Introduction to the “Hecho en México” Initiative
The Mexican National Team and the Mexican Football Federation (FMF) have joined the “Hecho en México” (Made in Mexico) roster, a free government-issued origin certification aimed at enhancing Mexican products, services, or representations. This prestigious label typically lasts for five years but has been extended indefinitely for the National Team and FMF.
Secretary of Economy Confirms the Seal
Marcelo Ebrard, head of the Secretaría de Economía (Ministry of Economy), confirmed the seal at FMF headquarters on November 12, seven months before the start of the 2026 World Cup, where Mexico will co-host with the United States and Canada.
La Secretaría de Economía otorgó el sello “Hecho en México” a la Selección Nacional y la Federación Mexicana de Futbol, con el objetivo de potenciar la calidad y representación del país en el ámbito deportivo.
— El Economista (@ElEconomista_Mx) November 15, 2023
Ebrard stated, “Hecho en México is a program that showcases the quality of our efforts in providing services, products, or representations of our country. In this case, we are bestowing the seal upon the FMF and Mexican National Teams.”
He further emphasized, “There are only 3,000 certificates issued, yet Mexico has millions of economic units. We will carefully safeguard the significance of having a certified Mexican name for all products or processes. The process followed was thorough to ensure quality.”
History and Requirements of “Hecho en México”
“Hecho en México” originated in the 1970s under the now-defunct Secretaría de Comercio y Fomento Industrial. The initiative was revived during the current administration of President Claudia Sheinbaum.
As of October 31, 2025, there were 3,331 registrations on the official “Hecho en México” website. The process is free for both individuals and legal entities, provided they meet specific document and criterion requirements “to ensure authenticity and commitment to the country’s development.”
According to the website, products must be fully manufactured, assembled, or produced using national inputs. The manufacturing process must demonstrate the implementation of affirmative actions in compliance with at least one of the sustainable development goals outlined in Agenda 2030.
Although criteria for services and representations are not specified, the National Team and FMF fit into this category.
“Having the ‘Hecho en México’ seal is more than a recognition; it’s a commitment to quality, national industry, and sustainable development,” the website explains through a video.
Recent Instability in National Team’s Prestige
The Mexican National Team has struggled to maintain its prestige in recent years. Despite winning two titles (Gold Cup and CONCACAF Nations League) in 2025, they were eliminated in the group stage of the 2022 World Cup (first elimination since 1978) and failed to advance past the round of 16 in the 2024 Copa América.
Between 2022 and 2024, the team had four coaches: Gerardo Martino, Diego Cocca, Jaime Lozano, and Javier Aguirre. Martino left after the World Cup 2022 failure, followed by short-lived processes from Cocca and Lozano. Aguirre is the current appointed coach for the 2026 World Cup.
At the leadership level, FMF has also experienced several changes in its organizational structure between the 2022 and 2026 World Cup processes.
Yon De Luisa stepped down as FMF president, with Mikel Arriola now holding the position. Juan Carlos ‘La Bomba’ Rodríguez briefly served as commissioner but eventually resigned.
Rodrigo Ares De Parga, Gerardo Torrado, and Jaime Ordiales are among those who were unable to maintain their positions, focusing more on sports development.
These arguments did not prevent the seal’s issuance: “It supports the ‘Hecho en México’ certification given to the national team, which is a global brand certificate that I deemed very important, also to Mexico’s president, to include the various aspects of our football teams,” Ebrard explained.
The November 12 event also included Mikel Arriola (FMF commissioner), Lucía Olvera (FMF marketing and sponsorships director), and Horacio Duarte (Edomex Governor’s Secretary).
Alongside the “Hecho en México” seal, FMF unveiled its marketing campaign for the 2026 World Cup: “We are Mexico. We are three-time hosts.” However, this slogan had been briefly introduced during the recent launch of the national team’s Adidas jerseys.
For Mikel Arriola, the arguments for obtaining the “Hecho en México” certification weighed more on numbers than instability in the organizational structure, which was not mentioned.
“We play in two countries, have 200 million fans, and around 60 million in the United States… Through the ‘Hecho en México’ certification, a public policy that identifies how well Mexico performs globally, we have, for example, in the United States, about seven times more ratings for our national team than the US team. And Liga MX is the fourth most-watched league in any sport in the south of that country,” Arriola stated.
In 2026, Mexico will become the first country to host a FIFA men’s World Cup of absolute category, following its previous hosting in 1970 and 1986.
