Mexico hope to secure early player releases for World Cup, says FMF president Ivar Sisniega

With just over a year to go until the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the Mexican national team has launched an ambitious strategy to ensure its top players are available as early as possible. Ivar Sisniega, Executive President of the Mexican Football Federation (FMF), revealed that the organization is actively working to bring Europe-based players into camp weeks before FIFA’s official release window.

To help make that happen, head coach Javier Aguirre will play a key role in negotiating directly with European clubs and coaches. The plan is to convince teams to release their Mexican internationals up to three or four weeks before the tournament kicks off - well ahead of the standard FIFA mandate, which requires clubs to release players only after the conclusion of their domestic seasons and a mandatory rest period of at least one week.

“Javier will be reaching out to clubs to see if, in some cases, players can be released early so they’re not arriving just two weeks before, but ideally three or four,” Sisniega stated.

As part of this broader preparation effort, the FMF has also announced that players called up to the national team will not participate in the Liguilla (playoffs) of the Clausura 2026. This move will allow Aguirre to begin full training with the final squad well in advance of the World Cup opener, which will take place on home soil.

The message is clear: Mexico are aiming for a more disciplined, proactive approach to its World Cup preparation - one that moves beyond the last-minute improvisation that has plagued past cycles.

Mexico have not reached the fifth match of a World Cup - meaning the quarterfinals - since 1986, when it hosted the tournament.

That year, El Tri made it to the quarterfinals but was eliminated by West Germany in a penalty shootout (0-0 in regular time, 4-1 on penalties).

Since then, Mexico have been knocked out in the Round of 16 in every World Cup it has participated in from 1994 to 2018:

Mexico head coach Javier Aguirre now has his full squad in training, as players from Toluca and Club América have joined the rest of the national team ahead of the 2025 Gold Cup. The final 26-man roster will be officially announced on June 4, with El Tri set to open the tournament on June 14 against the Dominican Republic.