Mexico faces an unprecedented national test as it prepares to host the 2026 World Cup, currently the world's largest sporting event. Recently, Mexican authorities took a hard-line approach by killing the infamous cartel leader 'El Mencho', but the price was terrible. The cartel's retaliation led to bloody clashes across the country, killing more than 70 people and paralyzing major cities. Nevertheless, the Mexican government remains steadfast in its determination to hold the Games as scheduled. President Claudia Sheinbaum has pledged to fully guarantee the safety of the World Cup, but local public sentiment shows a stark difference in temperature from the government's optimism.

Local public opinion is sharply divided between expectations about the economic effects of hosting the World Cup and concerns about pouring in huge budgets when even basic social infrastructure is not in place. Some merchants have high hopes for the $3 billion economic impact that will flow in through the World Cup, but others question whether pushing ahead with an international event without resolving chronic social challenges such as security instability and water shortages is a reasonable choice. In particular, the power vacuum that may arise after the removal of the cartel leader foreshadows another power struggle, and anxiety surrounds the entire city that it will be difficult to guarantee the safety of foreign tourists.

Meanwhile, the attention of the sports world is focused not only on the security situation in Mexico but also on the record-breaking drama that will unfold on the field. Son Heung-min, the symbol of Korean soccer, is on the verge of setting a new record through this World Cup, and fans around the world are paying close attention to his toes. However, even the excitement of these sports is in danger of being overshadowed by the heavy reality of the unstable security situation in the host city. National teams, including Portugal, are closely monitoring the local situation and are busy preparing safety measures, and FIFA is also working hard to prevent the situation from worsening by establishing a cooperation system with the Mexican authorities.

Outside of sports, a huge wave of inflation is threatening the global economy. In the U.S. market, as concerns about inflation become real, volatility in the financial market is maximizing, with government bond interest rates soaring. This is not simply a problem unique to the United States; it is a factor that directly impacts capital flows in the global economy and increases the economic burden on emerging countries. As Mexico dreams of an economic leap forward through the World Cup, the instability of the global financial market is acting as another variable that puts a damper on the festive mood, and the international community is closely watching the complex crisis that all these situations are interconnecting.