Mexican federation threatens to drop players from World Cup squad amid club row

MEXICO CITY, May 6 : Liga MX players who fail to attend Mexico's World Cup training camp starting on Wednesday will be dropped from the tournament squad, the Mexican Football Federation (FMF) said. 

The warning followed a decision by the FMF to grant Toluca players special permission to remain with their club for Wednesday’s second leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup semi-final against Los Angeles FC, in which they trail 2-1 on aggregate, despite a prior agreement that clubs would release all called-up players from May 6.

“All players must report to the High Performance Centre in Mexico City,” the FMF said in a statement. “On the coaching staff’s instructions, any player who fails to attend the training camp today will be excluded from the World Cup.”

The move drew criticism from Amaury Vergara, the owner of Guadalajara who field only Mexican players and had five called up to the national squad, urging those named by Mexico coach Javier Aguirre to return to their club for the Liga MX Clausura quarter-finals with his team needing to overturn a 3-1 deficit against Tigres UANL in the second leg.

The dispute highlighted growing tension between clubs and the national team over player availability ahead of the World Cup, with domestic and continental fixtures clashing with preparations for the tournament.

ESPN Mexico reported that Alexis Vega and Jesus Gallardo will be released by Toluca to join the national squad.

Mexico, co-hosts of the World Cup alongside the U.S. and Canada, will complete their preparations with friendlies against Ghana on May 22, Australia on May 30 and Serbia on June 4, before opening the tournament against South Africa in Group A on June 11.