Infantino confirms 2026 World Cup play-offs will be held in Mexico

FIFA president Gianni Infantino reaffirmed on Wednesday that he is not considering moving the World Cup play-off from Mexico to another location, despite the recent wave of violence in the country.

“No, no one needs to change anything. We are in constant contact with the Mexican presidency and the authorities. We have full confidence in the Mexican authorities, in President Claudia Sheinbaum and her team, and we fully support them,” Infantino told journalists at the new FIFA museum in Miami, Florida.

“Of course we are monitoring the situation, but we have full confidence that everything will go well,” insisted the official, who on Tuesday had already expressed his “satisfaction” in having Mexico as one of the three host countries of the World Cup , along with the United States and Canada .

Concerns about security in the Latin American country, especially in the host city of Guadalajara (west), have resurfaced in recent days due to violent incidents following the death of Mexico’s main drug trafficking boss.

Dozens of deaths, burned vehicles, closed businesses, roadblocks, and a climate of terror paralyzed much of the country on Sunday, in response to the death of Nemesio Oseguera, leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), during a military operation.

Mexico, whose government insists that fans will have “every guarantee” of safety at the World Cup (June 11 to July 19), will first host a mini-tournament to determine the last two participating teams.

Bolivia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq, New Caledonia, Jamaica, and Suriname will compete for World Cup spots in Guadalajara and Monterrey, from March 23 to 31.

“We live in a world where things happen, good and bad things, situations arise. We don’t live on the moon. We live here, so we have to face it, we have to deal with it,” said Infantino about the incidents, which spread across 20 of Mexico’s 32 states.

“Mexico is a country passionate about football, and Mexicans — the authorities, but also the people — will do everything possible to ensure that the World Cup and the play-off, which will be held in a month, are a football celebration,” he concluded.

*With content from AFP

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.