Mexico

FIFA World Cup 2026: Mexico and South Africa to kick start proceedings

The live telecast of the FIFA World Cup 2026 match between Mexico and South Africa will be available on the Unite8 Sports Network.

Fifa World Cup 2026 begins in Mexico today amid growing controversies

Football World Cup 2026 opening ceremony is scheduled to begin at 10.30 pm IST today, while the opening match between Mexico and South Africa will start at 12.30 am IST on Friday.

Mexico prez sees 'no issue' hosting Iran's World Cup team during tournament

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Monday that she has "no issue" with her country hosting Iran's World Cup team after its training base was moved from the United States to Mexico for the summer soccer competition. The team will still play its matches in the US but its base has been moved to Tijuana, Mexico, just south of San Diego, California, according to Iran's soccer federation. The development comes against the backdrop of the war in Iran, which the US and Israel launched on Feb 28. Sheinbaum said at a news conference Monday that she was told by a FIFA representative the US was reluctant to have the Iranian soccer team spend time outside the games on US territory. "The United States doesn't want the Iranian national team to stay overnight in the United States," Sheinbaum told reporters. She said a FIFA representative had then asked, "Can they stay overnight in Mexico?" "And we said, Yes, no problem. We have no issue with that'," she said. Iran's soccer team is slate

Mexico captures top cartel leader seen as possible successor to El Mencho

The Jalisco New Generation Cartel, Mexico's most powerful criminal enterprise, suffered another blow Monday when the Mexican military captured one of its top leaders in the northwest of the country, two months after the cartel's leader was killed. Audias Flores Silva, also known as "El Jardinero," or The Gardener, was seen as a possible successor to the killed leader and the United States had a $5 million reward out for information leading to his arrest. The CJNG regional commander was captured while he was hiding in a roadside ditch near the community of El Mirador in the state of Nayarit, Mexican officials said Monday. No one was killed or injured during his arrest, according to Mexico's government. Flores Silva was seen as a possible successor to Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, or "El Mencho," who was killed in a dramatic military operation in February. The killing of "El Mencho" led to a surge of cartel violence with a wave of attacks on businesses by cartel gunmen, vehicle burnings

1 killed, another injured in shooting at US Air Force base in New Mexico

A shooting at a U.S. Air Force base in New Mexico has left one person dead and another wounded, according to military officials. The Holloman Air Force Base near Alamogordo was put on lockdown at about 5:30 p.m on Tuesday because of reports of an active shooter, according to a statement released by the base. The person who was wounded has been taken for medical treatment. Security officials have confirmed the base is safe and the lockdown has been lifted. "Emergency personnel are responding to the situation and there is no threat at this time," the statement said. Neither the names of the people shot nor additional details on the shooting have been released.

Fifa puts World Cup playoff tickets on sale for less than $17 in Mexico

Tickets for the playoffs in Mexico that will determine two of the final World Cup berths are being sold by FIFA for less than $17, far less than the $4,185 to $8,680 FIFA is charging for this year's final in New Jersey. FIFA put tickets on sale Tuesday for the games on March 26 and 31 in Guadalajara and Monterrey involving Bolivia, Congo, Jamaica, New Caledonia and Suriname. Tickets are priced at 200 Mexican pesos ($11.30) for the March 26 semifinals and 300 pesos ($16.95) for the March 31 finals. In Guadalajara, Jamaica plays New Caledonia on March 26 and the winner plays Congo on March 31 for a World Cup berth. In Monterrey, Bolivia faces Suriname on March 26 and the winner goes up against Iraq five days later.

