Historical reconciliation? Sheinbaum invites King Felipe VI to the 2026 World Cup after an unprecedented statement about the Conquest

This Wednesday, the Spanish Royal Family confirmed news that could change the course of diplomacy between Mexico and Spain: President Claudia Sheinbaum has formally invited King Felipe VI to attend the 2026 Soccer World Cup, which will have Mexico as one of its main venues this summer.

This gesture, described by the Royal Family as “welcomed,” occurs just 48 hours after the Spanish monarch publicly admitted that there was “a lot of abuse” during the Spanish conquest of America, an unprecedented statement that responds to years of complaints from Mexican soil.

A LETTER OF BROTHERHOOD AND MEMORY

In the letter sent to Madrid, the Mexican president highlighted that the World Cup is a “propitious situation” to evoke the depth of the ties between both nations. Sheinbaum stressed that the relationship is based on a shared legacy of language, culture and a “humanistic vision.”

For its part, Spain’s official statement highlighted the “fraternal relationship of friendship” that unites the two peoples, leaving behind the silence that characterized the last years of communication between the Crown and the Government of Mexico.

THE ROAD TO FORGIVENESS: FROM TENSION TO OPENING

The bilateral relationship has remained at a critical point since 2019, when then-president Andrés Manuel López Obrador demanded a formal apology for the abuses of the Conquest. The tension escalated in 2024, when Sheinbaum did not invite the monarch to his inauguration, causing Spain not to send official representation to the ceremony.

Recent events of the diplomatic thaw:

• Declaration of Felipe VI: He admitted the abuses committed, recognizing the historical impact despite the “desire for protection” that the Catholic Monarchs claimed to have towards the indigenous people.
• Recognition of the Spanish Government: The Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, spoke of “pain and injustice” towards the indigenous peoples, words that Sheinbaum described as a “first step.”
• Priority for Pedro Sánchez: The President of the Spanish Government has reiterated that normalizing ties with Mexico is an absolute priority for his administration.

THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT: THE WEIGHT OF THE CONQUEST

The magnitude of the Mexican claim is understood through figures: it is estimated that upon the arrival of Hernán Cortés in 1519, Mesoamerica had between 15 and 30 million inhabitants. A century later, after battles, massacres and epidemics such as smallpox, the native population was reduced to just one or two million.

The 2026 World Cup will not only be a sporting festival, but is now emerging as the scene of a historic reconciliation that seeks to heal wounds of more than five centuries.