Violence after cartel leader’s killing forces Mexico to postpone top soccer matches

Four high-profile soccer matches in Mexico were postponed on Sunday following a surge in violence triggered by the killing of a major cartel leader by the Mexican army near the World Cup host city of Guadalajara.

Two top-tier fixtures — Querétaro vs. Juárez FC in the men’s league and Chivas vs. América in the women’s league — were called off, alongside two second-division matches. The disruption follows the death of Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, widely known as “El Mencho,” leader of the Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG). He was wounded during a military operation in Tapalpa and died while being airlifted to Mexico City.

In the aftermath, cartel members reportedly burned vehicles and blocked major roads across nearly a dozen states, heightening security fears nationwide. Jalisco’s capital, Guadalajara — set to host four World Cup matches in June — is among the key cities affected by the unrest.

Mexico’s national team is still scheduled to play a friendly against Iceland on Wednesday at the Corregidora Stadium in Querétaro, although the Mexican Football Federation has yet to announce any postponement.

The CJNG is widely regarded as the most powerful cartel in the country, with operations across most of Mexico’s states and an estimated 19,000 members. It has been designated a foreign terrorist organization by the administration of former U.S. President Donald Trump.

Meanwhile, organisers of the Mexican Open, which begins Monday at the GNP Arena in Acapulco, said the tournament would proceed as scheduled, stating that operations remain normal despite the wider security situation.