The 2026 World Cup will not turn Mexico into a country of smart cities. It will reveal which of its cities truly know how to govern. That is the uncomfortable test. Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey will not only receive matches, tourists, international cameras, and consumer spending. They will also undergo an open-air urban audit. Every slow commute, every signage failure, every poorly coordinated operation, and every app that solves nothing will tell a deeper story:

Talking about smart cities in Latin America is no longer about screens, sensors, and futuristic promises. It is about productivity, foreign trade, energy security, investment attraction, and the ability to integrate into global value chains connecting Mexico with the United States, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Oceania. In a context of slower regional growth, the issue has moved beyond aesthetics: the IMF projects Latin America and the Caribbean will grow by 2.2% this year, with

In 2025, the promise of “smart cities” has moved beyond aspirational rhetoric and into a field of direct economic and political competition. Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a technological add-on; it has become the new urban operating system. It determines which potholes are fixed first, how public transportation routes are adjusted in real time, where security resources are deployed, how water is prioritized during shortages, and which permits are accelerated to at

Cities in Mexico and the United States are entering a decade in which competitiveness will depend less on megaprojects and more on their ability to incubate and scale startups that solve urban challenges: electric mobility, water, housing, security, and digital services. Data from 2024 confirms this shift: investment in Latin American startups grew 26% year over year, with Mexico leading the regional recovery through significant rounds in fintech—a clear indicator of appetite

Along the 3,200-kilometer corridor that both divides and connects Mexico and the United States—through deserts, industrial cities, and binational communities—public safety has evolved from a domestic matter into a shared priority. Historically plagued by organized crime, human trafficking, and the illegal flow of drugs, weapons, and money, the border region is now witnessing a shift: in 2024, binational public safety initiatives became permanent structures designed to anticip