After closing out 2020 with back-to-back victories over South Korea and Japan, the Mexican National team finished the year undefeated with four wins and a draw. Covid-19 took away many matches, but El Tri managed to squeeze five games with decent opponents. So what is next? We will dive into what 2021, which is expected to be a hectic year, will look like for the Mexicans.

More partidos moleros?

The answer is yes, and no. This past June, the Mexican Federation said that it would not host any matches in the United States until fans can attend games. With the pandemic’s continued surge, Mexico is unlikely to play any friendlies in this country during 2021. That means that the chances for partidos moleros in U.S. soil are slim.

Though many of the games already scheduled in 2021 are primarily against CONCACAF opposition, most of those matches are vital. In June, the Nations League semifinals and final will be played in Texas. Tata Martino’s men are scheduled to face Costa Rica in Houston, and if they win, they move on to the final that will be played in Arlington, where we could see the first Mexico vs. U.S. matchup of 2021.

World Cup Qualifiers

The World Cup Qualifiers also kick-off in June 2021. 10 of the 14 qualifying games will be played next year, with six of them on the road for El Tri, including the big one in October vs. the U.S. Their first match is scheduled against Jamaica at home, followed by Costa Rica, likely in San Jose. Because of the format change, the three other opponents are to be determined. We need to keep in mind, though they are against CONCACAF opponents, World Cup qualifying games, especially on the road, are far from moleros.

2021 Gold Cup

The 2021 Gold Cup is scheduled to take place from July 10 through August 1st. As of this writing, the venues are yet to be announced, and it is uncertain if the fans will be allowed at the stadium or if there will be capacity limits. There is a chance that Covid-19 may be controlled by then; however, the future is uncertain, and if things get worse, though unlikely, the tournament may not make financial sense to CONCACAF and post-pone it. El Tri has been placed in Group A and will face El Salvador, Curacao, and an opponent to be determined.

As like every Gold Cup, there is a high probability that we see a second Mexico vs. U.S. matchup in 2021 during this tournament.

2020 Summer Olympics conflict?

Before everyone goes up in arms screaming that this is not a senior team tournament, we need to clarify that there will be an extra year of eligibility for players, meaning that the Olympics will become a U-24 tournament. Many countries, Mexico included, are loaded with players under 24 years of age. However, there is a small scheduling conflict.

Since the Olympic soccer games are scheduled to begin play on July 22, with the final taking place on August 7th, the Mexican Federation will have to decide which tournament is more important and where the players will be allocated. But before we get ahead of ourselves, El Tri needs to clinch a spot in the Olympics by reaching the final of the CONCACAF Olympic Tournament scheduled to take place in Guadalajara this past March. CONCACAF has not announced the new date and location, but we should expect it to take place sometime before April.

Things remain uncertain

Though many of us expect a fully-loaded 2021 Mexican National soccer team calendar that could include three matches vs. the United States, the truth is that we do not know how things will be with the pandemic by the time we reach the dates the games are scheduled. We can only be optimistic that a 100 percent reliable and affordable vaccine will be in place and allows people to feel safe attending any sporting event. Until then, all we can do is speculate and hope for the best because 2021 looks like an exciting year.