.