Mexico Shocks Fans by Unveiling First 12 Bold Picks for 2026 World Cup Squad

Javier Aguirre has announced the Liga MX players set to represent Mexico at the 2026 World Cup, featuring several notable surprises both in the selections and omissions among the 12 confirmed players who will suit up for El Tri this summer.

Mexico kicks off its 2026 World Cup preparations on May 6, five weeks before its opening tournament match against South Africa on June 11.

El Tri reached a deal with Liga MX clubs to release players for the World Cup camp after the Clausura 2026 regular season wrapped up, though one particular condition appeared to create uncertainty for Aguirre and his staff, contributing to the delayed announcement of the squad.

It was recently confirmed that any player Aguirre selected from Liga MX clubs involved in the upcoming Clausura 2026 playoffs would automatically secure a place on the World Cup roster—a compromise designed to ease tensions with playoff-bound clubs set to lose key contributors during their title push.

As a result, Aguirre had to exercise considerable caution in his selections, knowing that choosing a player from a playoff-competing side would lock that player into the final roster with the tournament still more than a month away.

Ultimately, Aguirre settled on 12 Liga MX players who are now guaranteed World Cup spots, and true to form for the experienced manager, the list is full of eyebrow-raising choices.

Unexpected Striker Makes Mexico's 2026 World Cup Roster

Among the 12 players now guaranteed a spot in El Tri's 2026 World Cup squad, none raised more eyebrows than the selection of 31-year-old Pumas forward Guillermo Martínez.

Martínez holds nine caps for Mexico, yet has accumulated just 45 minutes of action spread across three substitute appearances since Aguirre took charge in September 2024. His most recent international goal came in a friendly against Brazil ahead of the 2024 Copa América.

Pumas finished atop the Clausura 2026 regular season table, with Martínez earning just three starts throughout the 17-game campaign.

It's evident that Aguirre appreciates Martínez's commanding physical presence and his exceptional ability in the air—a quality rarely found among El Tri players. Nevertheless, his guaranteed World Cup berth came as a shock, given that Aguirre had favored other strikers over the past year, with Martínez logging just 24 minutes under "El Vasco" since the beginning of 2025.

Martínez's inclusion was a major surprise, as were the notable absences of several players who had become fixtures under Aguirre's tenure.

Midfield Duo Headline Shock Absences From Mexico World Cup Roster

Marcel Ruiz refused to let his World Cup aspirations slip away, returning to action just a month after an initial ACL tear diagnosis, which was later revised to a partial tear. Despite his determination, Aguirre has opted to leave him off the list.

Fellow midfielder Carlos Rodríguez is also conspicuously absent from Aguirre's selection. The Cruz Azul playmaker has consistently struggled to replicate his club performances at international level, and it appears that shortcoming has finally caught up with him at the worst possible moment. Without Ruiz and Rodríguez, Mexico will head into the World Cup missing arguably the two most effective central midfielders in Liga MX over the past year.

Chivas right back Richard Ledezma was not among the five players Los Rojiblancos contributed to El Tri's World Cup roster, failing to join fellow Mexican-American Dual National Brian Gutiérrez on the final list.

Additionally, neither Everardo López nor Jesús Angulo feature in Aguirre's 12-player selection. This virtually ensures that Johan Vásquez will be the sole left-footed center back in Aguirre's World Cup squad—a decision that carries considerable risk.

First 12 Players in Mexico's 2026 World Cup Roster: Full List

Goalkeepers

Defenders

Midfielders

Forwards

We have reached the #ÚltimaEscala… 🛬

Featuring only players from the Mexican league, these are the call-ups selected by Javier Aguirre for the training camp beginning this May 6th.

The list includes:
- 12 players who, based on the agreement with LIGA MX clubs, are being… pic.twitter.com/KFv6HQkagA

The following eight players from non-playoff Liga MX clubs will join Mexico's training camp as practice partners, aiming to make an impression before El Tri's Europe-based players arrive at the end of their respective seasons:

Mexico described them as "eight players with prospects for the next World Cup cycle, who will strengthen the squad ahead of the preparation matches."