Juan José Padilla stood amidst the dust and the din of Benito Juárez International Airport, watching 3,000 workers race against a clock that is ticking much too fast. With less than a month until the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off, Mexico’s largest airport looks less like a global gateway and more like a chaotic construction site.

Passengers are being greeted by buzzing drills, scattered pipes, and unfinished flooring. The $500 million renovation is supposed to be the jewel in Mexico City’s crown, but right now, it’s just a massive inconvenience. Airport authorities told reporters that crews are working 20 hours a day to finish the first phase, which is currently 90% complete.

“Complications have been more than we expected,” Padilla, the airport's general director, admitted to the AP.

The airport is covered in posters of soccer balls and trophies, a desperate attempt to make travelers forget that they are walking through a demolition zone. While the groups are already drawn—pairing giants like Germany and the Netherlands with hopefuls like Haiti and Uzbekistan—the physical infrastructure is barely holding together.

Public health experts are already on high alert for infectious disease outbreaks as 48 teams and millions of fans prepare to descend on the continent. In Mexico City, the renovation is a race for status. If they don't finish the floors, the world will see the 'Hollow State' in high-definition 4K. It’s a $500 million gamble that the soccer balls will distract everyone from the scattered pipes.