Mexico Unveils Triple-Header Friendly Lineup as World Cup 2026 Preparation Kicks Into High Gear
The Mexican national squad has confirmed its return to competitive play in January with two international exhibition matches against Panama and Bolivia, followed by a February encounter with Iceland.
Manager Javier Aguirre requested the Mexican football federation to organize exhibition games on international territory for a January training camp that will kick off Mexico's ultimate preparations for the 2026 World Cup, just half a year away. This mirrors the approach taken in 2025, when Mexico faced two January exhibitions against South American club sides Internacional and River Plate.
Mexico will make the journey to the traditionally challenging Estadio Rommel Fernández in Panama, a ground where the squad has struggled to secure full points in their previous three World Cup qualifying encounters. Following this, Aguirre's squad will head to the demanding high altitude of Santa Cruz, Bolivia, to wrap up their January training period.
El Tri will subsequently welcome Iceland to the Estadio Corregidora in Querétaro, Mexico during February, serving as their final preparation before confronting Portugal and Belgium in the March international window.
Below is the complete fixture list for Mexico's opening three matches of 2026, as preparations advance before El Tri welcomes South Africa in the World Cup's inaugural contest.
Mexico 2026 January, February Exhibition Matches: Complete Fixture List
Date | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|
Jan. 22, 2026 | Panama vs. Mexico | Estadio Rommel Fernández |
Jan. 25, 2026 | Bolivia vs. Mexico | Estadio Olímpico |
Feb. 25, 2026 | Mexico vs. Iceland | Estadio Corregidora |
Exclusively Liga MX Athletes Will Participate in El Tri's Initial 2026 Fixtures
Aguirre will exclusively have access to Liga MX athletes for El Tri's January and February training camps, as these exhibition matches fall outside official FIFA-approved international windows.
This circumstance will provide Aguirre and his coaching team an opportunity to evaluate domestic talent more thoroughly. The recently published Liga MX Clausura 2026 schedule considered this factor and scheduled no matches during that January week to enable select players to join El Tri.
The anticipation is that Mexico can break their current disappointing six-match winless streak. Despite operating without full squad strength, numerous recognizable players should participate in January.
Aguirre's 26-player selection for Mexico's latest exhibitions included 18 Liga MX athletes, meaning the majority of that group is expected to travel to Panama and Bolivia, while additional peripheral players will also receive opportunities to demonstrate their abilities.
The objective is for Liga MX players to enhance Mexico's internal rivalry and provide Aguirre with additional options, before European-based players rejoin El Tri in March—the final matches Mexico will contest before Aguirre announces his 2026 World Cup squad.