US offers $10 mn reward for capture of Mexican Sinaloa cartel brothers

The US State Department said Thursday that it would pay up to $10 million for information leading to the arrests or convictions of two brothers identified as leaders of Mexico's Sinaloa cartel in the state of Baja California, which includes Tijuana. The reward offer came the same day that authorities announced a new indictment against Rene Arzate Garcia, 42, known as "La Rana" ("The Frog"). He was initially charged with drug crimes in San Diego. The superseding indictment includes charges of conspiracy, narcoterrorism and material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization. The US is offering $5 million each for information on Rene Arzate Garcia and Alfonso Arzate Garcia, 52, known as "Aquiles" ("Achilles"). Their whereabouts are unknown. "As controllers of a critical trafficking node in Tijuana at the US border, the Arzate-Garcia brothers have become key essential components of the cartel's command-and-control structure," the State Department said. "Their control of the

Cartel violence in Mexico raises tourism concerns ahead of FIFA World Cup

Maria Dolores Aguirre's family corner store has lived off tourism that has flowed into her charming cobblestoned town of Tapalpa, tucked away in the mountains of Jalisco state. That was until gunshots erupted and helicopters flew overhead as the Mexican army killed the country's most powerful drug lord, just a few kilometers from her home. Now, the 50-year-old Aguirre worries that the bloodshed will deal a blow to her livelihood and change towns like hers. It is something many in the western Mexican state are grappling with, from its Pacific Ocean beaches to its capital Guadalajara that will host matches in June for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. "It's going to affect us. It's collateral damage," Aguirre said. "The government is going to have to have a lot of security... The entire world just saw what happened and, of course, people are going to think twice about coming." Fighting between the Jalisco New Generation Cartel and Mexican security forces raged on in a number of states Monday,

All about El Mencho, the Mexican drug lord killed in military operation

From a small village in Michoacan to leading the powerful CJNG cartel across 60 countries, El Mencho built a vast drug network before being killed in a Mexican army operation in Jalisco

Mexican forces tracked drug lord El Mencho to cabin by following his lover

Top security officials revealed details of the operation that led to the death of Mexico's most wanted drug cartel leader

Will FIFA take 2026 WC host rights away from Guadalajara amid cartel chaos?

FIFA regulations for the 2026 World Cup allow the governing body to "cancel, reschedule or relocate one or more matches, or the entire tournament, at its discretion" due to safety, health, or security

Mexico erupts after cartel boss killed; India issues advisory: What we know

Mexico saw gun battles, arson and road blockades after its army killed cartel boss El Mencho. With violence spreading across states, India and the US advised citizens to shelter in place

Mexican army kills leader of powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel

The Mexican army killed the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, Nemesio Ruben Oseguera Cervantes, "El Mencho, " on Sunday, decapitating what had become Mexico's most powerful cartel and giving the government its biggest prize yet to show the Trump administration its efforts. Oseguera Cervantes was wounded in an operation to capture him Sunday in Tapalpa, Jalisco about a two-hour drive southwest of Guadalajara and he died while being flown to Mexico City, the Defense Department said in a statement. The state is the base of the cartel known for trafficking huge quantities of fentanyl and other drugs to the United States. During the operation, troops came under fire and killed four people at the location. Three more people, including Oseguera Cervantes, were wounded and later died, the statement said. Two others were arrested and armored vehicles, rocket launchers and other arms were seized. Three members of the armed forces were wounded and receiving medical ...

Mexico, El Salvador seize over 10 tonnes of cocaine amid deadly US strikes

The navies of El Salvador and Mexico announced drug seizures in the Pacific Ocean this week of more than 10 tonnes of cocaine, in contrast to deadly strikes by the US government that just this week left 11 people dead on three boats suspected of carrying drugs in Latin American waters. The latest announcement came Thursday, when Mexico said it had seized nearly four tonnes of suspected drugs and detained three people from a semisubmersible craft, 250 nautical miles (463 kilometres) south of the port of Manzanillo. Mexican Security Secretary Omar Garcia Harfuch said via X that the seizure from the sleek, low-riding boat with three visible motors brought the weekly total to nearly 10 tonnes, but he did not provide detail on the other seizures. Mexican authorities said the seizure was made with intelligence shared US Northern Command and the US Joint Interagency Task Force South. On Sunday, El Salvador's navy announced the largest drug seizure in the country's history of 6.6 tonnes of

