The central theme guiding the congress will be “The University: Football and Tourism”, a proposal whose relevance is heightened by the proximity of the 2026 World Cup, in which Monterrey is expected to play a prominent role. With this thematic focus, the objective is to offer specialized journalists a space to explore and disseminate the new strategies that universities are promoting to foster tourism development through sport—especially football—as well as other high-impact disciplines. In this light, sports tourism is no longer seen merely as attending events, but as a powerful driver of economic and cultural development with clear academic and media implications.
The chosen venue for the congress is the emblematic “Raúl Rangel Frías” University Library on the main campus, a setting that reinforces the academic dimension of the event and provides an ideal environment for rigorous and professional reflection on the challenges and opportunities of specialized tourism. Throughout the day, attendees will have the chance to interact with university officials, journalists, tourism experts and representatives of international organizations in a global, multidisciplinary setting that highlights the intersection of higher education, the media and niche tourism.
This congress is not only a major academic gathering, but also a showcase for international visibility, both for UANL and for the region as a whole. The presence of professionals from the Americas and Europe will promote networking, the exchange of good practices and the strengthening of Monterrey’s image as a destination capable of hosting high-impact tourism and media events. At the same time, the convergence of tourism with university sport offers an innovative platform that may inspire new models of tourism governance connected to sports infrastructure, accommodation, travel experiences and international media coverage.
For Nuevo León, this event marks an important milestone, as it aligns with a broader strategy to consolidate the state as a high-level tourism destination that integrates academic, sporting and media dimensions. As a local legislator noted when stating that “tourism is not only economic development, but also identity and culture”, this type of international event helps to weave together territory, professional training and communication within a framework of innovation and growth. UANL, for its part, positions itself as a strategic player within the university system, capable of attracting and internationalizing the debate on specialized tourism, journalism and sport.
The congress represents an opportunity to explore how the university can move beyond its traditional role as a place of learning to become a generator of experiences, content and international connections. By bringing together tourism, football and media, a richer and more complex vision of the sector is promoted—one in which education, communication and the traveler’s movement are intertwined to shape new forms of specialized tourism. With this gathering, Monterrey and UANL place the relationship between university, tourism journalism and sport at the center of the global conversation, helping set the stage for 2026 to be a year of innovation and positioning in the fields of tourism and the media.
