Families create 'missing persons album' in Mexico to spur search during World Cup

In Guadalajara, Mexico, families of the disappeared are using the global spotlight of the 2026 World Cup to draw attention to the country's profound crisis of missing persons. They have transformed traditional search flyers into collectible cards, mimicking the style of the official World Cup album, to visually represent the estimated 130,000 individuals who have vanished across Mexico.

These "cards," featuring the faces of the missing, have been placed in high-traffic areas like the FIFA Fan Festival and tourist spots in Guadalajara, a host city for the tournament. The goal is to connect with international visitors and the global media, urging them not to forget those who are missing while the country celebrates the sport.

Héctor Flores, a member of the Luz de Esperanza organization, emphasized the dual message: "It's not wrong to have the World Cup, it's not wrong to celebrate. What's wrong is to stop naming those who are missing and stop searching." Jalisco, one of the states with the highest number of disappearances, has seen cases involving deception through fake job offers.

The initiative also carries a strong critique of government priorities. Families point to significant public spending on World Cup preparations while essential services for locating the missing remain underfunded. They highlight the lack of new hires at the state's special prosecutor's office for missing persons and the insufficient number of victim support advisors for thousands of investigation files. "These resources were needed elsewhere," Flores stated, suggesting that even a fraction of the World Cup budget could make a difference in their search efforts.