A wave of widespread civil unrest across Mexico has led to the indefinite postponement of four Mexican Premier League football matches and the cancellation of an international friendly between Mexico and Iceland. These significant disruptions to the national and international football calendar followed the death of a powerful drug lord, triggering violent reactions throughout various regions of the country.
Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, widely known by his alias El Mencho, 59, was identified as the mastermind behind a potent drug trafficking organization, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). Reports indicate that he died in prison after sustaining injuries during a special forces operation conducted on the Pacific coast in the state of Jalisco, Mexico. In addition to the elimination of the crime boss, Mexican authorities reportedly seized a substantial arsenal of weapons, including rockets capable of downing aircraft and destroying tanks.
Following El Mencho’s death, drug traffickers retaliated swiftly and violently. They set fire to numerous vehicles and erected roadblocks across approximately ten states in Mexico. Some of these areas of intense disruption were located near Guadalajara, a major city slated to host matches for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup.
As a direct consequence of this escalating unrest, the Mexican Football League announced the indefinite postponement of four men’s team matches and four women’s team matches, all originally scheduled for February 23rd. Furthermore, the international friendly match between Mexico and Iceland, which was set to take place on February 26th at the Corregidora Stadium in Queretaro, was also canceled by the Mexican Football Federation.
The eruption of violence in and around the Mexican capital, Guadalajara, is particularly notable as the city prepares to co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup alongside the United States and Canada. The Akron Stadium in Guadalajara is designated to host matches involving national teams such as South Korea, Spain, Uruguay, and Colombia. Mexico plans to utilize three stadiums across three different cities for the tournament, which is scheduled to run from June 11 to July 19, 2026.
