Abstarct: Objective: The present study was conducted with the aim of investigating the challenges and opportunities of implementing the mextaverse in sports tourism. Methodology: This research is applied in terms of objective and survey-baxsed in terms of data collection method, executed using a mixed (qualitative-quantitative) approach. In the qualitative phase, employing thematic analysis of the literature and interviews with 16 international experts in the fields of tourism, sports tourism, the mextaverse, and artificial intelligence, the main components were identified in the form of six opportunities and five challenges. In the quantitative phase, first, using the fuzzy Delphi technique, the significance of the components was screened and prioritized. Subsequently, by employing the Fuzzy Cognitive Mapping (FCM) technique, the causal relationships and the degree of influence and dependence among the components were analyzed. Findings: The qualitative results of the opportunity components included: the possibility of fan interaction (F1), travel customization (F2), education in the mextaverse (F3), borderless travel (F4), innovative revenue streams (F5), and complementing the physical experience (F6). The challenges, meanwhile, were identified as: technological barriers (C1), resistance to adopting the mextaverse experience (C2), security and privacy concerns (C3), regulatory and legal issues (C4), and the lack of professional execution of all sports skills within the mextaverse (C5).The results of the fuzzy Delphi indicated that "Fan Interaction Possibility" (F1) and "Borderless Travel" (F4), with a score of 8.2, are the most significant opportunities, while "Technological Barriers" (C1) and "Security and Privacy Concerns" (C3), also with a score of 8.2, represent the most critical challenges. The Fuzzy Cognitive Map analysis further revealed that "Fan Interaction," with a centrality of 28.7, is the most influential component, whereas "Security Concerns," with a dependence of 40.5, is the most vulnerable component within the relational network. The strongest positive relationship was identified between "Education in the mextaverse" and "Borderless Travel" (weight = 1.00). The strongest negative relationships were identified between "Fan Interaction" and "Technological Barriers" (weight = -4.5) and between "Borderless Travel" and "Security Concerns" (weight = -4). Conclusion: The mextaverse holds significant potential for transforming the sports tourism industry; however, this transformation is contingent upon overcoming infrastructural and security challenges. "Fan Interaction" and "Borderless Travel" act as the primary driving engines, while "Technological Barriers" and "Security Concerns" serve as the fundamental braking mechanisms of the system. The successful implementation of the mextaverse in sports tourism necessitates a dual strategy: targeted investment to strengthen opportunities and decisive action to eliminate deterrents, adopting a systemic and integrated approach.