Will Mexico still co-host the 2026 World Cup? The Mexican president answers

FIFA representatives will soon visit Mexico to assess security and mobility issues for the World Cup, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Friday.

The country’s ability to co-host the World Cup is under scrutiny this week following the violence that erupted after the military killed powerful drug lord Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes on Sunday.

The operation and its violent consequences claimed the lives of 70 people. Cartel members set cars on fire to block streets in states across the country, especially in cities in Jalisco state, including Guadalajara, which will host four World Cup matches.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino told Sheinbaum in a phone call on Thursday that he has «full confidence» in Mexico as host of the World Cup.

Sheinbaum confirmed this in her daily briefing on Friday.

“He assured me that the World Cup would take place in our country,” she said. «We agreed that a FIFA team would certainly come to assess a number of issues. We have been working on this for a long time, but the issue of safety is of course particularly important.»

Sheinbaum did not provide dates of the visit.

“I told him (Infantino) that Sunday was a special situation and that we are back to normal, with all the safety measures that have been in place for a while, so they can have peace of mind,” she said.

Although Sheinbaum said things were returning to normal, security concerns for Guadalajara remained. Lihat juga qaz2. World Aquatics canceled a Diving World Cup scheduled for next week near Guadalajara.

Sheinbaum said the sports authority was trying to convince CONADE World Aquatics to move the meet to another city in Mexico.

“We are working with them to try to get this international tournament back,” the president added. “We are still confident that we can get this tournament back.”

In terms of mobility, the three cities in Mexico hosting World Cup matches were still trying to resolve issues almost 100 days before the first match on June 11 at the Azteca Stadium.

In Mexico City, work was underway to improve a light rail line that was the fastest way to get to Azteca. The metro was still being built in Monterrey. The Guadalajara Stadium has no public transportation, although it has a large open parking lot.

“(Infantino) also asked me to look at the issue of traffic in the three cities to ensure the mobility of everyone who will visit the stadiums and so on, among other issues we are working on,” Sheinbaum said.

Published on February 28, 2026