Speaking to Mexican legend Cuauthemoc Blanco, Aguirre said, “When I saw the calendar, I thought ‘it’s right there for the taking, can’t let it slip away.’ That’s what I’m telling my players. England were champions at home and never again. Playing at home is priceless.”

Now, comparing Mexico, whose best result ever in a World Cup is the quarterfinals stage, to England, the nation were soccer was invented, it’s a huge stretch. Not only that, but Mexico have been the hosts before, and they haven’t won it. Still, for the manager, the confidence is sky-high.

Are Mexico good under Javier Aguirre?

Since getting appointed in 2024, Aguirre has managed 27 games, won 15, eight draws, and four losses. That’s an average of 1.96 points per matches. It’s not that inspiring for the host nation to be quite honest.

Mexico haven’t reached the quarterfinals since 1986, but their roof have been the Round of 16. Since the 82′ World Cup, Mexico always make it out of the Group Stage. Luck haven’t been by their side.

Mexico’s Group Stage calendar for 2026 World Cup

Mexico will play at home during the Group Stage of the 2026 World Cup, including the inaugural game of the tournament. Hence, all eyes will be on them from the get-go:

– June 11: vs. South Africa (Estadio Azteca, Mexico City)
– June 18: vs. South Korea (Estadio Akron, Guadalajara)
– June 24: vs. Czechia (Estadio Azteca, Mexico City)

The Estadio Cuauhtemoc played host to Mexico in a crucial preparatory duel. El Tri managed to secure a commanding victory over an African side that serves as a perfect tactical benchmark ahead of their World Cup opener against South Africa.

While fans were thrilled by the performance, six players had little reason to celebrate. During the post-game press conference, Javier Aguirre officially announced the first wave of cuts, confirming that the following individuals will leave the camp:

• Oscar Garcia (Leon / Goalkeeper)
• Denzell Garcia (Juarez / Midfielder)
• Luis Gabriel Rey (Puebla / Defender)
• Eduardo Aguila (Atletico San Luis / Defender)
• Isaias Violante (America / Forward)
• Iker Fimbres (Monterrey / Midfielder)

Potential last-minute roster changes spark club conflicts

A few weeks ago, Mexico found themselves in a scheduling conflict with Liga MX clubs over international call-ups. Initially, the national team were expected to proceed without players whose clubs remained active in the domestic playoffs, but the landscape has quickly shifted.

With Pumas and Cruz Azul currently facing off in the Clausura 2026 final, several unlisted Mexican standouts from both squads are making a compelling late-season case for World Cup inclusion. Aguirre has kept a close eye on the final series and appears entirely open to shaking up his selection.

Carlos Rodriguez (Cruz Azul) and Jordan Carrillo (Pumas UNAM) are the primary names generating late buzz. Following their spectacular playoff campaigns, reports suggest that Aguirre is seriously considering whether their current form could provide a vital boost to the World Cup roster.

However, executing these additions could spark a major dispute with Chivas. The Guadalajara-based club willingly cooperative by lending five players to the national team early—sacrificing key talent during their own playoff push. If Rodriguez and Carrillo receive last-minute call-ups after playing through the domestic final, Guadalajara will undoubtedly question why they were forced to compromise their squad so early.

Aguirre now faces a delicate balancing act: avoid political friction with Chivas by leaving Rodriguez and Carrillo out, or prioritize his on-field options by selecting them, inevitably triggering immediate tension between Guadalajara and the Mexican Football Federation.

On Tuesday night, reports emerged that Toluca would have Alexis Vega and Jesus Gallardo back for their Concacaf Champions Cup match against LAFC. This development sparked a firestorm because Mexico, who recently drew 1-1 with Belgium, had already called up several Liga MX players, including Vega and Gallardo, for World Cup preparations. While teams initially agreed to release players despite the ongoing Liga MX Playoffs, Toluca’s sudden ability to reclaim their stars for a specific match triggered a heated dispute among other club owners.

Chivas owner Amaury Vergara responded by indicating that his players, who were scheduled to report to the National Team on Wednesday, should also be allowed back to face Tigres in the Leg 2 quarterfinal on Saturday, calling them immediately back to Guadalajara. Just hours later, the Mexican National Team issued a stern ultimatum: if any called-up players do not report to the training camp by Wednesday at 10:00 PM (ET), they will be officially excluded from the World Cup roster.

Toluca found a loophole in the agreement

Initially, the FMF established a list of Liga MX players required for the final preparation phase before the World Cup. El Tricolor indicated that while many were called to camp, not all would make the final cut, creating tension regarding which players were truly essential. Liga MX clubs that agreed to release players mid-Playoffs did so under the understanding that those players were virtually guaranteed a spot on the final list; otherwise, losing them during a title run would be senseless.

However, Toluca exploited a specific loophole in the paperwork. While the agreement between Liga MX and the FMF focused on player availability for the domestic Playoffs, Toluca are currently competing in both the Liguilla and the Concacaf Champions Cup. Toluca successfully argued for the return of Vega and Gallardo specifically for the international match against LAFC, rather than their local series against Pachuca, a distinction that caught the FMF off guard.

This technicality has made the situation incredibly complicated. Chivas, currently releasing five players to the National Team, argue they should have the same right to use their stars against Tigres. However, the FMF views the situations differently because Toluca refrained from using Vega or Gallardo in their domestic quarterfinal against Pachuca, whereas Chivas are requesting them for Liga MX play.

With only hours remaining before the 10:00 PM deadline, the Chivas players called to the National Team were reportedly still in Guadalajara as of Wednesday morning. While they could theoretically travel to report to Javier Aguirre’s camp before the cutoff, the tension is high. It remains to be seen if Aguirre will follow through on his threat to drop anyone who misses the deadline from the World Cup squad.

An opportunity opens for Guillermo Ochoa

Jose Raul “Tala” Rangel is currently the frontrunner to be Mexico’s starting goalkeeper in the World Cup. The problem is that Rangel is one of the five Chivas players currently in Guadalajara. If he fails to arrive at the National Team concentration by Wednesday night, he risks being left out of the tournament entirely.

If Rangel is excluded, a massive opportunity emerges for Guillermo Ochoa. The veteran, who is already set to appear in a record-breaking sixth World Cup, would find a much easier path to the final roster. Without Rangel in the picture, Memo could move from a mentor role back into the conversation for the starting spot on June 11.

So poor is the situation that the federation had to turn to Javier Aguirre for his third stint as national team head coach. El Vasco has since won one match and drawn another as he hopes to right the sinking ship that is Mexico.

Aguirre has already made some harsh decisions; one is calling up Monterrey’s nationalized Argentine Germán Berterame. The other is the Mexican-American Obed Vargas of the Seattle Sounders.

Is the Loss of Obed Vargas Any Concern for USMNT?

Obed Vargas plays as a midfielder, but Aguirre has listed the 19-year-old as a defender. Vargas once had a promising start to his young career, impressing many with the Seattle Sounders. While the dual national eventually settled into his role at the Rave Green, he has been nothing more than a steady performer, playing in 83 matches for the club.

Aguirre will likely hope to use Vargas possibly as a full-back, although he has been playing centrally in midfield for the Sounders. On ESPN in Mexico, one of the pundits stated that he was not happy with Obed’s call-up due to “not knowing him” and not accepting “that the national team be used to get to know players (dual nationals) and how they will interact in the national team environment.”

While many USMNT fans initially had concerns about losing Obed Vargas, given the depth at full-back, it seems doubtful that Vargas was going to receive a USMNT call-up anytime soon.