FIFA President Gianni Infantino has expressed confidence in Mexico’s readiness to host the 2026 World Cup, offering his first public remarks following a wave of violence triggered by the killing of a powerful drug cartel leader.
Mexico is one of three host nations for the June 11–July 19 tournament, alongside the United States and Canada.
The country, particularly the host city of Guadalajara, was shaken by unrest after the killing of the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), one of Mexico’s most powerful criminal organisations.
“Very reassured, everything’s good. It’s going to be spectacular,” Infantino said on Tuesday in the Colombian city of Barranquilla, two days after cartel members launched violent reprisals—including in Guadalajara—following the army’s killing of their leader, Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera.
At least 74 people were killed during the operation to capture Oseguera at a ranch near Guadalajara and in subsequent clashes between security forces and suspected cartel members.
According to the government, only one of the dead was a civilian, but residents and tourists were forced to seek shelter as gunmen blocked roads in 20 of Mexico’s 32 states and set vehicles and businesses ablaze.
“It feels like we’re in a war zone,” said Javier Perez, a 41-year-old engineer, speaking to AFP on Tuesday from the car park of a grocery store littered with burned-out cars in the Jalisco resort town of Puerto Vallarta.
Images of the unrest were broadcast worldwide less than four months before the World Cup kicks off, while FIFA declined to comment on Monday.
Infantino made his remarks while attending an event hosted by the Colombian Football Federation, though his optimism was not shared by the Portuguese Football Federation, which said it was reconsidering a friendly scheduled for March 29 in Mexico City.
The federation said it was “closely monitoring the delicate situation currently unfolding in Mexico,” adding that the safety of players, coaches and supporters would be the deciding factor.
Mexico national team coach Javier Aguirre struck a more confident tone, saying: “All is going ahead as planned.”
Earlier, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said there was “no risk” to World Cup fans and that conditions were “gradually returning to normal”.
Guadalajara, the capital of Jalisco state, is set to host four group-stage matches.
Games will also be played in Mexico City and the northeastern city of Monterrey, both of which were unaffected by the recent violence.
In addition to its four matches, including a highly anticipated group-stage clash between Uruguay and Spain, Guadalajara will co-host with Monterrey a playoff tournament at the end of March to determine the final two teams to qualify for the World Cup.
Jalisco Governor Pablo Lemus dismissed speculation that Guadalajara could be dropped as a host city, saying there was “absolutely no risk” of any change to the lineup.
Attention now turns to the central state of Queretaro, where Mexico is scheduled to face Iceland in a friendly on Wednesday, after a top-flight domestic match in the state was suspended on Sunday because of the unrest.
