News Focus
- Mexico will co-host the 2026 tournament alongside the United States and Canada
- Bookmakers rate El Tri as clear favourites to advance from Group A at odds of -1400
- The national side has suffered seven consecutive Round of 16 eliminations between 1994 and 2018
- Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Raúl Jiménez leads the betting for Mexico’s top scorer at +250
Mexico will enjoy the advantage of home support as one of three host nations for the 2026 World Cup. El Tri aim to end their famous knockout curse and progress beyond the Round of 16 for the first time in history.
The leading bookmakers have released their tournament predictions. Mexico stand at +125 to reach the Round of 32 and +180 to qualify for the Round of 16. However, the odds lengthen sharply for the latter stages, with the semi-finals priced at +1600 and an outright victory at +8000.
Historical statistics create pressure for the current squad. Between 1994 and 2018, Mexico reached the Round of 16 at seven consecutive World Cup tournaments. Yet they failed to advance beyond that stage on every single occasion, earning the nickname of eternal bridesmaids.
The 2022 finals in Qatar brought additional disappointment. Mexico crashed out during the group phase for the first time in decades. This early exit forced the federation to rebuild the squad with younger talent.
Now, as hosts, Mexico will face South Korea, Czech Republic and South Africa in Group A. The betting markets show strong confidence in their qualification, with odds of -115 available for topping the section. Home advantage could prove decisive in tight matches.
Individual honours may fall to the attackers. Raúl Jiménez leads the betting for Mexico’s top scorer at +250. Feyenoord forward Santiago Giménez follows at +500, while Roberto Alvarado sits at +700 to claim the Golden Boot for El Tri.