The U.S. Men’s National Team's new chapter under head coach Mauricio Pochettino continues Oct. 3 when the squad faces long-time rival Mexico. The 80th meeting between the Concacaf sides will take place in Glendale, Ariz., for a “Duel in the Desert” following the USA’s prior matches against Peru and Chile.
Here’s everything you need to know about El Tri before they take on the USA:
When is the USMNT vs. Mexico match?
The USA hosts Mexico at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., on Saturday, Oct. 3 at 7 p.m. MT/10 p.m. ET. The match will be broadcast on TNT, HBO Max, Telemundo, Universo, and Peacock.
What is the all-time history between the USMNT and Mexico?
Mexico is the USMNT’s most frequent opponent with their history spanning 92 years. The USA holds a 24W-38L-17D record but has won five of the last nine meetings, including victories in the 2021 and 2024 editions of the Concacaf Nations League Finals as well as the 2021 Gold Cup Final. Their last matchup against each other was the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup Final where Mexico earned a 2-1 win.
The most famous match between USA and Mexico was in the Round of 16 of the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Brian McBride and Landon Donovan led the Stars and Stripes to a 2-0 win, solidifying the “Dos a Cero” phrase that has propelled the intensity of the teams’ rivalry. Coincidentally, the first time the sides played at State Farm Stadium in 2007, the USA won, 2-0, behind goals from Donovan and Jimmy Conrad.
What is Mexico’s world ranking?
Mexico is currently ranked 10th in the Coca-Cola FIFA Men’s World Rankings. Mexico is the highest-ranked nation in Concacaf followed by the USA, which is ranked 16th.
What is Mexico’s recent form?
Mexico is coming off a strong performance as a co-host in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The team topped Group A with wins over South Africa, Korea Republic and Czechia. El Tri defeated Ecuador in the Round of 32 before falling to England, 3-2, in a tightly contested Round of 16 match at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
Prior to the loss to England, Mexico was on a 12-match unbeaten run (10W-0L-2D) since the start of 2026. Ten of those matches were clean sheets for the Mexican defense, allowing just one goal each against Belgium and Serbia in pre-World Cup matches.
Who is Mexico’s head coach?
The upcoming FIFA international window will be the first for Mexico’s head coach Rafael Márquez, who took over the helm after the World Cup. Márquez is one of Mexico’s most legendary players after competing for the squad for more than two decades. The former defender tallied 147 caps – the fourth-most appearances in program history – and 17 goals. He also has the most World Cup appearances (19) after playing in five consecutive tournaments. Márquez was also highly decorated at the club level. He won four La Liga titles, two Liga MX championships, a Ligue 1 title and won the UEFA Champions League twice.
After retiring in 2018, Márquez was named the Sporting President at his former club Atlas FC. He was appointed as a youth coach at Spanish club Alcalá in 2020 before earning his first head coaching position two years later with Barcelona Atlètic in the fourth tier of the Spanish league system. In July 2024, he became assistant coach for the Mexican National Team with the intention of succeeding head coach Javier Aguirre after the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Who are key Mexican players to watch?
Mexico has multiple key attacking players including forwards Raúl Jiménez and Julián Quiñones. After Jiménez won gold at the 2012 Summer Olympics with the Mexico U-23 squad, he became a full-time member of the senior team. He has scored 47 goals in 128 caps, appearing in four World Cups, three Gold Cups and two Copa América tournaments. Quiñones formerly competed with Colombia’s youth national team as a dual-national before switching to Mexico in 2023. He scored four goals in this summer’s World Cup, tying a program record.
Attacking midfielder Gilberto Mora has made headlines as one of the youngest Mexican stars. Mora came through Mexico’s youth system before earning his senior debut last year, making him the youngest player to appear for the national team at 16 years old. He was the youngest player in the 2026 FIFA World Cup and was in the starting lineup against Ecuador and England.
