Can Mexico keep the World Cup safe? President issues statement after deadly pyramid attack

Mexico’s preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup are under renewed scrutiny after a fatal shooting at the Teotihuacan pyramids on Monday, April 20, prompting Mexican President Claudia Scheinbaum to acknowledge security shortcomings and call for stronger measures ahead of the tournament. The attack, which occurred less than three months before the start of the World Cup, raised immediate concerns about the safety of tourists as Mexico prepares to host the tournament along with the United States and Canada.

What happened in Teotihuacan

The shooting occurred shortly after 11:30 a.m. local time at the Pyramid of the Moon at Teotihuacan. UNESCO The World Heritage Site is located about an hour outside of Mexico City and is one of the most visited tourist attractions in the country. According to Mexican officials, a gunman opened fire from the top of the pyramid in the presence of dozens of tourists, firing 14 shots at civilians and National Guard military police. One Canadian tourist died and 13 others were injured. Those taken to hospital include six U.S. citizens, three Colombians, two Brazilians, one Russian and one Canadian. The victims ranged in age from 6 to 61 years old. Video circulated by local media showed people running for cover as gunfire rang out and the attacker could be seen standing on top of the building. Authorities later confirmed that the gunman, 27-year-old Julio Cesar Jasso Ramirez, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. A gun, knife and ammunition were recovered from his belongings.

Security officials said the attack “was not spontaneous,” and Mexico state prosecutor Jose Luis Cervantes Martinez said the suspect “made multiple preliminary visits to the archaeological site, staying in hotels near the site in advance and planning his violence from there.”

Government response and acknowledgment of security breaches

Sheinbaum told a morning press conference in Mexico City on Tuesday, April 21, that the site lacked adequate safeguards to prevent such an attack. “Obviously we need to increase security,” she said, adding that authorities must ensure that “people cannot bring firearms into archaeological sites, tourist attractions.” She described the shooting as “an isolated incident” while acknowledging the need for immediate action. “Our obligation as a government is to take appropriate steps to ensure that this never happens again,” Sheinbaum said. “But obviously, we all know, and Mexicans know, this is something that has never happened before.” The next morning, the incident prompted reporters to question whether the country was ready to host international visitors during the World Cup.

Wider context: World Cup planning and existing concerns

Mexico to co-host 2026 fifa world cup The competition runs from June 11 to July 19 and includes teams from the United States and Canada. The United States will host 78 of the 104 games, while Mexico and Canada will host 13 each. Mexico’s opening game will be held in Mexico City on June 11, where the national team will face South Africa in a repeat of the 2010 opening game. The country will host 13 matches in three cities:

The Teotihuacan venue itself is expected to become a major destination for fans to visit, being close to the capital and attracting more than 1.8 million international visitors each year. Just days before the attack, local lawmakers had pushed to resume a nighttime interactive light show at the pyramid for World Cup visitors, a project that had been suspended since the COVID-19 pandemic.

The shooting follows concerns about security, particularly after a surge in cartel violence linked to the death of drug lord “El Mencho” (Nemesio Ruben Oseguera Cervantes) in February.

Security measures and FIFA’s position

Mexican authorities have developed extensive security plans for the World Cup. The government has pledged to deploy 100,000 security personnel across the country, focusing on the host cities of Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey. Officials also confirmed the use of more than 2,000 military vehicles, as well as drones, aircraft and enhanced security perimeters around stadiums, airports and transport routes. “As you can see, we are well prepared for the World Cup,” Scheinbaum said in March.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino also backed Mexico’s preparations, saying: “I would like to say that from the beginning we had full confidence in Mexico, President Claudia Scheinbaum and the authorities, and we believed that everything would happen in the best way.” He added: “Like every country in the world, things happen and that’s why we have the state, the police and the authorities to ensure order and security… From a FIFA perspective, I have absolute confidence.”

status quo

The Teotihuacan shooting did not change the World Cup schedule, but it renewed concerns about safety, especially at tourist attractions where increased foot traffic is expected during the tournament. While authorities continue to treat the incident as an isolated one, the fact that it was planned in advance and carried out at one of the country’s most famous landmarks raises some questions about the final stages of Mexico’s preparations.