Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has pledged to deploy around 100,000 security personnel for the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a surge in violence following the killing of Jalisco New Generation Cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho”.
The announcement came on Friday during her visit to Guadalajara, a suburb in the capital of Jalisco state, which has been hit by a wave of violence since Mexico launched a deadly military operation on February 22 that resulted in El Mencho’s death during the raid.
The President assured that the entire country, including Jalisco, would remain safe from cartel threats as the World Cup approaches.
She said, “We are here … to tell everyone in Jalisco, all the people of Jalisco, that we are together, that we are working for peace, security and the wellbeing of the inhabitants of this beautiful state.”
Mexico will host 13 matches across three cities — Guadalajara, Mexico City and Monterrey — as co-host of the tournament alongside the United States and Canada.
The World Cup begins on June 11, with the opening match in Mexico City followed by a second game the same day in Guadalajara.
Recent violence has raised concerns among football fans planning to attend the tournament, the biggest sporting event on the planet.
Meanwhile, General Román Villalvazo Barrios, head of Mexico’s World Cup coordination centre, detailed the security plan: 20,000 military personnel (including National Guard troops), 55,000 police officers, and additional private security contractors, bringing the total to just over 99,000 personnel.
He added that the government is coordinating closely with co-host nations on overall security measures.
