Mexico and Argentina Rotate Squads in World Cup 2026 Group Stage Matches

Mexico coach Javier Aguirre said the upcoming group match against the Czech Republic will not be used as a tribute to veteran goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa. He emphasized that playing time will be based on merit, noting that the squad’s 26 players must earn their minutes, and mentioned Ochoa’s minor hip discomfort after a slip during training.

Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni will rest his starters in Saturday’s group game against Jordan in Dallas, using the fixture to give debut minutes to several players, including goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez and other youth prospects. The rotation follows Argentina’s secured top spot in Group J and aims to maintain squad freshness for the knockout rounds.