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Banorte’s Cashless Stadium Plan Enters Final Tests Before FIFA Handover

The bank is turning the remodel into a test bed to spread digital payments to fans and nearby merchants.

Overview

  • Banorte says recent matches at the revamped Estadio Banorte saw digital payments top 90% after early trials exposed slow or dropped transactions.
  • To fix outages, the stadium is separating point‑of‑sale traffic from public Wi‑Fi with a dedicated payments network so card terminals keep working when phones clog the airwaves.
  • Construction stands around 90% complete and the venue is slated to be handed to FIFA on May 11, when it will operate under the neutral name Estadio Ciudad de México during the World Cup.
  • The system includes about 2,200 card terminals and a reloadable cashless card that fans can top up on site and use at more than 200 outside merchants, which also helps attendees without bank accounts.
  • Banorte tied the push to a broader shift away from cash in Mexico, noting a 3,500+ million‑peso stadium investment and Q1 net income of 15,458 million pesos as it works with authorities on digital‑only pilots at gas stations and toll booths.