Football amidst war?: Mexico's cartel turmoil casts shadow over 2026 FIFA World Cup preparations as the host

Chaos has erupted throughout Mexico following cartel leader 'El Mencho's' death in an encounter. (Image credits – Wikipedia, license details)

The FIFA World Cup 2026, hosted by the U.S., Mexico and Canada, is set to be the largest in history. However, recent cartel turmoil in Mexico has raised questions about whether the host nation can steady the situation before the biggest sporting event in the world.

Mexico has a deep history in hosting the competition; the iconic Estadio Azteca is the only stadium which has hosted two World Cup finals, in 1970 and 1986. It is also set to become the first venue to host World Cup games in three editions of the competition, quite a significant moment for the country riddled with cartel wars and political instability.

The death of Mexican drug cartel leader 'El Mencho’ in a police encounter has sparked a war between the government and the cartel. Violent attacks have been carried out in the city that has raised doubts over the World Cup’s safety.

Images and videos went viral across social media showing the cartel blocking the roads and setting vehicles on fire, which has made many fans nervous who were planning to travel to Mexico to support their nations. There have been instances in the past when foreigners got kidnapped by the Mexican cartel randomly from the government.

As per reports, over sixty people have died in the last week, including 25 soldiers who were killed in the operation to eliminate “El Mencho”. He was the biggest large-scale cartel leader after Pablo Escobar in terms of net worth and dominance in the region.

A Los Angeles resident Gerardo Tavarez gave an interview about the situation. He has been planning to visit the Azteca to watch the World Cup game between Mexico and South Korea for months. However, the recent developments in the region have raised doubts about whether he should take the risk.

“I’m more than worried. I’m nervous. I’m scared,” said Tavarez, a loyal fan of the Mexican football team. (sic)

He further added, “I’ve discussed it with my family. It’s a possibility. I’d prefer everything to return to normal. I’ve been to Guadalajara many times, but now I have a fiancée and a son. I’m responsible for them. I have to think about it.” (sic)

Guadalajara is set to host four games, including Mexico's second game against Korea and the highly anticipated clash between Spain and Uruguay. As per data collected so far, more than three million visitors are expected during that period.

Last Sunday the game between Chivas and America Femenil was cancelled at the Akron Stadium after the nation experienced huge tension on the streets. All matches in the region have been suspended temporarily.

However, an official of the U.S. Secret Service has assured the fans that top security arrangements will be provided during the World Cup and the cartel would not be able to disrupt the beautiful game.

“If [the cartels] could disrupt something like the World Cup with FIFA, they would be getting more involved with other entities, such as the U.S. government and the like, which would actually hinder their operation, and they might not get any benefit from it,” said the official. (sic)

As per the consul of Mexico, it is the sixth most visited country in the world, and plenty of tourists have had no complaints regarding their security. He also emphasised the fact that the violence by the cartel takes place on the outskirts of the nation where tourists are already warned not to visit beforehand.

Next month Guadalajara is also set to host intercontinental playoff games for the final spots of the World Cup between New Caledonia and Jamaica. The winner of this game will face the Republic of Congo for the final spot at the competition.