Mexican authorities have unveiled plans to deploy robot dogs to assist police operations during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as part of enhanced security measures for the global football tournament.
The four-legged robots are designed to enter high-risk or hard-to-access areas and transmit live video footage to security personnel, allowing officers to assess situations before taking action.
The World Cup, scheduled to run from June 11 to July 19, 2026, will be jointly hosted by Mexico, the United States and Canada.
The robot dogs were acquired by the city council of Guadalupe, in Nuevo Leon State, at a cost of 2.5 million pesos (about $145,000).
Guadalupe is part of the Monterrey metropolitan area, which will host one of the tournament’s venues.
A demonstration video released by the local government shows one of the robots navigating an abandoned building, climbing stairs and transmitting live images to police officers positioned nearby.
In the footage, the robot encounters an armed suspect and issues a command through a loudspeaker, ordering the individual to drop his weapon.
Guadalupe Mayor Hector Garcia said the technology was introduced to enhance officer safety during security operations.
“The purpose of these robot dogs is to support police officers during initial interventions and to protect the physical safety of our personnel,” Garcia said, adding that the devices would be deployed “in case of any altercation” during the tournament.
BBVA Stadium, which will be temporarily renamed Estadio Monterrey for the World Cup, is expected to host four matches during the competition.
