Mexico is poised to take its place in footballing folklore as the first country to host three editions of the FIFA World Cup™, as it prepares to welcome next year’s showpiece event alongside Canada and the USA. One of the tournament’s regular fixtures, El Tricolor are gearing up for their 18th campaign at the global extravaganza.
Their last World Cup participation on home soil came back in 1986, when they reached the quarter-finals, a finish that matched their remarkable run as hosts of the 1970 instalment. Home support played a decisive role in both campaigns, and the Mexican faithful are again expected to play their part this time around. With Javier Aguirre – a veteran of that 1986 team – now at the helm, Mexico will be looking to go deeper in the tournament than ever before by overcoming the last-eight hurdle.
Mexico coach: Javier Aguirre
Aguirre returned to the Mexico dugout in July last year, having taken up the reins following Jaime Lozano’s brief tenure. This is Aguirre’s third stint as the national team’s head honcho, having first led his country at the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan™, where they crashed out in the Round of 16 following a 2-0 loss to the USA. He was back in the hot seat for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™, where his charges succumbed at the same stage after being on the receiving end of a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Argentina.
“We’re all focused on the end goal, which is for Mexico to have our best-ever World Cup,” commented the experienced tactician in March 2025. El Vasco, as he is known in a nod to his parents’ Basque roots, has his sights firmly set not only on masterminding on-field success, but also on rekindling the players’ desire to represent El Tricolor.
In tackling this challenge, Aguirre is able to count on the support of trusted lieutenant Rafael Marquez as his assistant, with the current second-in-command expected to take over Aguirre’s mantle ahead of the next global showpiece in 2030. The legendary former national team captain offers a wealth of World Cup experience and the insights gained from his spell in charge of the reserve team at Barcelona, where he enjoyed a trophy-laden seven-year spell during his playing days, not to mention his unmistakeable character – all of which will be key as Mexico bid to make waves on the global stage.
Mexico’s World Cup 26 fixtures and group
Having qualified automatically as co-hosts, Mexico have been placed into Group A and will open their campaign at the iconic Mexico City Stadium. El Tricolor will then travel north-west to Zapopan, Jalisco, for their second outing, which is to be played at the impressive Estadio Guadalajara, before rounding off the group stage back in the capital.
Thursday, 11 June 2026 – Mexico City Stadium
Thursday, 18 June 2026 – Estadio Guadalajara
Wednesday, 24 June 2026 – Mexico City Stadium
Mexico will discover their group-stage opponents at the Final Draw for the FIFA World Cup 26™, which is set to take place at the prestigious John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington DC from 12:00 local time (18:00 CET) on Friday, 5 December.
How Mexico qualified for World Cup 26
Mexico qualified as co-hosts alongside Canada and the USA. The 2026 edition of the global bonanza, which will feature an expanded 48-team format, is set to be the biggest yet.
Full World Cup 26 match schedule
Mexico’s World Cup history
Mexico’s best World Cup
Mexico’s finest World Cup runs have come in their own backyard, with the team making the most of home comforts to advance to the quarter-finals. In 1970, Raul Cardenas’s charges bowed out following a 4-1 loss to Italy, whilst in 1986 Bora Milutinovic’s men suffered penalty shoot-out heartbreak against West Germany, being edged out by the same scoreline after the sides had shared a goalless stalemate after extra time.
Mexico’s first World Cup
Mexico lined up alongside 12 other nations at the 1930 FIFA World Cup Uruguay™, the maiden edition of the global showpiece, in which the hosts captured the coveted crown. The Mexicans contested the competition’s curtain-raiser against France before going head-to-head with Chile and concluding their group-stage campaign against the Albiceleste. Three defeats consigned them to an early exit, but not before Juan Carreno wrote his name in the history books as Mexico’s first-ever World Cup goalscorer after netting in the 4-1 reverse against Les Bleus.
