Match Halted as Players Rush Off Field Amid Gunfire Outside Stadium During Violence in Mexico Ahead of World Cup

A football match in Mexico was halted due to gunshots heard outside the stadium as violence took over the streets across the country.

Necaxa Women (femenil) vs Queretaro was stopped early in the second half when chaos sparked by the.

A Mexican women’s league match was halted after gunshots were heard outside the stadiumCredit: x.com/MLopezSanMartin Players sprinted from the field as the impact of El Mencho’s death started to spread across the countryCredit: x.com/MLopezSanMartin Within seconds of the referee blowing her whistle there was nobody on the pitchCredit: x.com/MLopezSanMartin

Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes – the leader of the – was killed on Sunday in a special forces military operation.

That took place in Tapalpa, Jalisco, outside Guadalajara, over 250km away from Aguascalientes, where Necaxa were playing.

with the JNGC responding as vehicles were set alight.

Videos from shortly after half-time at the Estadio Victoria – a 23,000 capacity stadium – show the referee blowing her whistle and talking to those close by before signalling for players to leave the pitch.

Within seconds, most are already off the field having sprinted away and down the tunnel in reaction.

The ref and lineswomen were the last to leave as the ball was forgotten in the centre circle.

Play would resume later on after a short break with Necaxa finding a winner to take the game 2-1.

It was a match between the bottom two and played in an already empty stadium in the Mexican top flight.

Violence escalated all over Mexico after Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes was killed in a special forces military operation on SundayCredit: Reuters Roads were blocked and vehicles set on fire by reacting Jalisco New Generation Cartel (JNGC) membersCredit: Reuters

Chaos continued around , who will co-host the later this summer.

Guadalajara is the closest city to Aguascalientes due to have a game at the competition later this year with others played in New Mexico and Monterrey.

Here, gunmen acted to block roads and key highways in Mexico, causing mass disruption and fear.

Some vans, lorries, and cars were set on fire with smoke seen rising above several cities.

Puerto Vallarta airport, 550km to the west of Aguascalientes, had flights cancelled.

It comes amid wider safety concerns ahead of the World Cup due to controversy around Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in North America .

Earlier this year the JNGC was labelled as a foreign terrorist organisation having been one of the most active criminal groups in the country.

It is among the most dangerous and powerful cartels in recent times with El Mencho’s death expected to have shockwaves for rivals and those bidding to take control.