Mexican society witnessed these fierce fights live: On Saturday March 5, a giant fight broke out during a first division match of the championship in Querétaro, in central Mexico, between the supporters of the local team and those of the Atlas of Guadalajara. The clashes caused 26 injuries, three of them seriously. Fourteen men were arrested for their part in this frenzy of violence. The meager security measures in the stadium raise questions, while Mexico will be co-organizer of the 2026 World Cup.
>> Football: what you need to know about the violent clashes between supporters in the Mexican championship, during the Querétaro-Atlas match
Television showed the match was interrupted in the 63rd minute, when the crowd fled the stands and invaded the field to protect themselves from clashes between ultra supporters. Several players helped families of supporters to flee through the corridor leading to the locker room. But it was mainly spectators of the match who filmed the fight scenes in great detail and the videos quickly spread on social networks. We see supporters of Querétaro undressing and kicking or beating those of the opposing team, curled up on the ground. Some victims are completely inert. The bestiality of this violence has also prompted several media to question the official report, which does not report any deaths.
The match had been deemed high risk and yet the security measures were poor, which is totally abnormal since usually matches in the Mexican championship are accompanied by significant security measures, despite the fact that fights between supporters are less common than in other countries. We listen to Diego Mancera, sports journalist, who describes the atmosphere of football in Mexico.
“Here, it’s a family show: the fans of America and Las Chivas, the two big rivals in the championship, have always been able to live together peacefully in the stands. Which, for example, is not possible in Argentina between those of Boca and River.”
Diego Manceraat franceinfo
Fans of America and Las Chivas, who are the two big rivals in the championship, have always been able to live together peacefully in the stands. What for example is not possible in Argentina, between the supporters of Boca and River. The problem is that in Querétaro, the private company which was to provide security for the match did not deploy the number of agents to which it had committed and those present did nothing to prevent the violence.
Could these events compromise the holding of the 2026 World Cup in Mexico, which will be co-organizer with the United States and Canada? The Mexican Football Federation had to apply sanctions, it was the requirement of Fifa not to call into question the 2026 World Cup. The entire management of the Querétaro club was excluded from the Mexican federation: the club will have to be sold and he will play without an audience for a year, while the most radical supporters will be banned from stadiums for life. But this is not the only pitfall of Mexico on the road to the World Cup, according to Diego Mancera.
“It’s a shock for Mexico, which already has its share of problems with Fifa. There is the thorny issue of the homophobic cry of supporters, which Fifa has sanctioned since 2014.”
Diego Manceraat franceinfo
“Mexico is dragging its pots, and if you add violence, its reputation is even more tarnished, but not to the point of taking away the World Cup” concludes Diego Mancera. The homophobic cry launched by Mexican supporters when the opposing goalkeeper prepares to clear the ball has already earned Mexico nearly twenty sanctions from Fifa, whether fines or stadiums. closed to the public.