Mexico continues its preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup with an international friendly match against Turkey on Tuesday. This encounter serves as another important test as the one-year countdown to the tournament, which Mexico will co-host in North America, officially begins.
El Tri, one of the three host nations for the next World Cup, is currently in the final stages of their preparations for the Concacaf Gold Cup. The Gold Cup represents a final opportunity to compete for significant silverware before the global tournament. Mexico recently achieved a notable milestone by winning their first-ever Concacaf Nations League title in March, marking a positive start to Javier Aguirre`s third term leading the national team.
Tuesday`s game against Turkey is Mexico`s second of two scheduled friendlies before the Gold Cup tournament kicks off. Their previous friendly resulted in a 4-2 loss to Switzerland. In that match, Santiago Gimenez scored his fifth goal for the national team, and veteran forward Angel Sepulveda added a second for El Tri after coming on from the bench.
Meanwhile, Turkey traveled to the United States for their final international matches before their World Cup qualifying campaign commences in September. Turkey is aiming to qualify for the tournament for the first time since 2002. Their current international window began successfully with a 2-1 victory over the U.S. Men`s National Team on Saturday, featuring goals scored by Arda Guler and Kerem Akturkoglu.
Here is essential information you should know before tuning in:
Match Details & Odds
Date: Tuesday, June 10
Time: 9 p.m. ET
Location: Kenan Stadium — Chapel Hill, North Carolina
TV: Univision
Live stream: Fubo
Odds: Mexico +150; Draw +235; Turkey +170
Head-to-Head History
This upcoming match will mark the very first meeting between the senior men`s national teams of Mexico and Turkey.
Insights from the Mexico Camp
Even though Saturday`s match was designated as a friendly, any loss for El Tri invariably attracts significant criticism in Mexico. The national team faced considerable scrutiny following their defeat to Switzerland, a game where they were clearly second-best in certain areas, especially in their attacking play. Despite matching Switzerland closely in possession and shots on target, Mexico`s attack generated only 1.11 expected goals from their 10 attempts.
Head coach Javier Aguirre openly acknowledged and accepted the criticism regarding the team`s performance.
“It`s never a good feeling to lose,” he commented on Monday. “We did not perform well. It was a match that offered many lessons – unfortunately, more negatives than positives. However, we can highlight the effort shown by Santiago Giménez and Angel Sepulveda. We welcome the criticism; we will demonstrate our true capabilities at the Gold Cup. There will be player rotations for the match against Turkey; that is the primary purpose of these friendly games. Our goal is to ensure we are fully prepared.”
Insights from the Turkey Camp
Despite World Cup qualifiers being three months away, they are very much on the mind of Turkey`s head coach Vincenzo Montella as his squad concludes their trip to the U.S. with Tuesday`s friendly against Mexico.
“We should consider this match as the final game of our season,” Montella stated, according to reports. “We came to the USA with players who are finishing their seasons, while our opponent`s players are in the middle of theirs. Tomorrow`s opponent is strong; they recently won the Concacaf Nations League. We are facing a quality team… We aim to conclude this period successfully so we can fully concentrate on September afterwards. September holds great importance for us.”
This preparatory phase may also provide valuable playing time for younger talents, allowing them to gain crucial experience before the World Cup qualifying fixtures begin.
“Typically, we play friendly matches with the goal of improving ourselves,” Montella added. “We also have young players; two of them made their debut in our last match, and potentially more players will get their first cap in this game. I believe there shouldn`t be excessive changes overall; substitutions should be implemented in a balanced manner. If there is a clear game plan, developing it based on that framework while evaluating every player would be much more beneficial.”
Predicted Starting Lineups
Mexico: Luis Malagon, Julian Araujo, Cesar Montes, Mateo Chavez, Emilio Lara, Gilberto Mora, Edson Alvarez, Orbelin Pineda, Alexis Vega, Santiago Gimenez, Raul Jimenez
Turkey: Berke Ozer, Zeki Celik, Merih Demiral, Samet Akaydin, Yasin Ozcan, Ismail Yuksek, Kaan Ayhan, Oguz Aydin, Arda Guler, Kerim Yildiz, Kerem Akturkoglu
Player to Watch
Santiago Gimenez, Mexico: The forward position has been a significant area of focus for the Mexican national team. Santiago Gimenez has established himself as a strong contender for a starting spot based on his performance at European clubs. Last season, he scored a combined 26 goals for Feyenoord and AC Milan, although this prolific club form hasn`t always translated consistently to the national team, where he recently netted just his fifth international goal. A successful run of form this summer could potentially turn Mexico`s attack from a perceived weakness into a notable strength.
Key Storyline
Setting Sights on the World Cup: Although the 2026 World Cup is still a year away – and Turkey`s participation is not yet guaranteed – it is unequivocally a primary focus for most national teams worldwide at this stage. Both Mexico and Turkey will undoubtedly use this friendly match to experiment with personnel and tactical approaches. Their aim is not only to ensure qualification (for Turkey) but also to deliver an impressive performance when the tournament finally arrives. The stakes are considerable for both sides: Mexico, as a host nation, is eager to make a strong impression and redeem themselves after their group stage exit in 2022, while Turkey is striving to qualify for the competition for the first time since their memorable third-place finish in 2002.
Match Prediction
Given that both Mexico and Turkey are likely prioritizing experimentation in this friendly, predicting the exact outcome is challenging. However, Turkey`s attacking unit, particularly if Real Madrid`s Arda Guler is involved, might be better equipped to find the back of the net at this particular moment. Therefore, expect the game to lean slightly in Turkey`s favor.
Prediction: Mexico 1, Turkey 2
