The tournament kicks off within a matter of months
Serious questions have been raised about Mexico’s viability as a host for the 2026 World Cup, following an eruption of violence between drug cartels and the country’s military over the past few days.
Following the death of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, or ‘El Mencho,’ earlier this week, who had led one of Mexico’s most dangerous cartels, the Jalisco New Generation (CJNG) have reportedly engaged in a series of retaliatory gun shootouts with military authorities.
According to BBC Sport, since the first outbreaks of violence, more than 13 regions within Mexico have seen instances of conflict, leading to the deaths of 25 members of the Mexican National Guard within just the past 24 hours.
Aside from the danger to the Mexican population, the violent outbreaks also pose a threat to this summer’s World Cup finals, where Mexico is scheduled to host 13 matches, including the tournament opener in Mexico City on the 11th of June.
Much of the worst violence has taken place within the Jalisco state.
Its capital city Guadalajara, is scheduled to host four World Cup matches
Per the BBC, fears have begun to emerge that if the outbreak of violence continues, it could become too dangerous for fans to attend those games in Guadalajara.
The end result would be that the games need to be rearranged, or moved to an alternative venue.
The World Cup matches scheduled for Estadio Guadalajara are as follows:
- Korea Republic v Czechia/Denmark/North Macedonia/Republic of Ireland | Group A | Thursday, 11 June
- Mexico v Korea Republic | Group A | Thursday, 18 June
- Colombia v Congo DR/Jamaica/New Caledonia | Group K | Tuesday, 23 June
- Uruguay v Spain | Group H | Friday, 26 June
Alongside the matches within the state of Jalisco, other games scheduled to be played within Mexico are as follows.
It is important to note that there is no current suggestion that matches scheduled for other Mexican cities could be moved due to the ongoing violence.
Matches in Mexico City, Estadio Azteca:
Thu, 11 June 2026 – Opening match: Mexico vs South Africa (Group A) — Mexico City Stadium
Wed, 17 June 2026 – Uzbekistan vs Colombia (Group K) — Mexico City Stadium
Wed, 24 June 2026 – UEFA Playoff D Winner vs Mexico (Group A) — Mexico City Stadium
Tue, 30 June 2026 – Round of 32 (Group A winner vs third-place from several groups) — Mexico City Stadium
Sun, 05 July 2026 – Round of 16 match — Mexico City Stadium
Matches in Monterrey Estadio BBVA:
Sun, 14 June 2026 – UEFA Playoff B Winner vs Tunisia (Group F) — Monterrey
Sat, 20 June 2026 – Tunisia vs Japan (Group F) — Monterrey
Wed, 24 June 2026 – South Africa vs South Korea (Group A) — Monterrey
Mon, 29 June 2026 – Round of 32 (Group F winner vs Group C runner-up) — Monterrey.
What have FIFA said about the situation?
Speaking to The Athletic, a FIFA spokesperson told the media outlet: “At FIFA Mexico, we are closely monitoring the situation in Jalisco and remain in constant communication with the authorities.
“We will continue to follow the actions and directions from the different government agencies, aimed at maintaining public safety and restoring normalcy, and we reiterate our close collaboration with federal, state, and local authorities.”
In a later part of their report, The Athletic included the words from another spokesperson, who added: “In Mexico, the communication and work with the federal task force for the 2026 FIFA World Cup dates back more than three years.”
“Mexico is approaching World Cup planning as a matter of national security and national pride, and they have resourced the planning accordingly. FIFA is confident in the intelligence and operational capabilities of its Mexican partners.”
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