Are World Cup fans in danger after Mexico cartel violence? - The Sports Agents

Are World Cup fans in danger after Mexico cartel violence? - The Sports Agents

Author: Global February 27, 2026 Duration: 28:01

The recent killing of Mexican drug lord ‘El Mencho’ has caused unrest and cartel violence across the country. Guadalajara - one of Mexico’s host cities in this summer’s World Cup - was one of the worst affected.

So what state are we left in, just months away from the tournament? Should fans be worried about the threat of cartel violence? And with ICE and President Trump ever present in the U.S. - should more questions be asked of their hosting? Gabby and Mark are joined by The Athletic’s Adam Crafton.

Plus, we look back at the best bits from The Sports Agents this week - do England need a makeover after their Six Nations collapse? And how did Netflix's Drive To Survive grow Formula One's fan base by hundreds of millions, where three in four new fans are female?

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Every weekday afternoon, Emily Maitlis, Jon Sopel, and Lewis Goodall gather to make sense of the noise. Their The News Agents isn't a simple bulletin; it's a conversation between three of the UK's most experienced journalists who have seen the machinery of government and media from the inside. This daily podcast from Global focuses on the forces shaping our world, dissecting the headlines from Westminster and beyond with a sharp eye for what really matters. You'll hear them pull apart political strategies, question the official narrative, and trace the connections between today's breaking story and its deeper roots. What sets this show apart is their collective tone-a blend of genuine expertise, natural scepticism, and the occasional necessary laugh at the absurdities of the news cycle. They provide context where others just provide clips, aiming to answer the persistent "why" behind the "what." Tuning into this podcast feels like getting a direct, unfiltered briefing from colleagues who know the landscape intimately, making the complex flow of daily events not just comprehensible but genuinely engaging. It’s analysis designed for anyone who wants to move past the soundbites.
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