Mexico intends to move forward with its friendly match against Iceland, scheduled for Wednesday at the Corregidora Stadium in Queretaro, despite ongoing unrest and violence in the country, as confirmed by sources to ESPN on Monday.
The Mexican army killed Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, known as El Mencho and the leader of the Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación, during a targeted operation on Sunday. This event prompted significant backlash from cartel members, resulting in individuals setting cars ablaze and blocking roads in protest. In light of the unrest, the FMF postponed Liga MX matches between Queretaro and Juarez FC and Chivas vs. America in the women’s league.
Although the recent postponements raised doubts about Wednesday’s friendly, the Mexican team conducted its scheduled training in Queretaro on Monday. A source from the Mexican federation indicated to ESPN that the match is expected to proceed as planned.
The turmoil has also prompted FIFA to seek reports regarding the security situation in Mexico. FIFA is closely observing the developments from Sunday and Monday, especially in Guadalajara, Jalisco, which is set to be one of the host cities for the 2026 World Cup this summer.
Guadalajara, the capital of Jalisco, is slated to host four World Cup matches in June, including two involving South Korea, as well as games featuring co-hosts Mexico, Spain, Uruguay, and Colombia.
Prior to the World Cup, Monterrey and Guadalajara will host FIFA interconfederation playoff matches in March, which will determine two of the remaining six teams that will qualify for the World Cup, with teams including Bolivia, Suriname, New Caledonia, Jamaica, Iraq, and DR Congo participating.
Internal documents from FIFA Mexico to the headquarters in Zurich reviewed the events from Sunday into Monday morning to assess any potential security concerns and outline the next steps.
Currently, sources indicate that there are no signs that Mexico’s ability to host either the World Cup or the interconfederation playoff matches is compromised.
In addition, Mexico has a pre-World Cup friendly scheduled against Portugal in March, where global superstar Cristiano Ronaldo is anticipated to play.
As one of the World Cup host nations, Mexico will kick off the tournament against South Africa in Mexico City on June 11.
The CJNG cartel is recognized as the most formidable cartel in Mexico, boasting approximately 19,000 members and activities across 21 of the nation’s 31 states, including Mexico City. The cartel was designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the Trump administration.
This report includes information from The Associated Press.