World

Mass shooting after soccer game in Mexico kills 11

By AAP Newswire

Jan 26, 2026

Members of the Mexican National Guard have descended on Salamanca after the mass shooting. -EPA

Gunmen have opened fire at a soccer field in central Mexico, killing at least 11 people and wounding 12.

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Salamanca Mayor Cesar Prieto said in a statement posted to social platforms that the gunmen arrived at the end of a soccer match.

Ten people were killed at the scene and one died later at a hospital. The mayor said a woman and a minor were among the wounded.

Prieto said the attack was part of a "crime wave" in the city and appealed to President Claudia Sheinbaum for help to control the violence.

The Guanajuato state prosecutor's office said it was investigating and co-ordinating with federal authorities to reinforce security in the area.

Guanajuato had Mexico's highest homicide total last year. A local gang, Santa Rosa de Lima, has been battling the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel.

"Unfortunately, there are criminal groups trying to subjugate authorities, something they are not going to achieve," the mayor said.

Overall, Mexico's government says the country's 2025 murder rate was the lowest since 2016 at 17.5 murders per 100,000 inhabitants, although analysts cautioned that the numbers may not fully reflect the country's violence.