Guadalajara Residents Report High Insecurity Levels Before 2026 World Cup

Guadalajara, located in Mexico’s Jalisco state, is one of the host cities for the 2026 World Cup. A national public safety survey published on Friday by the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Inegi) indicates that 90.2% of residents in the Guadalajara metropolitan area view the situation as insecure.

The survey ranks Guadalajara as the second city in Mexico where people feel most unsafe, behind Irapuato in Guanajuato state, which has a 92.1% perception of insecurity. Security concerns in Mexico, one of three countries hosting the World Cup, have been noted in the lead-up to the tournament.

The US Drug Enforcement Administration describes the CJNG as one of the most powerful and ruthless criminal organizations in Mexico.

Oseguera Cervantes was seriously wounded during the operation and died en route to the hospital. Following his death, violence increased in parts of Jalisco, including Guadalajara, Zapopan, and Puerto Vallarta. The US designated the CJNG as a terrorist organization a few weeks into the second term of President Donald Trump.

In Zapopan, part of the Guadalajara metropolitan area and home to a stadium hosting World Cup matches, 70% of survey respondents reported feeling unsafe. This figure rose more than 16 percentage points from 54% in December. The survey in Zapopan began on February 23, one day after the death of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes.

Vallarta, the perception of insecurity increased from 32% in December to 59.9% in the latest survey, marking the largest nationwide rise of nearly 28 percentage points. This figure remains below the national average of 61.5%. In the first quarter of 2025, Zapopan's insecurity perception was 44.6%.

Guanajuato state recorded 413 victims of intentional homicides and five femicides so far in 2026, leading the national registry of violent deaths. In contrast, other Mexican host cities show different trends. In Mexico City, near Banorte Stadium, the perception of insecurity in Coyoacán borough decreased to 44% from 47.2% in December, while Tlalpan borough saw a slight rise to 57.9% from 55.7%.

The World Cup is scheduled to begin in under two months.