Why Mexican men's national soccer team keeps coming back to Phoenix area for matches

The latest Mexican national soccer team tour through the United States is labeled "Somos Locales," as in, "We Are Local."

Think rock bands or entertainers with catchy tour titles.

Those who market the team's U.S. tour, which rolls through the Phoenix area Thursday night at 7 p.m., at State Farm Stadium, even gave the series of matches a hashtag: #MexTour. The Mexican soccer federation, FMF, is clearly all in, as the national team plays several games a year not in its homeland but in the U.S., where crowds never disappoint.

And one of those favored FMF destinations in the States is Glendale, which has everything the national team wants in a place in which to play. Thursday night's game is a friendly against Uruguay, but it is being used to prepare both teams for Qatar and the 2022 FIFA World Cup later this year.

The truth is, El Tri — the nickname of the Mexican men's national team — is a huge draw wherever it plays in the U.S., with the immense population of Mexicans and those of Mexican ancestry all over the country.  Selling tickets isn't difficult with the demographics of the market and the local support of national and international soccer, plus second-division Phoenix Rising FC.

"In reality, Phoenix, Dallas, all the cities in the United States where we play, we like going there because there is many people from Mexico living here in the United States," Mexico's manager, Gerardo "Tata" Martino, said in Spanish. "We're practically always the home team with our tradition and what it represents. We always love to come here. This is a comfort zone for us."

Thursday's game will mark the 11th time since 2005 that Mexico has played a game in the Phoenix metro area.

It will be the team's ninth visit to State Farm Stadium, which opened in 2006. Mexico is 5-1-3 all-time at the home of the Cardinals and has won four straight matches there, including a 3-1 victory over Uruguay in the Copa America Centenario group stage in 2016.

"Phoenix really gives you a perfect combination of factors. First of all, it has amazing facilities, starting with a fantastic stadium that is climate controlled, and has a great pitch," said Gabriel Gabor, media officer for the national team tour. "Then it has great hotel facilities, great training facilities, and on top of it a fantastic fan base, the team always does well in the market. So when you put all those factors together that's the reason why, in general, you would go to the market, and certainly Phoenix is one of the top markets in the country just because of the combination of all those factors."

Coaches and players change with each World Cup cycle. Legends have their time with El Tri, then retire from the national team or are replaced by younger players with promise. But the excitement and fan support never goes away, and every four years there is renewed hope for a long run through the World Cup for Mexico, for decades one of the top national teams in the North American region and the most successful in terms of number of World Cup appearances with 17.

"The fans in Mexico think the fifth game, they always dream of  El Tri making a good (run) in the World Cup, and they have hope," said Patricia Terán, a journalist with TUDN Digital in Mexico City who is following the team around the U.S. this summer.

The fifth game would mean Mexico makes it to the World Cup quarterfinals. That is the furthest Mexico has ever advanced in the World Cup.

"Following Mexico’s team in the U.S. is challenging, but with rewards because you get to see all the Mexican fans that feel related and feel close to home," Terán said in an email.

The match experience is where fans get to sing the Mexican national anthem full throat — always a poignant moment especially given the ever-present political climate — and get loud for El Tri. After all, every match on the tour is essentially home field advantage for Mexico, which opened the Somos Locales schedule with a 2-1 win over Nigeria in front of almost 57,000 fans at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on May 28.

A crowd of similar size, if not larger, could be on hand in Glendale Thursday. And 'We Are Local" feels like a real thing when it comes to Mexico playing in the Phoenix area.

"The organizers bring Mexico to play in the valley because they know that it's a guarantee of a big crowd and the stadium is situated perfectly in the heart of the (Mexican) community on the west side and easy to get to," said Felipe Corral, veteran sports anchor and reporter for Univision Arizona, in Spanish. "The majority of fans are players in the more than 50 Latino soccer leagues, adult and youth, that are in the whole valley, more than 100,000 players in these leagues.

"Culturally, for decades win or lose, the Mexican fan base always follows the team," Corral added.

Mexico will play friendlies against Ecuador in Chicago on June 5 and Paraguay in Atlanta on Aug. 31, with two CONCACAF Nations League matches in between, before heading to Qatar for the World Cup. Ecuador is also tuning up for the World Cup, having qualified to be among the 32 teams.

The electric atmosphere won't only be found in the seats. Pancho Villa's Army, the U.S.-based supporters group of hardcore fans of El Tri with a Phoenix chapter, is hosting a watch party at Salt Tacos y Tequila, one of the establishments in the Westgate Entertainment District next to the stadium.

It's been a big hit for fans during previous Mexico games in town.

"Mexico comes to Phoenix because it is a great 'futbol' city with great futbol fans," said Richard Guel, a longtime leader of the Pancho Villa's Army Phoenix chapter. He said in an email that fans have missed the in-person match experience that COVID changed.

"It is slowing getting back to normal," Guel said. "The absence away from the futbol experience leaves (fans) very hungry for its return. It’s almost indescribable, it’s much more than passion, it’s pride. Proud to be Mexican. Proud of our heritage, and when we get past the quinto partido (fifth game) it will just make it even more special."

Get in touch with Jose Romero at Jose.Romero@gannett.com. Find him on Twitter at @RomeroJoseM. 

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Soccer's Mexican national team tour through the U.S. stops in the Phoenix area