Unrest in 2026 World Cup Host City Guadalajara After Mexico Kills Drug Lord ‘El Mencho’

Guadalajara, one of Mexico’s 2026 World Cup host cities, was gripped by unrest on Sunday after Mexican Army troops killed Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes—known as “El Mencho”—the feared leader of the Jalisco New Generation cartel. The operation, carried out roughly two hours outside the city, was intended to capture the 58-year-old capo but ended in his death, triggering a wave of violence across Jalisco.

Roadblocks, burning vehicles and prison riots erupted in parts of the Guadalajara metropolitan area and in the nearby resort city of Puerto Vallarta. In response, Governor Pablo Lemus suspended public transportation, in-person classes and all mass events through Monday. The U.S. Embassy urged American citizens to shelter in place, citing “ongoing security operations and related road blockages and criminal activity.”

The chaos spilled directly into the sporting calendar: Liga MX Femenil postponed Sunday night’s high-profile derby between Chivas of Guadalajara and Club América at Estadio Akron, the 46,000-capacity venue selected to host four group-stage matches during the 2026 World Cup. The stadium is scheduled to welcome Mexico v South Korea on 18 June and Uruguay v Spain on 26 June, and will stage a playoff tournament 26-28 March featuring New Caledonia, Jamaica and DR Congo.

Monterrey’s Estadio BBVA will host the other playoff bracket with Iraq, Bolivia and Suriname.

Governor Lemus, who in September told The Athletic that a state-of-the-art surveillance network and joint patrols by the National Guard and Mexican Army would safeguard World Cup visitors, reiterated on Sunday that security forces are “focused on controlling the situation.” His office confirmed it has received no formal concerns from FIFA regarding the tournament.

The Jalisco New Generation cartel, designated a terrorist organization by the United States, has long used extortion and drug trafficking to exert influence over Guadalajara. The death of Oseguera Cervantes, a top target of President Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration, leaves authorities bracing for reprisals even as football officials count down to the playoffs in five weeks and the opening match of the 2026 World Cup at Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca between Mexico and South Africa.

For now, the city’s transport arteries remain partially paralyzed, its schools closed and its football pitches silent—an uneasy calm ahead of a summer when the eyes of the world will turn to western Mexico.