Mexico World Cup 2026 squad: Javier Aguirre's latest selection ahead of the World Cup draw

Mexico World Cup 2026 squad: Mexico lift the 2025 Gold Cup — Mexico lift the 2025 Gold Cup (Image credit: Getty Images)

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The Mexico World Cup 2026 squad is starting to come together.

El Tri hosting World Cup 2026 marks the first time that any nation has held three different editions – but with the squads for the tournament starting to come together, it's safe to say that this near ever-present of the Coupe De Monde aren't among the favourites this time around.

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Jesus Gallardo and Raul Jimenez have over a century of caps each, while 40-year-old keeper Guillermo Ochoa is, fittingly, back in the squad and looking to earn a 152nd cap – he is to the World Cup what Mariah Carey is to Christmas – ahead of what could be his sixth tournament.

There is youth coming through, too, however: 17-year-old Gilberto Mora misses out on a sixth cap this time, but Obed Vargas is included, described in a report for The Boy's A Bit Special by FourFourTwo's Zach Lowy as having “excelled [in Major League Soccer] thanks to his willingness to meander around the pitch, offer himself as a passing option and evade the pressure”.

This is a depleted Mexican squad this time around: no captain in Edson Alvarez, while Hirving Lozano, Santaigo Gimenez, Henry Martin and Julian Araujo are just a few high-profile names who miss out, along with a list of 13 first-time call-ups since August who haven't got a second phone call this time around.

That leaves only Alvaro Fidalgo in line for a debut cap, as head coach Javier Aguirre looks to get a little closer to a starting line-up he wants to field for the opening fixture against South Africa.

Squad

Mexico World Cup 2026 squad: The November selection

GK: Guillermo Ochoa
GK: Raul Rangel (Guadalajara)
GK: Carlos Acevedo (Santos Laguna)
DF: Jesus Gallardo (Toluca)
DF: Cesar Montes (Lokomotiv Moscow)
DF: Jorge Sanchez (PAOK)
DF: Johan Vasquez (Genoa)
DF: Israel Reyes (America)
DF: Jesus Alberto Angulo (UANL)
DF: Richard Ledezma (Guadalajara)
DF: Everardo Lopez (Toluca)
MF: Orbelin Pineda (AEK Athens)
MF: Carlos Rodriguez (Cruz Azul)
MF: Erick Sanchez (America)
MF: Erik Lira (Cruz Azul)
MF: Brian Gutierrez (Guadalajara)
MF: Obed Vargas (Atletico Madrid)
MF: Denzell Garcia (Juarez)
MF: Alvaro Fidalgo (Betis)
FW: Raul Jimenez (Fulham)
FW: Roberto Alvarado (Guadalajara)
FW: Alexis Vega (Toluca)
FW: Julian Quinones (Al-Qadsiah)
FW: Guillermo Martinez (UNAM)
FW: German Berterame (Inter Miami)
FW: Armando Gonzalez (Guadalajara)

Fixtures and results

Fixtures

March 28, 2026: Mexico vs Portugal, Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, Mexico
March 31, 2026: Mexico vs Belgium, Soldier Field, Chicago, United States
May 22, 2026: Mexico vs Ghana, Estadio Cuauhtémoc, Puebla, Mexico
May 30, 2026: Mexico vs Australia, Rose Bowl, Pasadena, United States
June 4, 2026: Mexico vs Serbia, Venue TBC, Mexico
June 11, 2026: Mexico vs South Africa, Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, Mexico
June 18, 2026: Mexico vs South Korea, Estadio Akron, Zapopan, Mexico
June 24, 2026: UEFA Play-off Winner vs Mexico, Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, Mexico

Who is Mexico's manager?

Javier Aguirre is in his third stint in charge of the Mexican national team. He took charge of the nation at the 2001 Copa America, losing in the final to hosts Colombia. He was won their group at the 2002 World Cup, being defeated by the US in the round of 16.

In this second stint he won the Gold Cup and registered the same finish at the 2010 World Cup. He received intense criticism after leaving then Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez on the bench behind team-less Guillermo Franco.

If history is to go by, Mexico will escape their group, but come unstuck next year in the knockout stages, a fate Aguirre will be hoping to avoid.

Star player

Who is Mexico's star player?

Santiago Gimenez of Mexico celebrates after scoring a goal to make it 1-0 during the Concacaf Gold Cup final match between Mexico and Panama at SoFi Stadium on July 16, 2023 in Inglewood, California. — Santiago Gimenez of Mexico (Image credit: Getty Images)

Santiago Gimenez was one of the hottest striker prospects around during his time at Feyenoord under now-Liverpool boss Arne Slot. In the Dutchman's final season at De Kuip, Gimenez scored 23 league goals in 30 games.

He made the move to Milan in January 2025 and has struggled to find the form he displayed in the Netherlands.

Gimenez, alongside Raul Jimenez, will be the key to success for co-hosts Mexico next summer. Should they both hit form at the same time, it will be incredibly difficult to stop El Tri.

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Ewan is a freelance writer and social media manager who has worked for The Athletic, GOAL, 90min and OneFootball. From Gelsenkirchen to Riyadh, he has covered some of the biggest games in football in his three years in the industry.

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