Mexico is preparing for one of the biggest moments in its football history. The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be hosted by Mexico, the United States and Canada, and El Tri hopes home-field advantage can help deliver a historic run in front of its passionate supporters.

The team coached by Javier Aguirre already has a clear roadmap heading into the tournament. As one of the host nations, Mexico qualified automatically and was placed as the top seed in Group A alongside South Africa, South Korea, and the Czech Republic.

Mexico will open the tournament against South Africa in the World Cup opener, a match that immediately places enormous expectations on a squad aiming to erase the disappointments of recent tournaments.

Aguirre’s Preliminary Squad and the Biggest Absences

In recent days, Javier Aguirre unveiled a 55-man preliminary roster from which the final 26-player squad for the World Cup will be selected.

One of the biggest talking points was the omission of Hirving Lozano, who was left out because of disciplinary issues and limited playing time with San Diego FC. Rodrigo Huescas was also excluded as he continues recovering from a serious knee injury.

Meanwhile, players such as Luis Ángel Malagón and Jesús Orozco Chiquete were not included due to ongoing injury recovery processes.

However, Aguirre still decided to monitor several players returning from injuries, including Luis Chávez, César Huerta, Julián Araujo, and captain Edson Álvarez, who is expected to be one of the emotional and tactical leaders of the squad.

Experience, Young Talent and Mexico’s World Cup Dream

The roster

Mexico’s roster combines veteran leadership with emerging young talent. In goal, names such as Guillermo Ochoa, Raúl Rangel, Carlos Acevedo, Álex Padilla, and Carlos Moreno stand out, while defenders like César Montes, Johan Vásquez, Jesús Gallardo, and Israel Reyes are expected to play important roles.

The midfield features players such as Orbelín Pineda, Carlos Rodríguez, Erick Sánchez, Marcel Ruiz, and naturalized midfielder Álvaro Fidalgo, who could become a key piece for the national team.

Up front, veteran striker Raúl Jiménez of Fulham remains the team’s main attacking reference, supported by dynamic forwards like Alexis Vega, Santiago Gimenez, Julián Quiñones, and Roberto Alvarado.

One of the most exciting names ahead of the tournament is 17-year-old Gilberto Mora, the highly rated Tijuana prospect who has already attracted international attention because of his talent and maturity on the field.

Mexico will once again try to use the energy of its fans to reach at least the quarterfinals, a stage the national team has only achieved when hosting the World Cup in 1970 and 1986. Now, with Javier Aguirre in his third stint as head coach, hope is once again growing around a team determined to make history at home.

Watch beIN SPORTS Xtra live for free on YouTube