Mexico’s last World Cup
El Tricolor flattered to deceive at Qatar 2022. Gerardo Martino’s side opened their Group C campaign with a scoreless draw against Poland before succumbing to familiar World Cup foes Argentina in a 2-0 defeat. Despite rallying with a 2-1 win against Saudi Arabia, it was not enough to see the North Americans through, as they failed to progress beyond the group stage for the first time since the 1978 FIFA World Cup Argentina™.
Mexico’s World Cup top scorers
Luis Hernandez and Javier Hernandez share more than just a surname – the prolific pair sit atop Mexico’s World Cup scoring charts with four goals apiece. Luis Hernandez, nicknamed El Matador, showcased all of his predatory instincts at the 1998 FIFA World Cup France™. The frontman with the flowing blond locks bagged a brace against Korea Republic and then stabbed home a last-gasp leveller in the 2-2 draw against the Netherlands before conjuring up some nifty footwork and a composed finish in the Round-of-16 showdown against Germany to bring his tally to four.
Twelve years after Luis Hernandez had lit up the global bonanza with his goalscoring exploits, a fresh-faced Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez – who would go on to find the back of the net in no fewer than three editions of the World Cup – emerged on the scene. The Guadalajara-born goal-getter opened his account against France and Argentina at South Africa 2010, before nodding home from point-blank range against Croatia in the team’s final group-stage outing at the 2014 FIFA World Cup™ in Brazil. The former Manchester United marksman was back on the goal trail four years later in Russia against Korea Republic, sweeping home his 50th international goal.
Mexico’s record World Cup appearance maker
Rafael Marquez continues to lead the way in the national-team appearance stakes. The former defender, who has featured 19 times at the World Cup, cut his teeth on the global stage at Korea/Japan 2002, where he lined up in four matches – a tally he matched at the 2006, 2010 and 2014 editions of the FIFA World Cup. The erstwhile captain called time on his international career following the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™, a tournament at which he added a further three appearances to his total.
Mexico’s memorable World Cup moments
The 1986 edition of FIFA’s flagship tournament holds fond memories for Mexican fans, not only on account of the party atmosphere whipped up in the stands, but also because of the brand of football played by Milutinović’s troops. In an interview with FIFA, former Mexico defender Fernando Quirarte, who was a mainstay of the team’s backline at that tournament, recalled that, as well as organising a lengthy training camp before the competition got under way, the coach fostered a good atmosphere among the squad that translated into results on the pitch. After topping their group, El Tricolor advanced to the last 16, where they ran out 2-0 winners over Bulgaria in a contest best remembered for Manuel Negrete’s showstopping scissors kick – an effort that has pride of place in the footballing annals. The hosts’ hopes of glory were extinguished at the quarter-final stage, with eventual runners-up West Germany prevailing on penalties after the teams had failed to trouble the scoreboard after 120 minutes of absorbing action.
While a much-coveted World Cup semi-final spot has so far eluded El Tricolor, they have served up some standout moments at each edition of the tournament they have contested. At France 1998, Mexico lined up in Group E, where they eased to a 3-1 win over Korea Republic in their curtain-raiser and then shared the spoils in a 2-2 draw against Belgium, ahead of what was a must-win encounter against the Netherlands. In that showdown, the Mexicans found themselves 2-0 down within the opening 20 minutes, after their bubble was burst by strikes from Phillip Cocu and Ronald de Boer. With the North Americans staring down the barrel and only 15 minutes left on the clock, Ricardo Pelaez’s well-directed header found its way through a congested six-yard box and into the net to halve the deficit before Luis Hernandez prodded home a 94th-minute equaliser to seal his team’s spot in the Round of 16.
Mexico’s biggest World Cup win
Mexico have contested 60 World Cup matches, with their most emphatic win being the 4-0 triumph over El Salvador recorded on home soil in 1970. In the group-stage contest at Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca, Javier Valdivia set the hosts on their way with a quick-fire double, which was followed by strikes from Javier Fragoso and Ignacio Basaguren that capped off a resounding victory.
