Home / Sports / National Team's Special Player Permission Sparks Controversy
National Team's Special Player Permission Sparks Controversy
6 May
Summary
- National team granted special permission for players to join Toluca.
- Players Alexis Vega and Jesús Gallardo featured in a Concacaf match.
- Clubs questioned the agreement regarding player release for national duty.
The National Team has become the subject of controversy following a decision to grant Toluca a special exemption. The club was permitted to field Alexis Vega and Jesús Gallardo in the second leg of their Concacaf Champions Cup semifinal against Los Angeles FC. This situation arose despite directives for clubs to release national team players for duty, with the understanding they would not be available for domestic league play.
While Vega and Gallardo did not participate in the first leg of the Clausura 2026 quarterfinals, they were reportedly seen training with Toluca. This has led to speculation that a prior agreement was breached. Toluca appears to have exploited a loophole, arguing that the arrangement pertained specifically to Liga MX fixtures and not international competitions like the Concacaf Champions Cup.
