Mexico’s World Cup hosting right has come under severe scrutiny following violence that erupted in Guadalajara during a military operation in which cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera, widely known as “El Mencho,” was killed. Fox News reports that the two-hour operation was conducted in Tapalpa and Jalisco. According to authorities, the murdered criminal was a former police officer who went on to manage the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG).
Following the operation, cartel men burnt cars, blocked highways in almost a dozen Mexican states, and besieged the city.
Liga MX authorities pulled two top-tier matches from the schedule due to the violence: Chivas vs. América in the women’s division and Querétaro vs. Juárez FC in the men’s division. This has raised concerns among football fans about security, particularly as Guadalajara is set to host matches involving South Korea, Spain, Uruguay, and Colombia during the World Cup. The Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA) has remained calm about the situation and has yet to comment publicly on the incident. Security in both the United States and Mexico continues to be a growing concern among fans and officials as the 2026 World Cup approaches.
Canada, however, has not experienced any violent incidents among the three host nations.
