The Guadalajara Reporter
Guadalajara's Largest English Newspaper
It was a Sunday of starkly contrasting cricketing realities.
On March 8, in the cauldron of the 132,000-seat Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India defeated New Zealand by 96 runs to claim a record-breaking third ICC Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup title. Nearly 15,000 kilometers away, at the Jimmy Powell Oval in the Cayman Islands, a team wearing the green jersey of Mexico took to the field to begin its own long-shot journey toward the 2028 tournament.
While the main draw for the 2026 World Cup has been complete for months, some berths for this summer’s global showcase are still very much up for grabs. The road to soccer’s biggest stage will run directly through Mexico later this month, with Guadalajara’s Akron Stadium playing host to two do-or-die playoff matches that offer fans a rare opportunity to witness World Cup destiny unfold at a fraction of the usual cost.
The Charros de Jalisco are the Caribbean Series champions for the first time in their franchise history, outlasting the Tomateros de Culiacán 12-11 in 10 innings on February 7 at the Panamericano Stadium in Zapopan.
Mexico has produced dozens of world-class divers over the years, and interest in the sport is always high in Guadalajara. And in a couple of weeks, local residents can witness Olympic-caliber athletes compete on the international stage.
Soccer, take a back seat. A Guadalajara-born athlete is drawing global attention in a sport rarely associated with Mexico.
Donovan Carrillo, who first laced up his skates in this city, has soared into the men’s figure skating final at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.
Guadalajara native and hometown hero Sergio “Checo” Pérez is back in Formula 1 after a year-long hiatus, returning to the grid with a new U.S. team, Cadillac, for the 2026 season.
The Charros de Jalisco women’s professional softball team is contending for the 2026 Liga Mexicana de Softball title.
Chapala’s distinguished sailing standout Elena Oetling scored another victory at the Mayan Wind Fest, held January 23–25 in Cancún, taking first place in the ILCA 6 class.
Charromania broke out Sunday evening as the full-throated roar of a packed Panamerican Stadium celebrated more than just a championship.
It heralded the start of a dynasty, some local media outlets suggested.
