With millions preparing to follow El Tri's journey, questions about the country's World Cup legacy have returned to the spotlight. As the 2026 World Cup begins, Mexico once again finds itself at the center of soccer history, welcoming the tournament back to home soil and carrying the hopes of a passionate nation. With millions preparing to follow El Tri’s journey, questions about the country’s World Cup legacy have returned to the spotlight. Mexico enters the competition after a successful period that included a 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup triumph and encouraging performances under head coach Javier Aguirre. The national team opens its campaign against South Africa before facing the Republic of Korea and Czechia in Group A, aiming to create another memorable chapter on soccer’s biggest stage. El Tri have long been one of the most recognizable names in international soccer. The national team will make its 18th World Cup appearance in 2026, placing it among the most frequent participants in tournament history. What makes this edition even more special is that Mexico becomes the first nation ever to host or co-host the FIFA World Cup three times, having previously staged the tournament in 1970 and 1986. Those two competitions remain deeply woven into the country’s soccer identity. Mexican fans enjoy the pre match atmosphere prior to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 The home crowd has often provided a significant boost, transforming stadiums into intimidating venues for visiting teams. That support helped Mexico produce some of its finest World Cup performances. Mexico’s greatest World Cup runs The answer to the question that many fans continue to ask is straightforward: Mexico has never won the World Cup. However, the national team has come closer than many realize. Its best performances arrived during the tournaments hosted on home soil, when El Tri reached the quarter-finals in both 1970 and 1986. In 1970, Mexico advanced from the group stage and established itself among the competition’s strongest teams. The journey ended in the quarter-finals with a defeat against Italy, which would eventually finish as runner-up. Alberto Garcia aspe of Mexico turns away with team mate and captain of Mexico Marcos Ambriz in 1994 The 1986 tournament remains one of the proudest moments in Mexican soccer history. Playing in front of home supporters, Mexico topped its group and defeated Bulgaria in the Round of 16 before being eliminated by West Germany after a dramatic penalty shootout. Those quarter-final appearances remain the deepest runs Mexico has ever achieved at a World Cup. The ‘fifth match’ dream For decades, Mexican soccer has been associated with the phrase “Quinto Partido” or “Fifth Match.” The term refers to the desire to move beyond the Round of 16 and reach the quarter-finals, which would represent a fifth game in the traditional World Cup format. From 1994 through 2018, Mexico consistently advanced from the group stage but was eliminated in the first knockout round every single time. Luis Chavez of Mexico celebrates with teammates That remarkable streak demonstrated consistency but also created frustration among supporters. While many nations struggled simply to qualify, Mexico repeatedly found itself one victory away from breaking through to the tournament’s final stages. The streak finally ended at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where Mexico failed to advance beyond the group stage for the first time since 1978.