In March, Mexico will host the World Cup 2026 qualifying tournament, which will grant two spots to the World Cup, and the remodeled Azteca Stadium will be inaugurated, where the tournament's opening match between Mexico and South Africa will be held on June 11. "We have matches in Mexico in one month, the World Cup playoffs, and the new Azteca Stadium will also be inaugurated. The president of FIFA, Gianni Infantino, stated this Tuesday in the Colombian city of Barranquilla that he has "total confidence in Mexico" for this year's World Cup, which has matches scheduled in Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey, despite the violence unleashed in the country. "We are analyzing and monitoring the situation in Mexico these days, at this moment, but I want to say from the beginning that we have total confidence in Mexico, in its president (Claudia) Sheinbaum, in the authorities, and we are convinced that everything will pass in the best possible way," affirmed Infantino at a press conference. As a consequence of the death last Sunday in Jalisco of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, alias 'El Mencho', leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, Mexico experienced an outbreak of violence that raised concerns abroad, where they questioned whether the country can guarantee security during the World Cup. The Governor of the Mexican state of Jalisco, Pablo Lemus, assured that on Monday there was a meeting with the FIFA offices in Mexico, and the world's football governing body said it has no intention of removing the venue from Mexico, which will host five matches at Azteca Stadium, four in Guadalajara, and four in Monterrey. Photograph provided by the Colombian Football Federation showing the president of FIFA, Gianni Infantino, during the inauguration of the FCF's High Performance Accommodation Center this Tuesday in Barranquilla (Colombia). The World Cup will be an incredible party."
