Mexico will play against Japan today at the Oakland Coliseum. This will be the Mexican National Team's first friendly match to prepare for the 2026 World Cup. The World Cup is nine months away from kicking off, and Mexico will play the opening match.
Mexico has two friendly matches this September international break, and after the Japan match, they will take on South Korea on Tuesday.
Javier Aguirre's team will take on Japan after winning the 2025 Gold Cup earlier this summer. The team and fans hope to continue the positive momentum ahead of the World Cup.
The match between Mexico and Japan will start at 10 PM EST/ 7 PM PST in the United States. The game will be shown on multiple select TV channels and on streaming services like ViX.
Where to Watch Mexico vs Japan
In the United States, the match will be shown on Univision Network, TUDN, Fox Deportes, Vix Premium Deportes 1, ViX, fuboTV, Univision NOW, and FOX Sports.
In Mexico, fans could watch it on TUDN, Canal 5, Azteca 7, ViX, and Amazon Prime Video.
Expected Lineups for Mexico & Japan
Mexico
Aguirre is set to start Luis Malagón in goal with a back four of Jesus Gallardo, Johan Vásquez, César Montes, and Rodrigo Huescas.
The two pivots are expected to be Marcel Ruiz and Edson Álvarez. Alexis Vega and Hirving Lozano are expected to play on the wings while Orbelin Pineda plays behind Raul Jiménez.
The return of Lozano excites fans as he has improved his form at San Diego FC in the MLS. Huescas is back in the squad after being left out of the Gold Cup squad for disciplinary reasons.
Japan
Japan is expected to play a strong lineup against Mexico, with many of their players at European clubs. In goal will be Zion Suzuki with a back three of Tsuyoshi Watanabe, Ko Itakura, and Ayumu Seko.
The midfield can consist of Kaoru Mitoma, Takefusa Kubo, Wataru Endo, and Junya Ito. The attacking trio is likely to involve Takumi Minamino, Ritsu Doan, and Daizen Maeda.
Who wins this match, Mexico or Japan? Leave your predictions for Mexico vs Japan in the comments!
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