The football game was held at Cieneguillas men’s penitentiary in Northern Mexico on New Year’s Eve.
The two teams counted members of the opposed Gulf and Zetas cartels. As various media report, an argument about a dirty tackle in the penalty box led to the deadly escalation: firearms were drawn and shots fired, leaving no less than 16 people dead.
A riot followed after the confrontation, which left another five inmates injured. It took police and prison officials three hours to deescalate the situation. No guards or police suffered injuries. Three other guns and knives were later found inside the prison.
An investigation has been launched to find out who exactly was responsible for the fight and how the weapons found their way into the prison.
