The report says Mexico recorded 30 homicides nationwide on 11 June, the day Mexico played South Africa in the tournament’s opening match. It also cites a daily total of 27 during the same week, described as one of the country’s lowest figures in recent years.
The timing is notable, but it does not prove that the football tournament caused the fall. The figures cover the entire country and reflect a broader national picture rather than events around one stadium or host city.
The reported decline has been attributed by President Claudia Sheinbaum to Mexico’s National Security Strategy and the coordinated work of the Security Cabinet.
Sheinbaum described those involved as “servidores públicos excepcionais” - a phrase that underlined the administration’s effort to present the figures as evidence of a collective security campaign.
Harfuch also reportedly said the average daily number of intentional homicides had fallen 46% compared with the beginning of the current government. Those claims remain dependent on the figures cited in the update and should be treated cautiously until supported by broader official reporting.
The report says violence remains concentrated in a group of states, meaning a national improvement may not be felt evenly across Mexico. That distinction will matter as the World Cup progresses and international attention remains fixed on the country.
For football supporters, Mexico’s next matches will unfold against this wider backdrop. The next storyline to watch is whether the reported decline continues beyond the tournament’s opening days - and whether the government’s security strategy can turn a short-term headline into a sustained national trend.