Ciudad de México, 28 jul (EFE) - On Monday, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced that the World Cup had come to an end within the country’s borders. She expressed gratitude for the 124,000 security personnel involved in the national security plan called Plan Kukulkán, which was implemented from January 2025 to July 19, 2026.
"The success of the FIFA World Cup is not only measured by the matches played or the full stadiums, but also by a country's ability to organize, coordinate and work together towards a common goal. That is what Mexico achieved," said Sheinbaum during an event in central Mexico State.
Sheinbaum highlighted that beyond the sporting achievements, the national team’s passion and pride in representing their roots brought joy to the Mexican people. The President also thanked the Mexican Army for its participation, which included 20,734 personnel involved in the Plan Kukulkán.
Omar García Harfuch, Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC), explained that one of the pillars of the plan was coordination among the 23 technical working groups. These groups designed protocols for stadium protection, strategic infrastructure, route management, crowd control, and emergency response.
More than 90,500 municipal security personnel from Jalisco, Nuevo León, Quintana Roo, Mexico State, Mexico City, Hidalgo, and Baja California were also involved. In total, the Plan Kukulkán included 124,000 security personnel from federal, state, and local government institutions.
The Mexican government stated that hosting 13 matches and having 17 teams play or train in the country boosted the national economy. Retail sales increased by between 10% and 15%. However, during World Cup activities, five fatalities were recorded, four due to asphyxiation from crowd crushes on Paseo de la Reforma avenue, none of whom were mentioned at the event.
The President also congratulated the Mexican national team for bringing joy to the country with their passion and dignity in representing Mexico's colors. She emphasized that beyond the sporting results, the teams reminded everyone that playing with heart always honors one’s nation.
