A facile co-calcination strategy with simultaneous N-doping, carbon graphitization, and palladium ion (Pd2+) reduction under high temperature was used to derive Pd nanoparticles budded on N-doped ordered mesoporous graphitic carbon nanospheres (Pd/N-MCN). Pd/N-MCN was exploited as a cathode catalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). It demonstrated strong stability with a relative current of 95% still persisting after 40 000 s. Most importantly, hybrids exhibited superior methanol tolerance, remaining stable after the addition of 2M methanol in electrolyte. The outstanding performance of Pd/N-MCN in ORR could be attributed to its ordered mesopores, large surface area, homogeneous budding of abundant Pd active sites, graphitization generated by Pd catalysis, and the synergistic effects of Pd nanoparticles strongly coupled to N-MCN. (C) 2015 Published by Elsevier Ltd.