By Juan Samuel Santana

The Mexican National Team has once again placed itself among the top 16 teams in the world after defeating Ecuador 2-0 in the 2026 World Cup. The result ended the Tri's absence from this stage, after being eliminated in the group stage of Qatar 2022, and marked their ninth qualification for the round of 16 since this format was implemented in 1994, in addition to remaining among the protagonists of the knockout stage in World Cup history.

In their 18 World Cup appearances, Mexico has reached the top 16 round on nine occasions: USA 1994, France 1998, Korea-Japan 2002, Germany 2006, South Africa 2010, Brazil 2014, Russia 2018, and now in 2026, in addition to the 1986 Mexico edition, which under the 24-team format began directly with the round of 16. Previously, in Mexico 1970, the Tri advanced directly to the quarterfinals due to the 16-team format. Precisely, their two best performances have been as hosts, reaching the quarterfinals in 1970 and 1986, a stage that represents their best historical result.

To date, Mexico has never managed to qualify for a World Cup semifinal, and therefore has not played in a final or a third-place match. Their only appearances among the top eight teams were in the 1970 and 1986 World Cups, both held on Mexican soil, a fact that fuels the expectation that home advantage will once again become a decisive factor in aspiring to their best historical result.