11 Dead, 12 Injured in Horrific Mass Shooting at Soccer Field in Mexico - Here's Why

Horrific events happened on the evening of Sunday, 25 January 2026, when a peaceful amateur football match in the Mexican city of Salamanca turned into a scene of devastation that has shocked people both in Mexico and around the world.

As players finished their game and families gathered, gunmen opened fire in what authorities have described as a brutal and indiscriminate attack during one of the few moments of community gathering in the region.

The carnage left at least 11 people dead and 12 others wounded, with victims including women and children caught up in the violence. Witnesses reported hearing more than 100 shots as the assailants struck without warning, shattering the sense of safety for many in the region. The incident has once again caused a lot of public scrutiny in Guanajuato, a state long plagued by violence, at a time when authorities had been reporting some improvements in the national homicide rate.

What Happened in Salamanca

The tragic shooting took place in Loma de Flores, within the municipality of Salamanca in the central Mexican state of Guanajuato, just after an amateur football match concluded in the late afternoon.

According to official accounts, the gunmen arrived in vehicles and opened fire on those present at the field, where friends and families had gathered to enjoy the game. Some reported eyewitness accounts say that the attackers fired more than a hundred rounds in a matter of minutes, causing a lot of panic as people tried to escape the hail of bullets.

Moreover, the initial death toll was confirmed at 10 at the scene, with a further victim succumbing to injuries in the hospital. At least 12 people were wounded, including a woman and a minor who were among those transported for medical care, according to reports.

Furthermore, Mayor César Prieto of Salamanca publicly condemned the shooting, describing it as part of an ongoing wave of crime afflicting the city. The state prosecutor's office in Guanajuato is conducting an investigation, working with federal security forces to identify and pursue those responsible. No arrests have been reported in the immediate aftermath of the attack as of this writing.

The brutality of this incident was increased by the fact that it occurred in a setting meant to be communal and celebratory. Recreational football matches often serve as important social outlets in poorer and mid-sized Mexican towns, bringing together neighbours and families in a shared pastime. The sudden eruption of gunfire in such a context has likely left many in Salamanca traumatised and struggling to come to terms with the violence visited upon them in full daylight.

Fallout and Implications

The massacre at the soccer field has increased scrutiny of public security in Guanajuato, a state that has become one of the most violent in Mexico over the past few years, as per reports.

Guanajuato recorded the highest number of homicides in the country in 2025, mainly driven by ongoing problems between rival gangs, including the Santa Rosa de Lima Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, reportedly.

However, despite recent statements from the federal government that Mexico's overall murder rate had fallen to its lowest in nearly 10 years in 2025, this incident shows that such figures may not reflect the lived reality in hotspots like Guanajuato, where violence remains fully embedded.

In response to the attack, government officials at both the state and federal levels have pledged increased security measures. Governor Libia Denisse García Ledo described the shooting as unacceptable and vowed that authorities would take firm action to protect families and communities.