Mexico · National Team
El Tri
In US-sports termsMexico's national team, with Cowboys-level cultural gravity on both sides of the border — El Tri regularly fills NFL stadiums on US soil.
What it is
The Mexican national team — the USMNT's great rival and the region's historical heavyweight, with more Gold Cup titles than every other nation combined.
How you get in
Get called up. Mexico's stars split between Liga MX and clubs in Europe.
What it feeds
The Gold Cup, the Nations League, and the World Cup — as a 2026 co-host, Mexico qualified automatically, and the tournament's opening match is set for the Estadio Azteca.
USA vs. Mexico is the region's defining rivalry — and in 2026 the Azteca becomes the first stadium ever to open three different World Cups (1970, 1986, 2026).