Mexico Boosts Security Ahead of 2026 World Cup

The government of Mexico City announced the deployment of a security operation with 10,000 police officers for the match between Mexico and Portugal, to be held at the Banorte Stadium on Saturday, March 28, 2026. This is part of the preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. To ensure security during the FIFA World Cup, the Senate of the Republic approved the entry of 35 elements of the United States Armed Forces into national territory to train personnel from the Secretariat of the Navy, including units responsible for security tasks during the world championship. The authorization is part of the security preparations for the international tournament that Mexico will organize together with the United States and Canada. The decree project grants permission to the head of the federal executive to allow the entry of foreign military personnel, who will participate in the event called SOF-32 "Training in preparation for the FIFA World Cup 2026 and VITAL ARCHER Exercise". The vote in the Plenary recorded 110 votes in favor, 1 against, and 5 abstentions. After its approval in general and in particular, the opinion was sent to the federal executive for the corresponding constitutional effects. What did the Senate authorize and for what purpose? The decree allows the entry of 35 U.S. military elements for the purpose of carrying out joint training activities with the Mexican Armed Forces. The exercise will be held from April 3 to May 1 at strategic facilities, including the Mexico City International Airport (AICM), the Toluca International Airport, and facilities of the Secretariat of the Navy. According to the opinion, the objective is to strengthen response capabilities against contingencies that may arise during the 2026 World Cup, especially in terms of critical infrastructure protection and security at mass events. The exercise includes tactical training and inter-institutional coordination. U.S. personnel will collaborate with Mexican units in simulated scenarios related to the security of airports, ports, and strategic facilities. The document details that the contingent includes members of the U.S. Army's 7th Special Forces Group, Navy SEAL elements, specialized technicians in explosives disposal, and personnel from the Defense Threat Reduction Agency. The practices seek to improve interoperability between forces and establish joint protocols in the face of possible threats, in the context of an international event that will attract thousands of visitors to different host cities. How does it relate to the federal Kukulcán Plan? The Senate's authorization is framed within the deployment of the so-called Kukulcán Plan, a federal security strategy designed to reinforce surveillance in the Mexican venues of the 2026 World Cup: Mexico City, Jalisco, and Nuevo León. According to the official information disseminated about the operation, the Kukulcán Plan contemplates coordination between the Secretariat of the Navy, the Secretariat of National Defense, the National Guard, and state authorities to secure strategic zones, stadiums, airports, tourist corridors, and critical infrastructure. The scheme includes an increase in patrols, the permanent presence of federal forces, the installation of security checkpoints, and the deployment of operational intelligence at points of high concentration of visitors.