Photo: Gerardo Peña, INAH
Legendary photographer Annie Leibovitz has captured some of the world’s biggest celebrities, including athletes LeBron James and Serena Williams. But 40 years ago, she was given a unique task in the soccer realm: create the advertising campaign for the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico. Starring athletic-looking models against archaeological sites and colorful landscapes, the endeavor made the famous photographer part of the tournament’s history, albeit somewhat removed. As the World Cup returns to Mexico, the National Museum of Anthropology is celebrating Leibovitz, who has taken this as an opportunity to fully dive into the sport with the exhibit Futbol 2026. Annie Leibovitz.
“It was an incredible experience for a young woman to travel to this country,” said the photographer at a press conference, reminiscing about her 1986 work. “Forty years have passed, and I’ve become more interested in people and portraits, and when I got involved this time, I really started thinking about the players; I wanted to capture them on the field. I want to say that they are heroes, they are brothers in arms, poets, an incredible group of human beings.”
The exhibit is divided into two parts; the first takes the viewer across her expansive portrait portfolio with over 100 images held by thumb tacks, creating a casual atmosphere that evokes Leibovitz’s photography studio. The second portion dives into the world of soccer, featuring four of the 13 photographs Leibovitz took for the 1986 World Cup. Captured across six months, the photographs are based on the theme of “man, ball, and, the Earth,” symbolizing the uniting power of soccer around the world.
The exhibit also features photographs of soccer stars like Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo, France’s Kylian Mbappé, and the U.S.’s Christian Pulisic, as well as figures from previous generations like Pelé, represented in an iconic 1981 image that shows his feet covered in mud, honoring his humble origins. Adding a new chapter to her story with Mexican soccer, Leibovitz also captured Mexican players like Guillermo Ochoa, Julián Quiñones, and Edson Álvarez in glamorously dynamic portraits.
Tending a bridge between past and present, the photographs share the room with a selection of figurines provided by the museum. The artifacts depict scenes related to the Mesoamerican ballgame, as if engaging in a conversation about the importance sport has held in the region throughout time. Among these stands out the Lápida de Aparicio, a relief carving depicting the blood shed by a sacrificed ballgame player coming out like snakes rising towards the sky.
Futbol 2026. Annie Leibovitz is open through August 30, 2026, at the National Museum of Anthropology. To plan your visit, check out the National Museum of Anthropology website.
Photographer Annie Leibovitz dives into the world of soccer with the new exhibition Futbol 2026. Annie Leibovitz.
Photo: Gerardo Peña, INAH
Held at the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City, the exhibit features photographs of soccer stars like Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo, France’s Kylian Mbappé, and the U.S.’s Christian Pulisic.
Photo: Gerardo Peña, INAH
The exhibit also takes the viewer across Leibovitz’s expansive portrait portfolio with over 100 images held by thumb tacks, creating a casual atmosphere that evokes the photographer’s photography studio.
Photo: Gerardo Peña, INAH
Tending a bridge between past and present, the photographs share the room with a selection of figurines provided by the museum.
Photo: Gerardo Peña, INAH
The artifacts depict scenes related to the Mesoamerican ballgame, as if engaging in a conversation about the importance sport has held in the region throughout time.
Photo: Gerardo Peña, INAH
Adding a new chapter to her story with Mexican soccer, Leibovitz also captured Mexican players in glamorously dynamic portraits.
Photo: Melitón Tapia, INAH