Mexican President Sheinbaum pledges to send humanitarian aid to Cuba

Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum announced Sunday she plans to send humanitarian aid to Cuba this week, including food and other humanitarian aid. Sheinbaum's comments came after US President Donald Trump said he asked the Mexican leader to suspend oil shipments to the Caribbean island. Sheinbaum said at a public event in the northern state of Sonora that she did not discuss Cuban affairs in a phone conversation with Trump on Thursday. She added that her government seeks to " diplomatically solve everything related to the oil shipments (to Cuba) for humanitarian reasons." Earlier, Trump told reporters that he told the Mexican president not to send oil to Cuba. Following the US military operation carried out in early January to remove Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro, the South American nation suspended oil shipments to Cuba, which had been declining in recent years. Mexico then became the main supplier of crude oil and refined products to Havana. Mexican oil has long acte

Trump signs order to impose tariffs on countries supplying oil to Cuba

President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order that would impose a tariff on any goods from countries that sell or provide oil to Cuba, a move that puts pressure on Mexico. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said this week that her government had at least temporarily stopped oil shipments to Cuba, but said it was a "sovereign decision" not made under pressure from the United States. Trump has been squeezing Mexico to distance itself from the Cuban government.

11 killed, 12 injured as gunmen open fire at soccer field in central Mexico

Gunmen opened fire at a soccer field in central Mexico on Sunday, killing at least 11 people and wounding 12, authorities said. Salamanca Mayor Cesar Prieto said in a statement posted to social platforms that the gunmen arrived at the end of a soccer match. Ten people at the scene and one died later at a hospital. The mayor said a woman and a minor were among the wounded. Prieto said the attack was part of a "crime wave" in the city and appealed to President Claudia Sheinbaum for help to control the violence. The Guanajuato state prosecutor's office said it was investigating and coordinating with federal authorities to reinforce security in the area. Guanajuato had Mexico's highest homicide total last year. A local gang, Santa Rosa de Lima, has been battling the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel. "Unfortunately, there are criminal groups trying to subjugate authorities, something they are not going to achieve," the mayor said. Overall, Mexico's government says the country's

It was 'sovereign decision' to send cartel members to US: Mexican President

Mexico sent 37 cartel members to United States at the request of the US Justice Department, with President Claudia Sheinbaum saying Wednesday that it was a "sovereign decision" by her government. Sheinbaum responded to criticism from analysts and opponents who said that the transfers on Tuesday were the result of mounting pressure from Washington. US President Donald Trump has threatened to take military action on cartels. Sheinbaum said that although the transfers were made at the request of the US government, the decision was taken by the National Security Council after analyzing what was "convenient for Mexico" and in terms of its "national security." "Mexico is put first above all else, even if they ask for whatever they have to ask for. It is a sovereign decision," she said at her regular morning news briefing. Sheinbaum, who has been praised for her level-headed management of relations with Trump, has been forced to walk a fine line between making concessions to the Trump ...

Prez Sheinbaum addresses concerns over US military activity near Mexico

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum quelled concerns on Monday about two recent movements of the US military in the vicinity of Mexico that have the country on edge since the attack on Venezuela. On Friday, the US Federal Aviation Administration urged US aircraft operators to exercise caution when flying over the eastern Pacific Ocean near Mexico, Central America and parts of South America, citing military activities. The president said her administration waited a couple hours until the US government provided written assurance that there would not be any US military flights over Mexican territory. She said the US government had not given Mexico a heads up about any military operations. The US government provided precise coordinates for where it was operating and Mexican authorities issued a statement saying the FAA advisory had no implications for Mexico. Then, images of a US military transport airplane on the tarmac at Toluca's airport about 63 kilometres west of Mexico City began

US military action on cartels not needed, Mexico president tells Trump

Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum said she had a very good conversation with US President Donald Trump on Monday and that their two governments will continue working together on security issues without the need for US intervention against drug cartels. The approximately 15-minute call came after Sheinbaum said Friday she had requested dialogue with the Trump administration at the end of a week in which he had said he was ready to confront drug cartels on the ground and repeated the accusation that cartels were running Mexico. Trump has repeatedly offered to send the US military after the cartels and Sheinbaum has always declined, but after the US removal of Venezuelan President Nicols Maduro, Trump's comments about Mexico, Cuba and Greenland carried new weight. He (Trump) asked me my opinion about what they had done in Venezuela and I told him very clearly that our constitution is very clear, that we do not agree with interventions and that was it, Sheinbaum said. Trump still ...