Mexico will play against the United States at the Akron stadium

Mexico City. On the pitch at the Akron Stadium, one of the venues in Mexico for the 2026 World Cup, the national soccer team will play a friendly match against the United States on October 15. This was announced on Monday by the president of the Mexican Football Federation (FMF), Ivar Sisniega, at a press conference attended by the Tricolor coach, Javier Aguirre, the owner of Guadalajara, Amaury Vergara, and the governor of Jalisco, Enrique Alfaro. Given the limited availability of international rivals, the FMF plans to complete the FIFA date of that month with another match against a club that has yet to be defined.

“It is a challenge. We are countries that are constantly comparing ourselves. Beyond the name of the rival, there is the fact of preparing at home, of making our people see that we need them,” said the Basque, who has the experience of having coached the 2002 Korea-Japan and 2010 South Africa editions in the same position. “To announce the list of players, we have to wait another week, but it is very well defined. The level of demand is going to be very high. We are at home and we have to make a historic World Cup for ourselves.”

As he did in his presentation at the head of the Tricolor, Aguirre made clear his intention to have the best players in the country without taking into account hierarchies, names or place of birth in the case of naturalized players. “If they are Mexican and are playing, they will be considered. No one has their doors closed. I don’t focus on anything other than the level and ability of the player. That’s how we should understand it from day one. Let’s hope we’re not wrong. There will always be too many or too few people, but we will look for those for whom the national team is not a punishment, but a source of pride,” he added.

Regarding the improvements that Chivas’ home has undergone leading up to 2026, businessman Amaury Vergara mentioned connectivity issues, the state of the field, audio and lighting of the venue, as well as a new high-speed WIFI system with cutting-edge technology. “We have FIFA certification. We want to make this a place of world prestige,” he concluded.