A Mexico Legends team will face a squad of global stars in an exhibition match in Monterrey. The so-called Juego de Leyendas will take place on January 17, 2026, at Estadio BBVA, serving as a promotional event for the World Cup that Mexico is co-hosting with the United States and Canada.
This clash comes at a time of strong form for the current national team, which tops its group in the 2026 World Cup qualifying phase with 9 points from three wins and zero goals conceded.
The FIFA Legends team will feature a stellar squad managed by experienced coach Fabio Capello. Confirmed figures include Spaniards Xavi Hernández, Sergio Busquets, and Carles Puyol. Italians such as Francesco Totti, Alessandro Del Piero, Christian Vieri, and Marco Materazzi will also be present. The roster is completed by Portuguese defender Pepe, Colombian goalkeeper René Higuita, and Dutch forward Patrick Kluivert, who most recently managed the Indonesia national team.
On the Mexican side, fans will get to see idols like Luis Hernández and Jared Borgetti, all-time top scorers in their day. More recent generation players like Andrés Guardado, Héctor Moreno, Miguel Layún, Oribe Peralta, and Marco Fabián will also feature. The goal will be guarded by Óscar Pérez and Moisés Muñoz.
The official FIFA World Cup 26 Monterrey social media account promoted the event, announcing on December 24, 2025, that they practically had the full roster. "La Navidad nos llegó antes y prácticamente tenemos nuestro roster completo para el Juego de Leyendas Corona," they posted. The match is scheduled for 9:00 AM GMT+8 on January 18, which corresponds to the afternoon of January 17 in local Mexican time. The live broadcast will be handled by SPOTV NOW.
This will be the second edition of the legends duel. The first was played in September 2024 and ended in a 3-3 draw, decided on penalties in favor of the FIFA Legends team. That match featured names like Andrea Pirlo, John Terry, Gianluigi Buffon, Didier Drogba, and Diego Forlán.
While the legends prepare for their exhibition, the current Mexico senior team maintains solid form in qualifying. With 6 goals scored and none conceded, they have a +6 goal difference and a 5-point lead over South Africa, their closest pursuer. Their recent form over the last five matches is four wins and just one loss. That loss was a tight 2-3 defeat to England on July 6, 2026. The current squad can be reviewed in our squad section.
The immediate focus for the active national team is their next official commitment, a home qualifying match against Colombia on September 26, 2026. This game will be key to maintaining their lead and positive streak. Full schedule details are available in our fixtures section. The legends clash in Monterrey, meanwhile, serves to build excitement and connect the glories of the past with the present of the team, which seeks to consolidate its great moment on the road to the home World Cup.
