Violence Erupts in Mexico After Drug Lord’s Death; FIFA Backs Country’s World Cup Hosting

On Tuesday local time, FIFA President Gianni Infantino stated publicly that he is reassured about Mexico’s hosting of some matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Previously, Mexico had experienced large-scale violent incidents following the death of a key drug lord, which once aroused concerns from the international community about the safety of the World Cup matches in the country.

It is reported that on Sunday, Nemesio Oseguera (also known as "El Mencho"), leader of Mexico’s "Jalisco New Generation" drug cartel, was killed in a military operation. Subsequently, the criminal group launched large-scale retaliatory actions, plunging many parts of Mexico into chaos. The violent incidents spread to 20 out of 32 states in the country, resulting in dozens of deaths, burned vehicles, closed shops, road blockages and other situations, with an atmosphere of terror spreading. Among them, the western city of Guadalajara was also affected — this city will host four matches of the 2026 World Cup, including a group stage match between Uruguay and Spain.

According to statistics, in the military operation to capture Oseguera and the subsequent retaliatory actions, a total of 25 National Guard members, 1 security officer, 1 prosecutor’s office staff member and 1 civilian were killed, in addition to 46 suspected members of the criminal organization. To contain the situation and restore order, Mexico has deployed approximately 10,000 soldiers to the relevant areas. It is worth noting that Oseguera, 59, was the most wanted drug lord by the U.S. government, which had offered a $15 million reward for his capture. His death this time is also regarded as an important progress in Mexico’s anti-drug operations.

Currently, there are less than four months left before the opening of the 2026 World Cup, which is co-hosted by Mexico, the United States and Canada and will be held from June 11 to July 19. This is also the first time in World Cup history that it is co-hosted by three countries, with 16 cities participating in hosting the matches, including three cities in Mexico: Mexico City, Monterrey and Guadalajara. During his attendance at an event of the National Football Federation in Barranquilla, northern Colombia, Infantino responded to the violent incidents in Mexico for the first time in an interview with AFP, stating that he was "very calm" and promising that "everything is going well and everything will be very wonderful."

"We have full confidence in Mexico and its President Claudia Sheinbaum," Infantino added. He emphasized that he maintains regular contact with the local authorities in Mexico and has been closely monitoring the development of the situation. FIFA is not worried about the match arrangements at venues such as the Akron Stadium in Guadalajara.

On the same day, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum also made a statement, clearly ruling out the safety risks for football fans traveling to Guadalajara to watch matches, and promising to "ensure that all safety measures are in place" to guarantee the smooth holding of the World Cup matches. In addition to hosting four World Cup matches, Guadalajara will also co-host a knockout match with Monterrey, another World Cup host city in Mexico, in March to determine the last two qualifying teams among the 48 participating teams of the 2026 World Cup. Currently, no relevant violent incidents have occurred in Mexico City and Monterrey, the other two cities in Mexico hosting World Cup matches.

Although all parties are releasing positive signals, some institutions still hold a cautious attitude towards the current situation in Mexico. The Portuguese Football Federation has announced through a statement that it has decided to cancel a friendly match that its team was scheduled to play in Mexico in March, in view of the current "severe situation" in Mexico. However, Mexico’s head coach Javier Aguirre is full of confidence. He said at a press conference that the preparations for the World Cup are "proceeding as planned."

It is reported that affected by the Sunday violent incidents, two football matches in Jalisco and Queretaro states in central Mexico have been suspended; Honda also suspended part of its operations in Guadalajara last Monday. A spokesperson for the Japanese automaker said in an interview on Tuesday that this move was "taken as a precautionary measure," and the specific duration of the suspension was not specified. Mexico is an important global automobile production base, with factories of many automakers such as Ford, General Motors, BMW and Audi. The automobile industry accounts for 3.6% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).

The good news is that the situation in Mexico is gradually improving. President Sheinbaum stated on Tuesday that the national situation is "gradually returning to normal," and many flights previously canceled due to the violent incidents have resumed normal operations, with no failures reported at the airports in Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara. As a popular coastal resort on the Pacific coast, Puerto Vallarta is deeply loved by Canadians and Americans, and it was also affected by the violent incidents. Javier Perez, a 41-year-old local resident, told AFP that at the time of the incident, "it felt like being in a war zone." In addition, the Jalisco state government revealed that economic activities in the state resumed on Tuesday, and schools will reopen on Wednesday.