Mexico will kick the entire tournament off at 3:00 p.m. ET Thursday in front of 83,000 fans in Mexico City. El Tri will begin against underdog South Africa and play all three of their group games on home soil for the first time since 1986.

That was the last time they reached the World Cup quarterfinals and the 40-year wait to win a knockout match has turned into a national obsession. Javier Aguirre’s side will be backed by huge home support, and there’s a belief this could be Mexico’s moment. 

Click the image below for a full analysis of Group A odds, key players, schedules and predictions, featuring Mexico, South Korea, Czechia and South Africa.

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Mexico’s World Cup 2026 odds

To win the World Cup	+8000
To win Group A	-163
To advance from Group A	-1400

*Odds subject to change

Mexico World Cup 2026 storylines

How did Mexico qualify?

Automatically as co-hosts. That allowed Aguirre — in his third spell in charge of El Tri — to focus on preparing his squad for this tournament at home. The results have been strong, they hold the CONCACAF Nations League and Gold Cup titles and boast a long unbeaten run heading into the tournament.

Guillermo Ochoa After Mexico’s first-choice goalkeeper, Luis Malagon, suffered a torn ACL, Aguirre turned to Ochoa, 40, to play in a record sixth World Cup, along with Lionel Messi and Critiano Ronaldo. 

Prep Matches Mexico have been in great form for some time. They’ve won their past three games in a row. Since the turn of the year, they’ve played eight and won six, drawing the other two.

Past 5 Mexico matches 

Opponent	Date	Result
Serbia	June 4	5-1 Win
Australia	May 30	1-0 Win
Ghana	May 22	2-0 Win
Belgium	March 31	1-1 Draw
Portugal	March 28	0-0 Draw

Reality check: How far can Mexico go?

Group A is one Mexico should get out of with relative ease. They could even win it. They will face South Africa, South Korea and Czechia; all teams Mexico can beat. What should work in their favour is home stadiums. So, while South Korea have defeated Mexico at a World Cup before, they haven’t done so when El Tri have had that advantage. 

5 key players for Mexico

• Edson Alvarez, midfielder, Fenerbahce, 28 The captain and most important player in the squad. Alvarez has struggled with injury this season but has fought back to fitness and is ready to play. He will anchor the midfield.
• Santiago Gimenez, forward, AC Milan, 25 Mexico’s primary goal-scoring threat. This will be his first World Cup, and he’ll give the team a focal point at the top of the field. He’s Raul Jimenez’s natural successor in leading the line.
• Raul Jiménez, forward, Fulham, 35 He’s been a fantastic player for Mexico for years. This will be his final World Cup.
• Guillermo Ochoa, goalkeeper, AEL Limassol, 40 His record sixth World Cup will be his last. His penalty heroics in 2022 and his legendary save against Brazil in 2014 define what has been a career built on the biggest moments.
• Mateo Chavez, defender, AZ Alkmaar, 22 One of the most exciting young talents in the Mexico squad. Chavez is a left back who is beginning to establish himself in the Eredivisie. He brings plenty of energy to the pitch.

Mexico’s top players by position

• Goalkeeper: Raul Rangel Should start as Mexico’s first choice. The 26-year-old Deportivo Guadalajara stopper has good reflexes and shot-stopping abilities.
• Defender: Johan Vasquez Plays for Genoa in Serie A. He’s established himself as Mexico’s best central defender and will partner Cesar Montes at the back.
• Midfielder: Edson Alvarez The captain and leader on and off the field. He does all the hard work in the engine room and will protect the defence at all costs.
• Forward:Santiago Gimenez The player the team will rely on for goals moving forward. He has experience around him, which will help him as he becomes the focal point of the attack.

Mexico’s emerging talents

Gilberto Mora, midfielder, Club Tijuana At 17 he’ll be one of the youngest players at this year’s World Cup. He’s forced his way into the reckoning after a campaign where he scored six goals in 20 games from midfield. He’s versatile, too, with the ability to play multiple positions.

Otto Vargas, midfielder, Atletico Madrid The20-year-old moved from Seattle to Atletico Madrid in February and has already made more than 10 appearances. The central midfielder, who enjoys a tackle, is one to watch this summer.

Armando Gonzalez, forward, Deportivo Guadalajara The 23-year-old has forced his way in through his performances. His goal return of 24 from 35 appearances this season gave Aguirre food for thought, and he will be an option off the bench.

Mexico’s Group A schedule

Date	Opponent	Location
June 11	South Africa	Mexico City
June 19	South Korea	Guadalajara
June 25	Czechia	Mexico City

Mexico vs. Group A opponents

Mexico vs. South Africa 

Own a 2-1-1 record since 1993, with the last a 1-1 draw in 2010.

Mexico vs. South Korea

An 8-2-4 record going back to 1980, the last a 2-2 draw in September. 

Mexico vs. Czechia

One match, a 2-1 victory in 2000.

Mexico’s manager

Javier Aguirre, 67, was appointed in 2024, his third spell in charge. He’s led Mexico at two previous World Cups and has plenty of tournament experience, including CONCACAF Nations League and Gold Cup successes. He will step down from the role after the World Cup, with Rafael Marquez to replace him.

The official Mexico kits

Both are designed by Adidas. The home shirt is a tribute to Mexico’s iconic 1998 World Cup jersey. It’s deep green with Aztec-inspired geometric patterns. The away kit has a white base and carries an embossed pattern throughout, with dark green and red trim on the large V-neck collar and cuffs.

Mexico’s World Cup history

Appearances: 17

Best finish: Quarterfinals

Total goals: 62

Top scorer: Javier Hernandez, Luis Hernandez (4)

Most appearances: Rafael Marquez (19)

Mexico’s 2022 World Cup

They failed to get out of Group C at the 2022 Qatar World Cup. After drawing 0-0 against Poland in their opener, they went on to lose 2-0 to Argentina in their second match. They did defeat Saudi Arabia 2-1, but it was too little too late, with their exit already confirmed.

Memorable World Cup matches 

The 1986 quarterfinal against West Germany at the Estadio Azteca in front of 115,000 fans, played out a 0-0 draw but a 4-1 loss on penalty kicks. Defeating Germany at the 2018 World Cup in the group stage was also a huge moment.

Feature image courtesy AP Photo/Moises Castillo via Canadian Press Images.  Statistics via FBRef.com, ESPN.com and 11v11.com.

FAQ about Mexico at World Cup 2026

1 How to watch the World Cup in Canada?

Live Streaming Platforms

TSN.ca / App: All matches.
Crave: Select matches broadcast on CTV are available on the Crave app.
DAZN: All matches.

Television
TSN: All matches across its suite of channels.
RDS: French-language broadcasts for all matches.
CTV: Select matches.

2 What is Mexico's FIFA World Ranking?

Mexico are currently ranked 14th.

3 What is Mexico's nickname, and what does it mean?

“El Tri” — El Tricolor (the three colours), in reference to the Mexican flag.

4 Who is Mexico's all-time leading scorer?

Javier Hernandez: 52 goals in 109 caps.

5 Who is Mexico's top scorer at the World Cup?

Luis Hernandez and Javier Hernandez. They’ve scored 4 goals each at World Cups.

6 Who has the most caps for the Mexico men's national team?

Andres Guardado with 182 caps.

7 Who has the most World Cup appearances for Mexico?

Rafael Marquez. He’s made 19 appearances across five tournaments.

8 When will Mexico play their first game at the World Cup 2026?

Mexico opens World Cup 2026 June 11, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. ET  against South Africa in Mexico City.

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