Families of missing persons protest in Mexico City ahead of World Cup 2026

From June 6 to June 12, families of the more than 133,000 people reported missing in Mexico, search collectives and social organisations staged a series of protests across Mexico City to draw international attention during the opening of the 2026 World Cup. Demonstrations took place at the Angel of Independence, the Hemiciclo a Juárez, the Zócalo and the Estadio Azteca, among other sites.

On June 10, a march called “Iluminemos la búsqueda” set off from the Light‑Rail station on Calzada de Tlalpan toward the Azteca stadium but was stopped by a security fence. Participants carried candles, banners with the faces of their missing relatives and demanded that authorities intensify investigations and provide more resources for locating the disappeared, including the 43 students of Ayotzinapa.

The week concluded on June 12 with a forum titled “World Cup 2026 between inequality and disappearances,” intended to keep the issue on the public agenda throughout the tournament.