Mexico City will increase police presence and install giant screens for the Mexico vs England soccer match on Sunday, July 5 [5].
Local officials are implementing these measures to prevent dangerous crowd concentrations. The move follows a tragedy earlier this year where four people died during celebrations after a match between Mexico and Ecuador.
President Claudia Sheinbaum said the city must ensure a responsible and safe celebration for fans. To distribute the crowds, the government is deploying a massive security force of more than 17,000 officers [1].
Security protocols will focus on high-traffic areas, including Paseo de la Reforma, the Ángel de la Independencia, the Alameda, and the Centro districts. The city is using a strategy of dispersing spectators across multiple viewing hubs rather than allowing a single massive gathering.
Reports on the scale of the viewing infrastructure vary. Some sources state that 30 screens will be installed overall, with 16 placed specifically along Paseo de la Reforma [2, 3]. However, other reports indicate the city will install up to 60 screens at various points across the capital [4].
In addition to the police deployment and screens, the city has announced controlled access to certain areas and an expansion of the "ley seca" — a dry law banning the sale of alcohol — to maintain order during the event [4].
Sheinbaum said the goal is to avoid a repeat of the previous fatalities and to keep the public safe while they support the national team.
“The city is deploying a massive security force of more than 17,000 officers.”
The mobilization of over 17,000 officers and the deployment of dozens of screens indicate that the Mexico City government views large-scale sporting celebrations as a significant public safety risk. By prioritizing crowd dispersion over centralized gathering points, the administration is attempting to mitigate the risk of stampedes or violence that characterized earlier events this year.
