Reigning CONCACAF Gold Cup champions Mexico begin the second half of their title defense as they take on Saudi Arabia in the quarterfinals from Glendale, Arizona on Saturday.
El Tri topped their group standings thanks to a slim goal differential advantage after finishing level on points with Costa Rica. The two sides played to a scoreless draw in the finale as both advanced to the knockout stage, although Mexico felt they should have won after seeing Santiago Gimenez’s potential late winner controversially nullified by VAR.
Regardless, it sets up a favorable bracket for Javier Aguierre’s side, who avoid both USA and Canada until a potential final.
They will still need to be disciplined as they meet guest participants Saudi Arabia, who have proved defensively steadfast despite a relative lack of offensive options.
Herve Renard deployed glaringly negative tactics in their group stage defeat to the United States, and Mexico will likely see more of the same as they take on a 58th-ranked Saudi side missing many of its best players thanks to the Club World Cup.
The Sporting News runs through the latest team news and injury updates for both sides as the match draws nearer.
Mexico vs. Saudi Arabia predicted lineups, team news
Mexico head coach Javier Aguirre made some tough decisions for this Gold Cup, leaving experienced veterans Gerardo Arteaga, Uriel Antuna, and Luis Romo off the roster, as well as Diego Lainez and Erick Sanchez.
Marcel Ruiz impressed in the pre-tournament friendlies, and has earned a starting spot through the Gold Cup group stage. Orbelin Pineda started the opener on the left wing, but has been outperformed by Alexis Vega, while none of Julian Quinones, Roberto Alvarado, or Cesar Huerta have truly gained hold of the opposite position.
Aguirre’s biggest call will be at striker, where he has tinkered with starting Raul Jimenez and Santiago Gimenez together as well as selecting one or the other.
Mexico will be without defensive rock Cesar Montes who is suspended for yellow card accumulation, while Quinones and Luis Chavez would miss a potential semifinal with a booking in this match. Tigres defender Jesus Angulo was initially called in to the Mexico squad but had to withdraw due to injury.
Mexico predicted XI (4-3-3, right to left): Malagon (GK) — Sanchez, Reyes, Vasquez, Gallardo — Ruiz, Alvarez, L. Chavez — Alvarado, Gimenez, Vega.
Injured: Angulo.
Suspended: Montes
On a yellow card: Quinones, Chavez.
Full Mexico squad
Goalkeepers: Luis Malagon, Guillermo Ochoa, Raul Rangel
Defenders: Julian Araujo, Mateo Chavez, Jesus Gallardo, Cesar Montes, Jesus Orozco, Jorge Sanchez, Israel Reyes, Johan Vazquez
Midfielders: Roberto Alvarado, Edson Alvarez, Efrain Alvarez, Luis Chavez, Erik Lira, Gilberto Mora, Orbelin Pineda, Carlos “Charly” Rodriguez, Marcel Ruiz
Forwards: Santiago Gimenez, Cesar Huerta, Raul Jimenez, Julian Quinones, Angel Sepulveda, Alexis Vega.
Saudi Arabia have not brought their A-team to the Gold Cup, as their ranks have been reduced thanks to Al Hilal’s participation in the Club World Cup. Experienced veterans Mohammed Al-Owais, Sultan Al-Ghannam, Ali Al-Bulaihi, Yasser Al-Shahrani, Salem Al-Dawsari, Nasser Al-Dawsari, and Abdullah Al-Hamdan are all missing while on club duty.
Even so, every single player save four on the Saudi Arabia roster play domestically in the Saudi Pro League. The only exceptions are Faisal Al-Ghamdi and Marwan Al-Sahafi who each represent Belgian side Beerschot, Roma defender Saud Abdulhamid, and midfielder Muhannad Al-Saad who is with Ligue 2 side Dunkerque in France.
MORE: Why are Saudi Arabia playing in the CONCACAF Gold Cup?
Only one other player on the roster besides central striker Saleh Al-Shehri, who scored in the win against Haiti, has more than two international goals to their name. That would be Firas Al-Buraikan who found the net in the group stage finale against Trinidad & Tobago.
Saudi Arabia predicted XI (4-3-3, right to left): Al-Aqidi (GK) — Abdulhamid, Al-Amri, Madu, Al-Boushail — Al-Obood, Al-Hassan, Al-Johani — Majrashi, Al-Buraikan, Ahmed.
Injured: Kadesh (hamstring).
Suspended: None.
On a yellow card: Majrashi, Al-Johani, Madu.
Full Saudi Arabia squad
Goalkeepers: Nawaf Al-Aqidi, Ahmed Al-Kassar, Abdulrahman Al-Sanbi.
Defenders: Saud Abdulhamid, Abdulelah Al-Amri, Nawaf Boushal, Hassan Kadesh, Abdullah Madu, Ali Majrashi, Salem Al-Najdi, Muhannad Al-Sanqeeti.
Midfielders: Mukhtar Ali, Turki Abdulrahman Al-Aboud, Al-Ammar, Ali Al-Asmari, Faisal Al-Ghamdi, Hammam Al-Hammami, Ali Al-Hassan, Ziyad Al-Johani, Muhannad Al-Saad, Ayman Ahmed.
Forwards: Firas Al-Buraikan, Abdullah Al-Salem, Marwan Al-Sahafi, Saleh Al-Shehri.
Mexico vs. Saudi Arabia score prediction
As they did against the United States, Saudi Arabia will likely take every opportunity to grind this game to a halt, using time-wasting tactics to prevent Mexico from getting into a groove.
That strategy was largely effective in their most high-profile group stage match, but ultimately resulted in defeat. The same is likely to play out here as Mexico have often been thwarted by a low block, but should have just enough firepower to see a way through to the semifinals.
Prediction: Mexico 1-0 Saudi Arabia
How to watch Mexico vs. Saudi Arabia: Live stream, TV channel
- Date: Saturday, June 28, 2025
- Time (ET): 10:15 p.m. ET / 7:15 p.m. PT
- TV channel (English): FS1
- Streaming (English): Fubo, Fox Sports app, ViX
- TV channel (Spanish): TUDN, Univision
- Streaming (Spanish): Fubo, TUDN.com, Universo NOW
The entirety of the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup will be broadcast in English by Fox Sports, with this knockout match available on FS1.
In addition, there are Spanish-language options on both TUDN and Univision.
All games on Fox’s family of channels, as well as all Spanish-language options, will be available to stream on Fubo, who are offering a free trial for new users.
