Leopoldo Cerdeira Prepares Armored Vehicles for the 2026 World Cup
Leopoldo Cerdeira demonstrates the quality of his armored vehicles by firing bullets at a car door. These 70 vehicles, owned by the Mexican entrepreneur, will be rented to wealthy personalities and fans during the 2026 World Cup co-hosted by Canada, the United States, and Mexico.
The bullets get trapped in the powerful synthetic fibers lining these armored cars. Cerdeira’s fleet, already reserved for the upcoming Formula 1 race in Mexico City this month, will expand to 80 units for the World Cup.
Armored Vehicles in High Demand
Cerdeira’s luxury SUVs transported a FIFA delegation visiting Mexico recently. His armored vehicles, including chauffeurs, bodyguards, bomb-resistant mats, bulletproof vests, and briefcases, cater to the security needs justified by Mexico’s high crime rate of approximately 30,000 homicides annually.
Gabriel Hernández, director of Armoring Group, which commercializes armored cars and bulletproof civilian and military clothing in Mexico, the United States, and Spain, admits: “The country’s insecurity has fueled our industry’s growth.”
Security Measures for the World Cup
Authorities assure that they are working diligently to ensure the safety of the football tournament across Mexico’s three host cities: Mexico City, Guadalajara, and industrial Monterrey.
Mexico City, which has hosted two iconic World Cup finals in 1970 and 1986, is usually spared from narco-related attacks. However, Guadalajara serves as the Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) hub, designated as a terrorist group by the United States. The CJNG offers $15 million for its leader, Nemesio Oseguera “El Mencho.”
Wealthy with Fear
The available vehicles for the tournament are more than armored, featuring electrified door handles, pepper spray from wheels, and tires that can still advance up to 80 km even when shot.
“What we’ve been getting reserved for is visitors, people with money who come to watch the games with fear after hearing negative things about Mexico,” Cerdeira says at his Ruhe factory, which also provides custom armored vehicles.
Daily rental of one of his cars costs between $800 and $1,100. Adding a driver and bodyguard raises the price by an additional $500. For $1,500, one can purchase a casual-style bulletproof vest.
Extended Service Periods
Service periods can last up to three weeks, as Mexico will host 13 matches from June 11 to July 5, including the opening match in Mexico City with an additional 40,000 security cameras.
In all three host cities, drone usage will be restricted during the tournament.
Mexico Leads Regional Armored Market
Alongside Brazil and the United States, Mexico leads the regional armored market with exports to various countries.
“World Cup Truce”
The industry not only ensures product quality but also prevents criminals from acquiring their products, employing multiple filters according to the entrepreneurs.
Despite this, criminal organizations have established parallel production to manufacture what are known as “monsters” – massive, artisanally armored trucks that gangs like the CJNG flaunt in videos showcasing heavily armed assassins.
Clandestine Blinding Workshops
Authorities dismantled a clandestine armored vehicle workshop in Sinaloa earlier this year, home to another major cartel. Eight years ago, two workers hired by Cerdeira were recruited by a criminal group.
According to Cerdeira, these groups can triple salaries, but the risk is extremely high: his two former employees ended up dead in Sinaloa.
Despite their danger, these organizations pose no direct threat to the World Cup, according to David Saucedo, a security consultant for local Mexican governments and embassies.
“These groups have their own social base and will enjoy the games,” Saucedo says, not ruling out a tacit agreement where authorities avoid large-scale operations against the mafia in exchange for not carrying out bloody acts that tarnish Mexico’s image.
“It would be a sort of World Cup truce,” Saucedo suggests.
