Remember me
Jalisco knows a thing or two about the World Cup.
This Mexican state that’s perched on the Pacific coast has played host to two previous iterations of the world’s biggest sporting event throughout the decades (in 1970 and 1986, to be exact). For the 2026 competition, Jalisco held four different games in its capital of Guadalajara, which caused an influx of travelers to flock to the vibrant city.
“We’ve been receiving between two and 2.5 million visitors,” the state’s secretary of tourism Michelle Fridman Hirsch said in a discussion at : The World’s Game during the weekend of this year’s FIFA World Cup Final.
House of Robb attendees enjoying the World Cup Final.
Trevor Carr
As a result, $700 million was injected into the state’s economy. Hotels, too, saw a big boost, with occupancy increasing by 9.2 percent and hotel rates skyrocketing by over 180 percent. Tourists also flew in from across the globe to attend the games in Jalisco, including countries such as Japan, Colombia, Spain, and more.
And though the World Cup may be over, Jalisco has plenty on offer for you to explore, though it was given a chance to show people what’s on offer there during the massive tournament. Head over to Puerto Vallarta, for example, for some beautiful beaches, and the stunning Costalegre for plenty of luxury resorts ready for a visit (Four Seasons, for one, with a Six Senses and a Cheval Blanc on the horizon). Guadalajara, meanwhile, is a city that “blends the traditional with the contemporary,” Fridman Hirsch said, with sports, cultural, and restaurant-focused events abound, all showing off the beauty of Mexico.
After all, she says, “We like to say Jalisco is Mexico, because it embodies much of the Mexican icons that are known in the world about Mexico.” Mariachi and charrería, the country’s national sport, originally came from Jalisco.
One other famous piece of Mexican culture got its start in the state, too: Tequila. The spirit was born right in the town of—surprise, surprise—Tequila, one of the most famous destinations in the region. The area has been christened one of Mexico’s Pueblos Mágicos, a tourism program that spotlights towns and cities throughout the country that are imperative to preserving its cultural heritage—a.k.a., the can’t-miss places to visit, 12 of which reside within Jalisco’s border.
In 2027, the state is also holding what it calls the Year of Gastronomy, with plenty of events, tequila, and Mexican food on the menu. Though it kicked off the festivities a little early, hosting the 2026 Michelin Guide Ceremony for Mexico this past May, with the 50 Best Latin American Restaurants ceremony taking place in Guadalajara in a couple months.
The World Cup also gave tourists a chance to shed any worries they had about safety. In 2025, Jalisco decreased its homicide rate by 50 percent compared to the previous year, according to Fridman Hirsch.
“Everyone was saying, ‘OK, the only risk is that I’m feeling is that I want to stay,’” she said.
Nicole Hoey
Nicole Hoey is Robb Report's digital editor. While studying at Boston University, she read, wrote and read some more as an English and journalism major. A class taught by a Boston Globe copy editor…
Read More