Mexico will play two video games this month like most different nationwide groups, however because the 2026 World Cup co-host exhibit, not all worldwide breaks are equal.
El Tri will welcome La Liga facet Valencia to Puebla on Saturday for the primary pleasant of the worldwide window, marking a uncommon matchup between a nationwide crew and a membership crew. Mexico’s schedule reverts again to regular after they host a Mauricio Pochettino-led U.S. males’s nationwide crew in Guadalajara, however it’s laborious to disregard the quirkiness of their first recreation. The pleasant is mutually useful for a handful of causes, however the uncommon fixture additionally highlights the scheduling conundrums that face not simply Mexico, however fellow 2026 World Cup co-hosts Canada and the U.S. as most of their potential rivals are booked and busy.
Right here’s what that you must know in regards to the atypical pleasant.
Methods to watch
- Date: Saturday, Oct. 12 | Time: 7 p.m. ET
- Location: Estadio Cuauhtemoc — Puebla, Mexico
- Dwell stream: Fubo (Strive without spending a dime)
Why are they taking part in one another?
For Mexico, the reply is an easy one – they’d a spot on the schedule to fill and wanted to fill it. Scheduling as many video games as doable is significant for Mexico forward of the 2026 World Cup, since this pleasant in opposition to Valencia will mark Javier Aguirre’s return to teaching the nationwide crew. He has been tasked with reversing course after El Tri’s group stage exit on the Copa America over the summer season, and can little doubt profit from having friendlies to tinker with the crew earlier than the World Cup.
Valencia, in the meantime, will use the pleasant as an unconventional alternative to remain match in the course of the worldwide break after a poor begin to the season. The membership additionally mentioned in an announcement that they hope to make use of the pleasant as a chance to have interaction with followers on the opposite facet of the Atlantic Ocean, figuring out Mexico as a market of focus as they attempt to construct their model.
Why are the 2026 World Cup hosts coping with scheduling conflicts?
Whereas a lot of the world’s nationwide groups will spend the following year-plus in World Cup qualifiers and Nations League matches, the 2026 World Cup co-hosts’ calendars are empty as a result of their spots are secured. Whereas the U.S., Mexico and Canada will play choose Nations League video games within the buildup to the 2026 match, they’ve open spots for friendlies which can be laborious to fill.
By the point the worldwide break wraps up, the co-hosts may have performed one another in friendlies in September and October and are already sharing opponents. Each the U.S. and Mexico performed New Zealand final month, whereas the U.S. and Canada will play Panama this month. Canada’s pleasant in opposition to Panama on Oct. 15 shall be their solely recreation of the window.
What’s the remaining schedule for the 2026 World Cup hosts?
- Oct. 12, 2024: USMNT vs. Panama
- Oct. 12, 2024: Mexico vs. Valencia
- Oct. 15, 2024: Mexico vs. USMNT
- Oct. 15, 2024: Canada vs. Panama
- Nov. 1 -19, 2024: Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals
- March 20, 2025: Concacaf Nations League semifinal*
- March 23, 2025: Concacaf Nations League ultimate or third-place match*
- June 2-10, 2025: worldwide window
- June 14-July 6, 2025: Concacaf Gold Cup
- Sept. 1-9, 2025: worldwide window
- Oct. 6-14, 2025: worldwide window
- Nov. 10-18, 2025: worldwide window
- March 21-31, 2026: worldwide window
- June 1-9, 2026: worldwide window
- June 11, 2026: World Cup kicks off
*These matches will solely be performed if the USMNT wins their Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal matchup and can more than likely get replaced by friendlies in the event that they fail to advance.