Mexico national team manager Javier Aguirre announced a 55-man preliminary squad for the 2026 World Cup, with San Diego FC winger Hirving “Chucky” Lozano being the most surprising omission.
The roster is headlined by Fulham’s Raul Jimenez, Fenerbahçe’s Edson Alvarez, and veteran goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, who aims to make his sixth World Cup appearance. The final 26-player squad must be submitted by June 1, the official FIFA deadline. Mexico opens the tournament on home soil against South Africa on June 11 at Estadio Banorte.
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Lozano’s absence follows a period of inactivity and reported disciplinary issues with San Diego FC. Aguirre previously emphasized that consistent playing time was essential for selection, a condition Lozano failed to meet after falling out of favor with his club’s coaching staff earlier this year. The winger had a promising start to San Diego’s inaugural MLS season, but internal tensions became public in October after reports of a locker room altercation with head coach Mikey Varas. His last club appearance came as a substitute in San Diego’s 3-1 playoff defeat to the Vancouver Whitecaps.
Rising Danish Superliga star Rodrigo Huescas will miss the tournament as he continues recovery from a major ACL tear suffered during a Champions League match in late 2025. Other injury-related absences from Mexico’s preliminary list include Chivas defender Jesús Orozco Chiquete and Club América goalkeeper Luis Ángel Malagón. In contrast, Aguirre included several players recently returning from injury, such as Luis Chávez, César Huerta, and Julián Araujo. The manager also bolstered his goalkeeping depth, calling up six keepers in total, including José Antonio Rodríguez and Carlos Moreno.
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Continuing the trend of naturalized players and dual-nationals in the squad, the roster features Monterrey’s Germán Berterame, Al-Qadsiah’s Julián Quiñones, and Club América’s Álvaro Fidalgo. This trio has largely dominated Liga MX over recent seasons, with Fidalgo expected to take on an attacking midfield role. They are joined by several Mexican-American prospects, including Brian Gutiérrez, Richard Ledezma, and Obed Vargas.
While 12 Liga MX players were previously confirmed as “locks” for the squad in an agreement with domestic clubs, players like Diego Lainez, Marcel Ruiz, and Érick Sánchez were added to the preliminary list, likely as contingency options in case of injuries before the final submission. Last week, the Mexican Football Federation threatened to exclude any Liga MX-based player from the World Cup roster if they failed to report for national team duty. This came after Aguirre revealed a 20-player squad for a pre-World Cup training camp on May 6, when Toluca stars Jesús Gallardo and Alexis Vega remained with their club ahead of a Concacaf Champions Cup semifinal against LAFC rather than reporting to camp. The federation issued a statement on May 6, giving an ultimatum: “As instructed by the coaching staff, any player who does not attend the training camp today will be left off the World Cup roster.” Aguirre echoed the sentiment during a press conference the same day: “Whoever doesn’t come will be out of the World Cup. That is something we cannot be flexible about.” By nightfall on May 6, all 20 players were present.
Before the World Cup, Mexico will play exhibitions against Ghana on May 22, Australia on May 30, and Serbia on June 4. They begin their group stage against South Africa on June 11, followed by South Korea on June 18 and Czechia on June 24.
