As one of the three hosts for the upcoming FIFA World Cup, Mexico aims to build momentum and confidence ahead of the tournament.

Before the World Cup begins, they will face Serbia in a friendly match in Toluca on Friday, 5 June 2026, at 09:00 WIB.

Although Serbia failed to qualify for the upcoming tournament in North America, they remain a dangerous side capable of troubling Mexico.

The key question is whether the World Cup hosts can secure a morale-boosting win before the tournament officially kicks off later this month.

Head-to-Head: Mexico vs Serbia

• This will be the first meeting between Mexico and Serbia in over a decade. Their last clash was a friendly in November 2011, when Mexico defeated Serbia 2-0 against a side reduced to ten men.
• Mexico have not played many competitive matches recently since they are already qualified as hosts for their home World Cup.
• However, they have been in excellent form since the start of 2026, winning five and drawing two of their seven matches this year, including a recent victory over Australia in a friendly last weekend.
• Serbia missed out on the World Cup after finishing third in their qualifying group. Their campaign included a heavy 0-5 loss to England in Belgrade. Since then, they have lost two of their last three matches, the latest being an upset against Cape Verde.
• The upcoming tournament will mark Mexico’s third time hosting the World Cup, though their first as a co-host. The previous editions in 1970 and 1986 both saw Mexico reach the quarterfinals, a stage they have not surpassed since.
• Serbia will be without two of their main attacking threats, Dusan Vlahovic and Aleksandar Mitrovic, both ruled out due to injuries. The duo scored six of Serbia’s nine goals during their unsuccessful qualifying campaign.

Team News: Mexico vs Serbia

Manager Javier Aguirre made 11 changes during Mexico’s 1-0 win over Australia, and he may choose to start with the same group that played the second half of that match.

As a result, captain Edson Alvarez could be replaced in central defence by Cesar Montes and Jesus Gomez, while the attacking quartet of Cesar Huerta, Gilberto Mora, Julian Quinones, and Santiago Gimenez may start up front.

Meanwhile, Serbian coach Veljko Paunovic is also expected to make significant adjustments following his team’s disappointing defeat to Cape Verde.

Players such as Nikola Simic, Lazar Randelovic, and Ognjen Mimovic are likely to feature in the revamped starting lineup.

Predicted Line-ups: Mexico vs Serbia

Mexico: Ochoa; Reyes, Montes, Gomez, Gallardo; Vargas, Lira; Huerta, Mora, Quinones; Gimenez

Serbia: F Stankovic; Mimovic, Simic, Pavlovic, Avdic; Petrovic, A Stankovic; Zivkovic, Zukic, Randelovic; Ivanovic

Score Prediction: Mexico vs Serbia

Sportskeeda Version

At full strength, Serbia are capable of putting up a tough fight against Mexico. However, missing their two key strikers and coming off a poor loss to Cape Verde could make things difficult for them.

Mexico may already have their focus on the World Cup rather than this warm-up match, but their recent form in 2026 has been strong, and they will want to end their preparations with a win.

Given their recent positive results, Mexico are likely to secure another victory against a weakened Serbian side.

Predicted Score: Mexico 2-0 Serbia

Sportsmole Version

With home support behind them, Mexico are in superior form and eager to maintain their momentum heading into the World Cup. We expect the hosts to come out on top in this encounter.

Predicted Score: Mexico 3-1 Serbia

TribunLombok Version

Mexico have strong motivation to preserve their confidence before appearing as one of the hosts of the 2026 World Cup. Javier Aguirre is also expected to start refining his main lineup ahead of the tournament opener.

Even without Vlahovic and Mitrovic, Serbia remain a dangerous side with quality players in midfield and defence who can make this a competitive match.

The altitude of Toluca could favour Mexico, as the visitors might struggle to maintain their intensity over the full 90 minutes, especially if they make several rotations.

Serbia could play with more freedom as they lack short-term pressure, which might help them grab a goal. However, their recent inconsistency could prove costly.

Predicted Score: Mexico 2-1 Serbia