Mexico World Cup 2026 Tickets

Mexico live every World Cup as their own party, and in 2026 they will do so as co-hosts alongside the United States and Canada. El Tri arrive after a somewhat uneven cycle, but with the boost of playing at home, revamped stadiums and a fanbase that fills grounds and makes noise in every match. Their identity remains the same: an intense, brave team, with a lot of energy on the flanks and capable of putting together dominant spells that are a joy to experience live.

Mexico’s World Cup history is a long one: they have already appeared in more than a dozen editions and were hosts in 1970 and 1986, tournaments in which they achieved their best results with two quarter-final runs. Since then, the famous “fifth game” barrier has become a kind of national obsession, after many campaigns ending in Round-of-16 exits. The stumble at Qatar 2022, where they were eliminated in the group stage, served as a reminder that nothing is guaranteed, not even for a World Cup ever-present like El Tri.

In terms of star names, Mexico’s past is marked by legends such as Hugo Sánchez, an iconic goal-scorer in Europe, Cuauhtémoc Blanco, an unpredictable talent and symbol of Mexican character, or Rafa Márquez, an undisputed leader across several World Cups. The current generation leans on players like Hirving “Chucky” Lozano, a constant threat on the wing, Edson Álvarez, a key piece in midfield, and an in-form striker like Santiago Giménez, who are expected to drive the team forward at “their” World Cup.

According to most experts, Mexico start as favourites to dominate Group A thanks to their status as hosts, their experience in this type of tournament and the lift that comes from playing at home. The draw has paired them with less high-profile but very competitive opponents, in what many describe as a “manageable but tricky” group: any lapse in focus could complicate qualification. These are their group-stage opponents:

• South Africa, a physically strong and very hard-working African side, returning to the World Cup determined to fight for every ball and make the most of any mistake.
• South Korea, a high-tempo, tactically disciplined Asian classic, the only team from Asia to have reached a World Cup semi-final.
• Winner of UEFA play-off (Path D), a yet-to-be-determined European side, who will arrive battle-hardened after a demanding play-off and with little to lose against a host nation.

With this group, Mexico’s minimum objective is to secure qualification for the knockouts and, if possible, do so as group winners in order to have a more favourable Round-of-32 tie. The plan is to make the most of home advantage, impose their rhythm from the first whistle and reach the knockout phase with confidence, good momentum and the clear idea that this time they want to be ready to go beyond what they have achieved in the past.