A tense confrontation unfolded in central Mexico City this week, when local law enforcement deployed tear gas to disperse a group of demonstrating teachers who were attempting to march toward the ongoing construction of a 2026 FIFA World Cup fan festival, Agence France-Presse correspondents on the ground have confirmed. The unrest began after the group of protesting educators pushed past a heavy metal security barricade erected to control access to Mexico City’s iconic Zocalo plaza. This historic central public space, located just one block from the city’s official government palace, is currently being transformed to host World Cup fan events. It will feature a massive overhead screen that is set to broadcast Mexico’s opening match of the 2026 tournament to thousands of soccer fans when the game kicks off on June 11.