Mexico City cafe offers refuge to defeated World Cup fans | JQJO

MEXICO CITY, July 2 (Reuters) - In Mexico City’s Condesa neighborhood, a coffee shop temporarily rebranded as the “Losers Cafe” has become a gathering place for fans of World Cup teams knocked out of the tournament. Amid a wave of celebration after Mexico’s victory over Ecuador, the cafe hoisted the Ecuadorian flag and welcomed disappointed supporters of the losing side, positioning itself as a refuge for those whose teams have been eliminated. The project, launched in partnership with Swedish dairy-alternative brand Oatly, features small flags of defeated nations raised each morning at the entrance to signal solidarity with newly ousted teams.

Inside the cafe, customers who arrive wearing the jersey of a losing team receive a free drink, and napkins printed with the phrase “dry your tears” underscore the consoling theme. Owner Ian Infante, a 38-year-old Venezuelan immigrant whose business is normally called Compay Cafe, said the idea resonated with his own experience of loss, even though some customers initially resisted labeling themselves “losers” until staff explained the concept. Oatly’s Mexico market developer, Rocio de la Cuadra Diaz, said the brand chose the capital for the campaign because of its growth in Latin America and the local sense of humour, noting that Mexico’s long history of football disappointment made the setting particularly apt, even as fans now celebrate a rare knockout-stage win and look ahead to the next match against England.