Mexico will host the World Cup for the third time, having previously staged the tournament in 1970 and 1986. On both occasions, the national team reached the quarterfinals, a milestone that has since become an obsession for Mexican football. Since 1994, El Tri has consistently advanced to the Round of 16 but never managed the next step toward the sport's elite. That is precisely this generation's mission. Following the disappointment of Qatar 2022, confidence around the team is not absolute, yet head coach Javier Aguirre has built much of his career on rescuing difficult projects and turning them into competitive sides.
The squad is headlined by veteran goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, who will appear in his sixth World Cup, a record for Mexican football. Raul Jimenez and Colombian-born forward Julian Quinones will serve as Mexico's dual attacking threats, while 28-year-old midfielder Edson Alvarez wears the captain's armband. Other key players include Spain-born midfielder Alvaro Fidalgo, who switched his allegiance to Mexico earlier this year, along with U.S.-developed dual nationals Obed Vargas and Brian Gutierrez among the younger members of the group.
Emerging talents such as Guadalajara forward Armando Gonzalez and teenage midfielder Gilberto Mora also make the cut. At just 17, Mora is set to become the youngest player ever to represent Mexico at a World Cup. Notable absentees include Julian Araujo, whose season-ending injury proved too much to overcome, and Rodrigo Huescas of FC Copenhagen.
Mexico shares Group A with South Africa, South Korea, and Czechia. El Tri kick-off the 2026 World Cup on June 11th against South Africa at Estadio Azteca, then take a trip to Guadalajara to play against South Korea at Estadio Akron on June 18th. They close out the group stage against Czechia at Estadio Azteca on June 24th. Beforehand, Mexico will play a warm-up friendly against Serbia at Estadio Nemesio Diez in Toluca on June 4th.
Mexico 2026 World Cup Squad:
Goalkeepers: Raúl Rangel (Guadalajara), Guillermo Ochoa (AEL Limassol), Carlos Acevedo (Santos Laguna)
Defenders: César Montes (Lokomotiv Moscow), Johan Vásquez (Genoa), Jesús Gallardo (Toluca), Jorge Sánchez (PAOK), Israel Reyes (América), Mateo Chávez (AZ)
Midfielders: Edson Álvarez (Fenerbahçe), Brian Gutiérrez (Guadalajara), Luis Chávez (Dynamo Moscow), Luis Romo (Guadalajara), Érik Lira (Cruz Azul), Orbelín Pineda (AEK Athens), Álvaro Fidalgo (Real Betis), Obed Vargas (Atlético Madrid), Gilberto Mora (Tijuana)
Forwards: Raúl Jiménez (Fulham), César Huerta (Anderlecht), Santiago Giménez (AC Milan), Alexis Vega (Toluca), Roberto Alvarado (Guadalajara), Julián Quiñones (Al-Qadisiyah), Guillermo Martínez (UNAM), Armando González (Guadalajara)
