Before Mexico submerges itself into the fervor of co-hosting the FIFA World Cup men’s soccer tournament next summer, Netflix will be turning back the clock with “México 86,” starring Diego Luna.
The feature-length film — still in production — is a satirical retelling of how Mexico landed the 1986 World Cup after Colombia withdrew due to economic and political problems.
Though no release date has been disclosed, Netflix is expected to premiere it ahead of next year’s World Cup, which will open June 11 at Estadio Banorte, the renamed Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. The United States and Canada will also be hosting games in the 39-day tournament.
“México 86” is directed by Gabriel Ripstein, the son of acclaimed Mexican director Arturo Ripstein and the grandson of Alfredo Ripstein, a prolific producer during Mexico’s Golden Age of Cinema starting in the early 1940s.
Netflix last week announced a handful of Mexican films that it is working on — in part due to the success in recent years of “Roma” and “Pedro Páramo” on the platform.
The streaming giant made the announcement on Día Nacional del Cine Mexicano, or Mexican Film Day, which honors the country’s film industry, its history and its impact on Mexican culture. It takes place every year on Aug. 15 — the anniversary of the first public film screening in Mexico in 1896.
“Sharing the different faces of Mexico through each new production represents an opportunity to showcase the country’s richness and diversity to the world,” said Carolina Leconte, Netflix’s vice president of content for Mexico.
“México 86” is part of Netflix’s ambitious push into Mexican cinema that Netflix executive Ted Sarandos announced in February alongside President Claudia Sheinbaum. He said Netflix will invest US $1 billion in Mexican film and television production over the next four years.
“México 86” stars Luna, a major star in Mexico and beyond. He first gained fame 24 years ago in “Y Tu Mamá También” and has gone on to star in Hollywood blockbusters such as “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” and in series such as Netflix’s “Narcos: Mexico.”
The film will focus on how what was supposed to be Colombia’s big moment on the world stage became Mexico’s instead — as a cadre of determined officials led a “crazy gamble” (as Netflix describes it) to pull off what many deemed impossible.
“Aura”, el clásico literario, llegará a Netflix 😱📚 ¡Será adaptado por Alonso Ruiz Palacios! Te contamos 👇🏼https://t.co/jjsgkvr6Te
— DÓNDE IR (@DONDEIRweb) August 16, 2025
“México 86” stars Luna, a major star in Mexico and beyond. He first gained fame 24 years ago in “Y Tu Mamá También” and has gone on to star in Hollywood blockbusters such as “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” and in series such as Netflix’s “Narcos: Mexico.”
The film will focus on how what was supposed to be Colombia’s big moment on the world stage became Mexico’s instead — as a cadre of determined officials led a “crazy gamble” (as Netflix describes it) to pull off what many deemed impossible.
Colombia officially withdrew in November 1982 due to being unable to meet FIFA’s requirements, and Mexico was awarded the tournament in May 1983, giving it just over three years to prepare.
The film dives into machinations, wild bets and “pure Mexican ingenuity” that sealed the deal.
“It may seem like a simple story that is only possible in Mexico, but the story questions the guidelines, bureaucracy, politics and power — all told with humor and satire,” said Leconte.
The other Mexican films Netflix is working on:
- “Aura,” a screen adaptation of literary legend Carlos Fuentes’s novel from 1962 about a young historian meeting a mysterious woman while working on her late uncle’s memoirs. Alonso Ruizpalacios, whose feature debut “Güeros” earned five Ariel Awards in 2015, wrote the script and is directing.
- “Contra el huracán” (“Against the Hurricane”), an action-drama from Mexican director Jorge Michel Grau. It’s about two half-brothers fighting for survival on their small boat when an unexpected storm turns into Category 5 Hurricane Otis off the coast of Acapulco in October 2023.
- “La hora de los valientes” (“The Hour of the Brave”), a comedy in which a psychoanalyst sentenced to community service is assigned to provide therapy to a police officer devastated by his wife’s infidelity.
- “Un hijo propio” (“A Child of One’s Own”) is the working title of a film that follows a woman whose fake pregnancy turns into a nationwide scandal. Directed by two-time Oscar nominee Maite Alberdi of Chile, Netflix calls it “a feature-length documentary” though its connection to actual events is murky.
- “Las locuras” (“The Madness”), a previously announced film that will hit select theaters and Netflix in November. The story intertwines the tales of six women who, amidst self-censorship and family and social pressure, embrace their emotions and decide to break free.
Official release dates for all the films remain under wraps.
With reports from Quién, Netflix, Milenio and Bloomberg Linéa
