MEXICO CITY — On Monday, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum met with FIFA President Gianni Infantino to review preparations for the 2026 World Cup, which will take place in June and July, co-hosted by Mexico, the United States, and Canada.
Sheinbaum shared details of their breakfast meeting at the National Palace on her social media, stating, “We are evaluating everything for the upcoming World Cup,” and expressed optimism, saying, “Everything is going to be wonderful.”
The tournament is set to commence on June 11 at the famed Azteca Stadium in Mexico City with a match between the host nation and South Africa.
Recently, a friendly match was held at the Mexico City stadium where Mexico faced Portugal as part of the World Cup preparations. Unfortunately, the event was overshadowed by the tragic death of a fan who fell from the second tier to the ground floor in the VIP area.
“This inauguration is going to be historic, exceptional,” declared Sheinbaum, as she held a FIFA pennant alongside Infantino.
Infantino echoed her enthusiasm, ensuring that the World Cup will be “a success for Mexico.”
Since his arrival in Mexico last week, Infantino attended two inter-confederation playoff matches in Guadalajara and Monterrey, and participated in various events with the Mexican Football Federation in Mexico City over the weekend.
The final two inter-confederation playoff matches will take place in Mexico on Tuesday, featuring Congo DR against Jamaica, and Iraq competing with Bolivia to fill two of the remaining six spots for the World Cup.
Concerns have surfaced following violent incidents that occurred on February 22 in several Mexican cities after the capture and death of notorious drug lord Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho,” who led the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) in southern Jalisco state.
Among the affected cities is Guadalajara, the capital of Jalisco, which is one of the three Mexican host cities for the World Cup, alongside Mexico City and Monterrey, the capital of Nuevo León state.
Mexico is set to host a total of 13 matches during the World Cup.
Earlier in March, Mexican authorities presented their comprehensive security plan for the tournament, named “Plan Kukulkán,” which will deploy approximately 100,000 military and police personnel at both federal and local levels.
The plan incorporates specialized training for officials, operational exercises, early warning systems, and security measures surrounding stadiums, airports, roads, and hotels.
Information from The Associated Press contributed to this report.