For all the history being made by the United States and Canada at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, fellow co-hosts Mexico are also cooking up something special this summer.
El Tri are this World Cup's only host nation with a perfect record, posting three straight wins to top Group A before defeating Ecuador, 2-0, on Tuesday in the Round of 32.
That has set up a marquee Round of 16 showdown against England on Sunday in Mexico City (8 pm ET | FOX, Telemundo, Peacock).
Here’s everything to know about Mexico’s World Cup so far and what’s at stake this weekend.
Historic World Cup
Mexico have already made history at this World Cup.
Javier Aguirre’s side secured a perfect three wins in three Group A matches, surpassing the country’s previous best Group Stage record of 2W-0L-1D achieved at the 1986 and 2002 editions of the tournament.
El Tri have also yet to concede a goal this summer, shutting out every opponent to date as goalkeepers Raúl Rangel and Guillermo "Memo" Ochoa – the latter making a brief cameo off the bench – have combined to deliver four straight clean sheets en route to the Round of 16.
Mexico are now only the third team in World Cup history to win their first four games by shutout, along with Brazil (1986) and Italy (1990).
Add in contributions from leading scorer Julián Quiñones (3g/1a) and legendary striker Raúl Jiménez (2g), and Mexico fans are dreaming big.
MLS ties
Aguirre’s World Cup roster also includes two key contributors who came of age in Major League Soccer.
Chicago Fire FC homegrown midfielder Brian Gutiérrez has featured in three of Mexico’s four games, starting their Group Stage wins over South Africa and South Korea before coming off the bench against Ecuador.
Meanwhile, Seattle Sounders FC homegrown product and current Atlético Madrid midfielder Obed Vargas has made three straight substitute appearances.
Chasing more history
As well as things have gone so far, El Tri still have unfinished business at the World Cup.
Specifically, that means at least reaching the tournament quarterfinals. It’s a feat they’ve achieved twice before: in 1970 and 1986, years they hosted the tournament.
Forty years on, that benchmark has led to the country’s “Quinto Partido” (Fifth Game) obsession with advancing to the quarterfinals and beyond.
Not quite ‘Quinto Partido’
Previously, making it to a fifth game at the World Cup meant reaching the quarterfinals.
However, with the tournament expanding from 32 to 48 participating nations in 2026, Mexico’s fifth game this summer is a Round of 16 match against England.
If El Tri are to make history, they’ll have to do it against the No. 4-ranked country in the world that’s coming off a dramatic 2-1 comeback victory over DR Congo in the Round of 32.
Three Lions threat
Superstar striker Harry Kane scored twice to fuel England's rally at Atlanta Stadium. The country's all-time leading scorer with 84 goals, Kane is also firmly in this summer's World Cup Golden Boot race with five tallies.
Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford also highlight an attack that will encounter a Mexico defense that's yet to concede a goal this summer. Meanwhile, the Three Lions hope to make their third straight quarterfinal appearance.
England have World Cup history in Mexico City. At the 1986 edition of the tournament, they lost an infamous quarterfinal, 2-1, to eventual champions Diego Maradona and Argentina.
England also have World Cup history vs. Mexico, earning a 2-1 Group Stage win over El Tri as they hosted and won the 1966 World Cup.
