Qatar-backed football exhibition opens in Mexico City as part of Year of Culture initiative

DUBAI: A major football exhibition has opened in Mexico City, bringing together some of the most iconic objects in the history of the sport as part of the Qatar Canada and Mexico 2026 Year of Culture.

“Objects of Glory: Iconic Moments in the History of Football†opened at Museo Jumex on June 10 and will run until Aug. 30. The exhibition was inaugurated in the presence of Qatar's Ambassador to Mexico Mohammed Sultan Al-Kuwari, alongside diplomats from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Norway and Morocco, as well as Mexican officials and Eugenio Lopez, president of Fundacion Jumex.

Organized by Qatar Museums, the 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum and Museo Jumex, the exhibition features 16 objects charting football's rise from a popular pastime to a global cultural phenomenon.

Among its centerpiece exhibits is the match-worn jersey worn by Diego Maradona during Argentina's 1986 FIFA World Cup quarterfinal victory over England at Mexico City's Estadio Azteca. The exhibition also includes historic match balls, iconic jerseys, boots, trophies, artworks and personal memorabilia spanning more than 130 years of football history.

3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum Director Abdulla Al-Mulla said: “The objects in this exhibition witnessed the moments that changed football history. Through them, we can see how a game became a global cultural phenomenon that continues to inspire people across generations and continents. We are proud to bring these stories to Mexico in partnership with Museo Jumex, a country that has played such an important role in football's journey.â€

Curated by Sheikha Najla Al-Thani, the exhibition examines how football's defining moments have been preserved through objects that have become symbols of identity, memory and collective emotion.

“We are very pleased to collaborate with the 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum and Qatar Museums on ‘Objects of Glory.' This partnership allows us to bring an exceptional selection of iconic objects that have shaped the history of football to Mexican audiences, while continuing to expand the ways in which Museo Jumex engages diverse publics through meaningful cultural experiences,†said Lopez.

Commenting on the opening, Al-Thani said, “What interested me as a curator was not simply collecting famous objects, but exploring why certain objects become iconic. This exhibition examines how a shirt, a trophy or a match ball can come to represent a nation, a generation or a defining moment in sporting history.â€

Highlights include artefacts linked to football legends Pele, Maradona, Lionel Messi, David Beckham and Kylian Mbappe, illustrating the sport's ability to transcend borders, generations and languages.

The exhibition also features the story of Honey Thaljieh, former captain of the Palestinian women's national team and the only female athlete represented in the exhibition, highlighting football's role in expanding access and representation.

Opening as Mexico prepares to host matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the exhibition forms part of a broader cultural exchange program under the Qatar Canada and Mexico 2026 Year of Culture, which seeks to strengthen ties through art, heritage, sport, education and innovation.