FIFA president Gianni Infantino says he has “full confidence” in Mexico as a World Cup host despite the widespread unrest following the killing of drug lord Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes.
Infantino also insisted March’s World Cup play-off event, which is scheduled to take place at Estadio Akron in Jalisco, the Mexican state most affected by the violence, would not be moved.
Oseguera Cervantes was the leader of the Jalisco New Generation cartel and was killed by the Mexican army on Sunday during an operation to capture him. This triggered retaliatory violence in and around Guadalajara, the capital of Jalisco, which is due to host four 2026 World Cup group stage matches at Estadio Akron.
Asked about March’s play-offs in Mexico, Infantino told the Miami Herald on Wednesday: “Nobody has to move anything. We are in constant contact with the presidency of Mexico, with the authorities. We have full trust in the authorities in Mexico, in President (Claudia) Sheinbaum and her team.
“We fully support them, because we live in a world where things happen. Good things and bad things, situations happen. We don’t live on the moon, we live here. We need to deal with it, we need to cope with it.
“We are monitoring the situation of course. But we have full, full confidence that everything will be great. Mexico is a football country. And the Mexicans, the authorities but also the people will do everything to ensure the World Cup, but also the play-offs, will be a celebration of football.”
New Caledonia, Jamaica, and DR Congo are set to participate in the World Cup play-off tournament at Estadio Akron between March 26-28. Mexico then co-host the World Cup alongside the United States and Canada, with Mexico staging 13 matches.
On Monday, Mexican authorities confirmed at least 62 people were killed in the operation against Oseguera and the unrest that followed.
Multiple domestic football matches were postponed following the violence. The Mexican Open, however, has continued as planned.