Kanye West might have apologized to everybody in his Wall Street Journal advertisement, but he’s making no such apology to football fans in Mexico City.
The rapper’s upcoming concert at Plaza México has forced Club América to completely reschedule their Liga MX match against Necaxa. The game was originally set for Saturday, January 31, at 9 P.M. at Estadio Azulcrema.
Now the Eagles will kick off at 4 P.M. instead. Same day, totally different vibe.
The Benito Juárez Borough made the call after realizing two massive events couldn’t happen simultaneously in the same area. West’s concert starts at 8 P.M. at Plaza México, which shares the same perimeter as Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes.
Local authorities prioritized safety and logistics over keeping the original night schedule. “The match will take place at 4 PM and the concert at 8 PM,” the borough reported in its official statement.
América’s management tried everything to keep its preferred night slot. They explored moving the match to a different day, but Liga MX shut down those options.
Friday, January 30, was ruled out because Pumas faces Santos that same day. Sunday, February 1, got nixed too since the Women’s Capital Classic between América and Pumas was already booked at the same stadium.
West has two concerts scheduled at Plaza México on January 30 and 31. The Saturday show directly conflicts with what would have been América’s prime-time slot.
The venue choice creates a perfect storm of logistics nightmares. Both Plaza México and Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes sit in the same neighborhood, sharing access roads and parking areas. Thousands of fans heading to both events would have created traffic chaos and security concerns.
The borough decided that one event had to move and football lost the coin flip.
América supporters now face an afternoon kickoff instead of their traditional Saturday night experience. The time change affects everything from tailgating plans to television viewership.
West’s Vultures tour has been generating massive demand across Latin America. The Plaza México shows are part of his broader comeback after years of controversy.
The rapper recently took out a full-page Wall Street Journal advertisement apologizing for his antisemitic comments. In the letter titled “To Those I’ve Hurt,” Kanye West wrote, “I am not a Nazi or antisemite. I love Jewish people.”
He attributed his past behavior to untreated bipolar disorder and a brain injury from his 2002 car accident. The apology came as he prepares to release new music with his album, Bully, and his return to major touring.
But while West apologized to those he hurt with his words, América fans might need their own apology for disrupting their Saturday night football tradition.
Related
