Mexico arrive at the 2026 World Cup with 18 appearances to their name, one of the most storied presences in the tournament's history. They have never lifted the title, but their greatest moments came on home soil: quarter final runs in both 1970 and 1986, the latter ending in a penalty shootout defeat to West Germany. Between 1994 and 2018, El Tri defined themselves through a different kind of consistency, advancing from the group stage in seven consecutive tournaments, only to fall in the round of 16 every single time. That phenomenon, known as the Quinto Partido, became the nation's football obsession. In Qatar in 2022, the streak broke in the worst possible way: Mexico were eliminated at the group stage for the first time since 1978.

Mexico did not need to earn their place in 2026 through qualifying. As one of the three joint hosts alongside the United States and Canada, they received an automatic berth from FIFA. The 2026 edition also marks an extraordinary milestone: Mexico becomes the first nation to host the World Cup three times, having staged it in 1970 and 1986. All three of their group stage matches in Group A are scheduled to take place on Mexican soil, in Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey, giving El Tri the kind of home support that produced their finest hours six decades and four decades ago.