Germany Demands World Cup Security Assurances Following Violence in Mexico
Germany urges FIFA to ensure fan safety after deadly cartel violence in Mexico ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
In light of the massive wave of violence in Mexico, co-host of the 2026 World Cup, the German government’s tourism coordinator is calling on football ruling body FIFA to take action.
“FIFA must work with the governments of Canada, the United States, and Mexico to ensure that fans are not endangered and that the host countries comply with safety regulations,” Christoph Ploss told the Handelsblatt newspaper.
Ploss emphasized that protecting German tourists is a “very high priority” for the federail government.
Mexico’s most powerful drug lord, Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho,” was killed in a military operation to arrest him on Sunday. He led a notorious cartel in the western state of Jalisco.
The operation triggered a violent reaction from the cartel.
Gang members in several states, including Jalisco, Michoacán, Aguascalientes, Tamaulipas and Guanajuato, blocked roads with burning cars, trucks and buses.
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In the Pacific coast city of Puerto Vallarta, which is popular with tourists, videos showed burning cars and large black clouds of smoke rising between buildings. Authorities urged people to seek safety.
At least 74 people have died in the operation that killed El Mencho and the subsequent violence.
Mexico is co-hosting the 2026 World Cup with the US and Canada this summer and 13 matches are to take place in Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey.
