Mexico will play two games this month like most other national teams, but as the 2026 World Cup co-host demonstrate, not all international breaks are equal. El Tri will welcome La Liga side Valencia to Puebla on Saturday for the first friendly of the international window, marking a rare matchup between a national team and a club team. Mexico's schedule reverts back to normal when they host a Mauricio Pochettino-led U.S. men's national team in Guadalajara, but it's hard to ignore the quirkiness of their first game. The friendly is mutually beneficial for a handful of reasons, but the unusual fixture also highlights the scheduling conundrums that face not just Mexico, but fellow 2026 World Cup co-hosts Canada and the U.S. as most of their potential rivals are booked and busy.
For Mexico, the answer is a simple one – they had a spot on the schedule to fill and needed to fill it. Scheduling as many games as possible is vital for Mexico ahead of the 2026 World Cup, since this friendly against Valencia will mark Javier Aguirre's return to coaching the national team. He has been tasked with reversing course after El Tri's group stage exit at the Copa America over the summer, and will no doubt benefit from having friendlies to tinker with the team before the World Cup.
Valencia, meanwhile, will use the friendly as an unconventional opportunity to stay fit during the international break after a poor start to the season. The club also said in a statement that they hope to use the friendly as an opportunity to engage with fans on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, identifying Mexico as a market of focus as they try to build their brand.
While most of the world's national teams will spend the next year-plus in World Cup qualifiers and Nations League matches, the 2026 World Cup co-hosts' calendars are empty because their spots are secured. While the U.S., Mexico and Canada will play select Nations League games in the buildup to the 2026 tournament, they have open spots for friendlies that are hard to fill.
By the time the international break wraps up, the co-hosts will have played each other in friendlies in September and October and are already sharing opponents. Both the U.S. and Mexico played New Zealand last month, while the U.S. and Canada will play Panama this month. Canada's friendly against Panama on Oct. 15 will be their only game of the window.
The Mexican National Football Team faces Valencia CF tonight in a friendly match at the Estadio Cuauhtémoc on Saturday, October 12, 2024. Under the guidance of coach Javier "Vasco" Aguirre, this will be their third game in his third stint leading the Tricolor, following a 3-0 victory over New Zealand and a goalless draw against Canada.
Starting XI:
As the game progresses into the early minutes, the few fans in attendance have already made their presence felt, with a stunning goal from Alexis Vega, who converted a free-kick into the net for the national team.
In the thirty-third minute of the first half, Tigres UANL player Ozziel Herrera unleashed a long-range shot that found the bottom corner of the net, marking his first goal with the Mexican National Football Team.
Football is, for many, the quintessential sport for all Mexicans. Many of us dreamed as children of becoming Hugo Sánchez, or later, Cuauhtémoc Blanco, or even Javier "Chicharito" Hernández. However, in recent times, fans seem to have lost some affection for the beautiful game. Gradually, they are beginning to show interest in other sports and forms of entertainment, resulting in more empty seats in the stands.
The Mexican National Football Team is a clear example of this issue. In both the United States and Mexico, ticket sales have been declining, raising alarms for those who believed that football had established itself and that they would never have to confront such challenges.
Time is running out. Mexico has only a few more international windows to figure out its best lineup and its best playing style before the 2026 World Cup kicks off at the Estadio Azteca on June 11, 2026.
So, it must take every game seriously. And what better preparation than ... playing the 18th-ranked team in La Liga?
Mexico meets Valencia - yes, the La Liga club - in Puebla on Saturday in a game no one wants. Valencia fans have expressed their frustration on social media, wondering what benefit their club gets from going halfway around the world for an exhibition rather than staying at home and getting healthy after a 1W-5L-3D start to the season.
