THE Mexican national soccer team is changing hotels in Los Angeles due to safety concerns stemming from the ongoing protests against immigration raids in the city.
A team spokesman confirmed the move on Tuesday (Wednesday, June 11, 2025, PH time), just days before Mexico’s Gold Cup opener.
Mexico is set to kick off its regional tournament against the Dominican Republic on Saturday (Sunday in PH) at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood.
The team had originally booked a hotel in downtown Los Angeles, but Concacaf, the governing body for soccer in North America, Central America, and the Caribbean, has approved their request to switch to an
undisclosed location.
Fernando Schwartz, a spokesman for the Mexican team, shared this information with The Associated Press, though Concacaf has yet to make an official announcement.
The protests in Los Angeles erupted last Friday in downtown after federal immigration authorities arrested over 40 individuals city-wide.
By Sunday, the demonstrations escalated, with crowds blocking a major freeway and setting self-driving cars ablaze, leading to police deploying tear gas, rubber bullets, and flash-bang grenades.
On Monday, President Donald Trump ordered an additional 2,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines to Los Angeles to help manage
the situation.
Mexican coach Javier Aguirre declined to comment on the protests during a Monday news conference in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where the team was preparing for a friendly match against Turkey.
“I’m not going to talk about Los Angeles, I told you no, we are talking about sports here,” Aguirre stated. “I can’t express myself right now. We have a match against Turkey, and I don’t have any information. I know what we see on television. We’re thousands of miles away, and I can’t express myself.”
Following their match against the Dominican Republic, the Mexican team will travel to Arlington, Texas, to face Suriname, before concluding the first round of the tournament against Costa Rica in Las Vegas. / From the wires