2026 World Cup co-hosts Mexico wrap up their two-game swing in South America on Tuesday, facing River Plate in an international friendly.
Mexico comes off a 2-0 win over Brazilian club Internacional, marking a positive start to their 2025 calendar. Head coach Javier Aguirre is working with a squad mainly from Liga MX for these friendlies, as they do not fall within a FIFA window, thus providing a chance to broaden his player selection as they gear up for the World Cup.
How to Watch
- Date: Tuesday, January 21
- Time: 3 p.m. ET
- Location: Estadio Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Watch: Univision, TUDN, ViX
Why is Mexico Playing Club Teams?
This match marks the third friendly in three months for Mexico against clubs, due to unique scheduling constraints. Most FIFA international windows leading to the 2026 World Cup are reserved for qualifying matches, which Mexico, along with the U.S. and Canada, does not need to participate in, complicating the scheduling of meaningful friendlies.
While the U.S. and Canada have managed to arrange friendly matches against other national teams, Mexico has been filling their schedule with club games, allowing them to engage with influential clubs from South America.
Prediction
River Plate is currently in preseason, which may advantage Mexico’s players. Expect another win for El Tri, as they look to conclude their January camp positively. Prediction: River Plate 0, Mexico 2.
