World Cup Host Cities: Residents Report Rising Insecurity in Mexico
Residents in Guadalajara, Mexico, are reporting alarmingly high levels of insecurity, with 90.2% of surveyed individuals feeling unsafe. This heightened concern follows a major operation against the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) leader, "El Mencho," which reportedly triggered increased violence in the region. Neighboring areas like Zapopan and Puerto Vallarta also showed significant spikes in reported anxiety. In contrast, other host cities, including Mexico City and Monterrey, reported more stable or decreasing levels of perceived danger according to the latest national survey data.
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Concerns over public safety are escalating in several Mexican cities hosting the 2026 World Cup, with residents reporting significantly increased feelings of insecurity following recent cartel activity.
Guadalajara Leads Concerns Amid World Cup Build-Up
According to a national public safety survey released by the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Inegi), residents in Guadalajara, Jalisco, report alarmingly high levels of perceived danger. Nine out of ten surveyed individuals, or 90.2%, view the area as insecure.
This figure represents a substantial increase compared to the 79.2% reported in December 2025, which Inegi noted as a "statistically significant difference."
Guadalajara ranks as the second most unsafe city in Mexico, trailing only Irapuato (92.1%) in Guanajuato.
Impact of Cartel Violence
The heightened anxiety in the Guadalajara metropolitan area has been linked to increased criminal activity. Concerns have escalated since February, following a major operation by federal forces in Jalisco to arrest Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho,” leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).
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The CJNG is described by the US Drug Enforcement Administration as one of Mexico's most powerful and ruthless criminal organizations.
The death of “El Mencho” reportedly triggered a wave of violence across Jalisco, affecting areas including Guadalajara, Zapopan, and Puerto Vallarta.
Localized Increases in Insecurity
The sense of unease is visible across neighboring areas:
Zapopan: In this city, which hosts a World Cup match stadium, the perception of insecurity also rose sharply. In the latest survey, 70% felt unsafe, a jump of over 16 percentage points from December, when more than 54% reported feeling unsafe.
Puerto Vallarta: This popular resort city showed the largest nationwide increase in perceived risk, rising nearly 28 percentage points. The percentage of people feeling unsafe climbed from 32% in December to 59.9% in the recent survey.
Comparison with Other Host Cities
While Guadalajara shows high anxiety, other host cities reported more stable or decreasing levels of concern:
Mexico City: In the two boroughs nearest the Banorte Stadium, insecurity remained relatively stable. Coyoacán saw a slight decrease in reported insecurity (to 44% from 47.2% in December), while Tlalpan saw a minor increase (to 57.9% from 55.7% in December).
Monterrey: In the capital of Nuevo León, the feeling of insecurity decreased to 59.7%, down from 67.4% in December. Guadalupe, where the stadium is located, also saw a drop, moving from 44.2% in December to 37% in April.
