Citizen Security and Policing in Mega-Events: Guidelines for an Intersectional Preventive Ecosystem Toward the 2026 World Cup

Abstract

This article analyzes the risks that can arise when public security strategies are intensified in high-profile international scenarios, particularly in relation to possible human rights violations, such as in the development of the 2026 fifa World Cup. Based on an analysis of the normative and institutional framework of public security in Mexico City, as well as literature on mega-events, security governance, and human rights, the article identifies patterns of human rights violations documented that may be exacerbated during intensified security operations. It also explores the differentiated impacts these dynamics may have on groups in vulnerable situations through an intersectional perspective. As its main contribution, the article proposes the development of guidelines for a preventive ecosystem of policing with an intersectional approach, aimed at strengthening the prevention of human rights violations through clear operational rules, independent oversight mechanisms, institutional training and effective access to justice.