SouthernWorldwide.com – Mexican national team manager Javier Aguirre has unveiled a preliminary 55-man roster for the upcoming 2026 World Cup, with a notable absence being San Diego FC winger Hirving “Chucky” Lozano.
The squad features prominent players such as Fulham’s Raul Jimenez, Fenerbahçe’s Edson Alvarez, and veteran goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa. Ochoa is aiming to make history by appearing in his sixth World Cup. This preliminary list will be trimmed down to 26 players by the FIFA deadline on June 1.
Mexico is scheduled to commence their World Cup campaign on home soil on June 11, facing South Africa at the Estadio Banorte.
Lozano’s exclusion from the roster is reportedly linked to a period of inactivity and alleged disciplinary issues with his current club, San Diego FC. Aguirre had previously emphasized the importance of consistent playing time for national team selection.
Lozano had been unable to meet this requirement after falling out of favor with his club’s coaching staff earlier this year. Despite a promising start to San Diego FC’s inaugural MLS season, internal friction surfaced publicly in October.
Reports indicated a locker room altercation between Lozano and head coach Mikey Varas. His last known appearance for the club was as a substitute in their 3-1 playoff defeat against the Vancouver Whitecaps.
Another significant absence will be Rodrigo Huescas, a promising talent in the Danish Superliga. Huescas will miss the tournament as he continues his recovery from an ACL tear sustained in a Champions League match in late 2025.
Other players who will be absent due to injuries include Cruz Azul defender Jesús ‘Chiquete’ Orozco and Club América goalkeeper Luis Ángel Malagón. Their unavailability impacts the team’s defensive and goalkeeping options.
Conversely, Aguirre has opted to include several players who are recently returning from injury layoffs. These include Luis Chávez from Dynamo Moscow, César Huerta from R.S.C. Anderlecht, and Julián Araujo from Celtic.
The manager has also prioritized bolstering the team’s goalkeeping depth by selecting a total of six goalkeepers. Among them are José Antonio Rodríguez and Carlos Moreno, ensuring a strong presence in this crucial position.
Continuing the trend of incorporating naturalized players and dual-nationals, the roster features several key figures. These include Germán Berterame of Inter Miami, Julián Quiñones from Al-Qadsiah, and Álvaro Fidalgo of Real Betis.
This trio represents a core group of talent that has found success abroad after dominating Liga MX. Fidalgo, in particular, is expected to play a significant attacking role in the midfield.
Joining them are several promising Mexican-American prospects. These include Brian Gutiérrez and Richard Ledezma from Chivas, as well as Obed Vargas from Atlético Madrid.
While 12 Liga MX players were previously confirmed as “locks” for the squad following an agreement with their domestic clubs, others have been added to the preliminary list. These include Diego Lainez of Tigres, Marcel Ruiz of Toluca, and Érick Sánchez of Club América.
Their inclusion likely serves as contingency options should any injuries arise before the final roster submission in June. This strategy ensures depth and adaptability for the team.
Last week, the Mexican Football Federation issued a stern warning, threatening to exclude any Liga MX-based player from the World Cup roster if they failed to report for national team duty. This statement highlighted the federation’s commitment to discipline.
The warning followed Aguirre’s earlier announcement of a 20-player squad for a pre-World Cup training camp. Notably, Toluca stars Jesús Gallardo and Alexis Vega remained with their club for a Concacaf Champions Cup semifinal against LAFC instead of reporting to the camp.
This refusal prompted the Mexican Football Federation to release a formal statement and schedule a press conference on May 6 to deliver an ultimatum to the players. The situation underscored the importance of national team commitment.
The federation’s statement clearly articulated the consequences: “As instructed by the coaching staff, any player who does not attend the training camp today will be left off the World Cup roster.” This left no room for ambiguity.
Aguirre himself addressed the media during the press conference on the same day, reinforcing the federation’s stance. He stated, “Whoever doesn’t come will be out of the World Cup. That is something we cannot be flexible about, not in the least.”
By the evening of May 6, all 20 players whom Aguirre had initially called into the training camp had reported, adhering to the ultimatum. This resolved the immediate disciplinary issue.
Before commencing their World Cup journey, Aguirre and his squad will participate in exhibition matches. These games are scheduled against Ghana on May 22, Australia on May 30, and Serbia on June 4.
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Mexico’s group stage of the World Cup will begin on June 11 against South Africa. They are then set to face South Korea on June 18, followed by a match against Czechia on June 24.
