Mexican Federation Threatens To Exclude Liga MX-Based Players From 2026 World Cup

The Mexican Football Federation has officially threatened to exclude any Liga MX-based player from the World Cup roster if they fail to report for national team duty by Wednesday night. On Tuesday, Aguirre revealed his 20-player squad for a pre-World Cup training camp, with all players remaining in camp through the competition. The Mexican Football Federation had a news conference for Wednesday afternoon to clear the air. “Today, the World Cup begins for us,” Aguirre said. “Whoever doesn’t come will be out of the World Cup. That is something we cannot be flexible about, not in the least.” Liga MX clubs defy orders Signs of trouble surfaced Tuesday when Toluca stars Jesús Gallardo and Alexis Vega remained with their club ahead of Wednesday’s Concacaf Champions Cup semifinal against LAFC rather than reporting to camp. By Tuesday night, Chivas owner Amaury Vergara—who saw his club fall behind 3-1 in the Liga MX quarterfinal first leg against Tigres without five starters due to call-ups — broke his silence and ordered his stars home. “Agreements are only valid when all parties respect them,” Vergara said in a social media post. “I instructed the sporting directors that our players should report to the club facilities tomorrow.” Aguirre responded to club owners Wednesday, reiterating the agreement has not been broken. “I do want to give thanks, especially to the clubs and the owners who received us very well and contributed ideas. This project was presented a long time ago. It was approved. It is a pact, a project that has not been broken. I want to thank all the clubs, and specifically mention Chivas and Toluca. “Chivas, because they were obviously affected by the sheer number of players involved, and Toluca, because they are currently competing in a continental tournament.” Federation responds to Liga MX owners On Wednesday, Mexico released a statement with an ultimatum that puts every player’s World Cup dreams on the line. “As instructed by the coaching staff, any player who does not attend the training camp today will be left off the World Cup roster,” the statement read. The “Priority” Conflict This collision course was set late last year when the Federation decided that Javier Aguirre’s national team preparations would take priority over club schedules. Aguirre and the federation aimed for a five-week head start for El Tri while most other nations wait for European club seasons to conclude. However, with the Liga MX playoffs kicking off this week, the federation’s demand is being tested in real-time. This squad consists exclusively of Liga MX-based players, 12 of whom have secured their places in the team for the approaching World Cup. Mexico’s World Cup preperations For now, the initial 12-man domestic list is expected to begin training with Aguirre Wednesday night, with European-based stars scheduled to arrive later this month. In Liga MX, the quarterfinals began on May 2 and will close out with the second leg of the final on May 24. Before kicking off the World Cup, Aguirre and his men will take part in exhibitions against Ghana on May 22, Australia on May 30 and Serbia on June 4. Mexico will begin the group stage of the World Cup against South Africa on June 11, they’ll then face South Korea on June 18 and Czechia on June 24.