Mexico Abandons Plan to End School Year Early for World Cup

Mexico's schools won't be getting a World Cup-length summer break after all. As Al Jazeera reports, the federal government has reversed a plan to end the school year roughly six weeks early following pushback from parents, state officials, and education analysts. Education Secretary Mario Delgado had abruptly announced Friday that classes would wrap on June 5, citing both the approaching tournament and a heatwave.

President Claudia Sheinbaum, who had signaled doubts about the the shortened calendar, convened officials and parent representatives on Monday. The outcome: the original calendar stays, with classes ending July 15 and restarting August 31, the Education Department said. That means the school year will overlap with much of the World Cup, which concludes July 19—though the last match played in Mexico will be July 5, notes the Athletic. Sheinbaum said the objective was a "consensus decision" and promised six weeks of vacation "as it has always been," along with completion of infrastructure projects tied to the 2026 World Cup, which Mexico will co-host with the US and Canada.