Mexico Announces First 12 Players on 2026 World Cup Roster With Big Surprises

Javier Aguirre has unveiled the list of Liga MX players that will represent the Mexico national team at the 2026 World Cup, with a number of big surprises included—and missing—from the 12 confirmed players that will feature for El Tri this summer.

Mexico begins its 2026 World Cup camp on May 6, five weeks prior to its tournament debut against South Africa on June 11.

El Tri came to an agreement with Liga MX clubs to allow players to join the World Cup camp following the conclusion of the Clausura 2026 regular season, but with one caveat that seemingly created doubt for Aguirre and Co., prompting the list’s delayed announcement.

Recently, it was revealed that every player Aguirre selected from Liga MX clubs participating in the upcoming Clausura 2026 playoffs would automatically have a guaranteed spot on the World Cup roster—a sort of compromise to appease playoff teams that will lose key pieces in their Clausura 2026 title-charge.

Aguirre, then, had to be overly cautious in his selection, knowing that if he picked a player from a team in the playoffs, said player was a lock to make the roster with the tournament still over a month away.

In the end, Aguirre settled for a 12 Liga MX players that are now guaranteed a World Cup roster spot, and as is often the case with the veteran manager, there’s no shortage of head-turning decisions.

Unexpected Striker Makes Mexico’s 2026 World Cup Roster

Guillermo Martínez will make his maiden World Cup roster at 31-years-old. | Agustin Cuevas/Getty Images

Of the 12 players that are now a lock to make El Tri’s 2026 World Cup roster, there’s no bigger surprise than the inclusion of 31-year-old Pumas striker, Guillermo Martínez.

Martínez has nine caps for Mexico, but he’s only played a grand total of 45 minutes split across three cameos since the start of the Aguirre era in Sept. 2024. His last goal for El Tri came in a friendly against Brazil in the lead up to the 2024 Copa América.

Pumas topped the Clausura 2026 regular season standings with Martínez starting just three games of the 17-match campaign.

It’s clear that Aguirre values Martínez’s imposing physical traits and the towering striker’s undeniable aerial quality—a rare trait for El Tri players. Still, Martínez being a World Cup lock came as a shock considering Aguirre had preferred other center forwards over the past year, with Martínez registering just 24 minutes under “El Vasco” since the start of 2025.

Martínez making the roster was a big surprise, as were the absences of a few names that had become regulars during the Aguirre era.

Midfield Duo Headline Shock Absences From Mexico World Cup Roster

Marcel Ruiz refused to let his World Cup dreams evaporate and returned to the pitch a month after it was announced he suffered a torn ACL, with a later diagnosis revealing it was just partially torn. Despite Ruiz’s efforts, Aguirre has decided not to include him on the list.

Fellow midfielder Carlos Rodríguez is also absent from Aguirre’s roster. The Cruz Azul playmaker has failed to translate his club form to El Tri, and it seems that it finally cost him dearly at the worst possible time. Without Ruiz and Rodríguez, Mexico will be without arguably the two best central midfielders of the past year in Liga MX come the World Cup.

Chivas right back Richard Ledezma is not among the five players Los Rojiblancos supplied El Tri’s World Cup roster. The fullback was unable to join fellow Mexican-American Dual National Brian Gutiérrez on the final roster.

Finally, neither one of Everardo López nor Jesús Angulo are included in Aguirre’s 12-player list. This means that it’s all but guaranteed that Johan Vásquez will be the only left-footed center back Aguirre takes to the World Cup in a rather risky decision.

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

Gilberto Mora. — Gilberto Mora will make his World Cup debut aged 17. | Martín Fonseca/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images

Goalkeepers

Raúl Rangel (Chivas)
Carlos Acevedo (Santos Laguna)

Defenders

Israel Reyes (Club América)
Jesús Gallardo (Toluca)

Midfielders

Luis Romo (Chivas)
Erik Lira (Cruz Azul)
Brian Gutiérrez (Chivas)
Gilberto Mora (Tijuana)
Roberto Alvarado (Chivas)

Forwards

Alexis Vega (Toluca)
Armando González (Toluca)
Guillermo Martínez (Pumas)

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
— Mexican National Team (@miseleccionmxEN) April 28, 2026

The following eight players from non-playoff Liga MX teams will join Mexico’s camp as sparring pieces, looking to impress before El Tri’s overseas talents join the camp at the conclusion of their seasons:

Oscar García (Goalkeeper, Club León)
Luis Rey (Defender, Puebla)
Jesús Gómez (Defender, Tijuana)
Eduardo Águila (Defender, Atlético San Luis)
Denzell García (Defender, FC Juárez)
Iker Fimbres (Midfielder, Monterrey)
Jairo Torres (Midfielder, FC Juárez)
Kevin Castañeda (Forward, Tijuana)

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

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