Cody Rhodes Wants to Lead Team USA Against Rey Mysterio's Team Mexico at Survivor Series 2026
Cody Rhodes wants to be the captain of Team USA at Survivor Series: WarGames 2026. Speaking on the WWE Crown Jewel post-show on November 7, minutes after he beat Randy Orton in a Last Man Standing match in Riyadh, Rhodes said he wants to lead Team USA against Rey Mysterio's Team Mexico on November 28 in Houston.
What Cody Rhodes said
Rhodes brought up the match himself. "Rey Mysterio's over there on Stephanie's podcast talking about a Team Mexico versus Team USA. Sounds great," he said. He added that he would "lead them along, find a team of my own," and ended with a message to Mysterio: "Rey Mysterio, if you're listening to me, let's make that happen at Survivor Series."
He also made it clear why he wants something different next. Looking back on his rivalry with Orton, Rhodes said, "This entire thing has hijacked my joy for what we do. It really has." He described Team USA vs. Team Mexico as "something light" and "something fun," even with a win on the line.
How we got here
Mysterio, the on-screen General Manager of Lucha Libre AAA, first revealed the idea as a guest on Stephanie McMahon's podcast, *What's Your Story?* He called it "a classic five vs. five Survivor Series match" between Team USA and Team Mexico, and WWE has since confirmed the match for Survivor Series: WarGames with Mysterio leading Team Mexico.
It will be the first traditional Survivor Series elimination match at the event since 2021, when the show was still built around Raw vs. SmackDown. Survivor Series: WarGames takes place on Saturday, November 28, 2026, at Daikin Park in Houston, Texas.
Rhodes is free to take the job because his long story with Orton is over. Orton punted him after WrestleMania 42, and at Crown Jewel Rhodes ended it by hitting three Cross Rhodes and then punting Orton, who could not answer the 10 count. It was also his 100th premium live event match. Read more in Cody Rhodes' 100th PLE match and our Crown Jewel 2026 results and review.
Is Cody Rhodes officially Team USA captain?
Not yet. WWE has not named Team USA's captain or any of its members. Rhodes has asked for the role publicly, and his nickname, "The American Nightmare", makes him the obvious choice, but nothing is signed. The first chance for WWE to make it official is Monday Night Raw on November 9.
Who could join Cody on Team USA
If Rhodes leads the team, a few names stand out:
- CM Punk: he has no match set for Houston, and Punk and Rhodes on the same side would bring years of history into one team.
- Seth Rollins: a former Survivor Series captain with the big-match experience to anchor the team, and a past with Rhodes that could cause friction.
- LA Knight: one of the loudest crowd reactions in WWE and a former United States Champion.
- Bron Breakker: his long fight with Penta and Je'Von Evans, who just took the World Tag Team Championship from The Vision, would carry straight into a Team Mexico match.
Team Mexico, meanwhile, has Mysterio as its captain and Penta, the new World Tag Team Champion and current Mr. Money in the Bank, as its biggest active star. For the full list of possible members, the history of national team matches at Survivor Series and our pick, read Team USA vs. Team Mexico at Survivor Series 2026.
Our take
This is the best possible outcome for the match. When Mysterio announced it, the risk was that Team USA would be a random group of midcard names. With Rhodes asking to lead it, the match has a top star on both sides and a simple, easy-to-sell story: The American Nightmare against the most famous luchador of all time, in Texas, in front of a big Mexican-American crowd.
It also suits Rhodes right now. After a dark, violent rivalry with Orton, a lighter team match lets him reset before the bigger stories of the Road to WrestleMania 43 begin. The thing to watch is who he picks. If CM Punk is on the team, the match becomes about more than flags very quickly.
What's next
Expect the teams to be filled over the next three weeks of Raw, SmackDown and AAA TV. For everything else on the card, including both WarGames matches, start time and how to watch, read our Survivor Series: WarGames 2026 guide.
