The biggest storylines in the Liga MX Apertura 2026 | OneFootball

That’s right, Hooligans. The World Cup won’t even be over before the glorious Liga MX kicks off the Apertura 2026 season this Thursday. Because if there’s one thing Mexican soccer doesn’t believe in, it’s taking a break.

The new campaign begins with a magical opening night of… Necaxa vs. Atlante, followed by Xolos vs. Tigres. While the rest of the world is still focused on the World Cup Final, Liga MX will already be back doing what it does best.

Out of respect for the World Cup, Matchday 1 will be played from Thursday through Saturday.

The Clausura 2026 delivered one of the most entertaining tournaments in recent memory. Cruz Azul lifted its 10th league title after defeating a Pumas side that was trying to end a 15-year championship drought but fell just short.

It also came with plenty of controversy. Mexico internationals playing in Liga MX were not allowed to participate in the playoffs because of the World Cup, with Chivas suffering the biggest blow after losing five starters. Even so, Gabriel Milito somehow guided Guadalajara all the way to the semifinals.

Meanwhile, Club América mutually agreed to bring André Jardine’s historic tenure to an end after the club was eliminated by Pumas in the quarterfinals. Jardine leaves after delivering three consecutive Liga MX titles, and Las Águilas wasted no time replacing him with another proven winner: Guillermo Almada.

The Clausura had everything—drama, controversy and unforgettable moments—and once again helped Liga MX rank among the world’s 10 most-watched domestic leagues.

With a new season about to begin, here are the biggest storylines you need to know so you don’t head into Apertura 2026 feeling rusty.

Cruz Azul: Defending the title… but without a stadium. Again.

Cruz Azul fired Nicolás Larcamón on the final matchday of the Clausura 2026. Yes, the team had already qualified for the playoffs, but the feeling around La Máquina was that it simply wasn’t built to compete for a championship.

Enter Joel Huiqui.

The former defender, who had been coaching Cruz Azul’s U-21 squad, completely transformed the team’s mentality. After an outstanding playoff run, he led the club to its 10th Liga MX title and earned the permanent head coaching job. Now he’ll manage his first full season in charge.

Because Cruz Azul apparently requires chaos to function, the defending champions are once again dealing with stadium uncertainty just days before the season begins.

Despite having a lease at Estadio Azteca through 2031, negotiations reportedly became complicated after Grupo Ollamani—the ownership group behind both Club América and Estadio Azteca—changed some previously agreed-upon conditions.

Cruz Azul has already submitted a formal request to Liga MX asking for permission to return to Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes, the venue it called home for years. The league has yet to make an official decision.

Are league officials quietly trying to pressure Azteca’s ownership into honoring the original agreement? We should find out soon.

Club América enters the post-Jardine era

It’s still strange to write that André Jardine is no longer Club América’s head coach. No more weekly press conferences. No more hearing from one of the most successful managers in club history.

For those of us who cover América every day, an unforgettable era has officially come to an end. It was a cycle filled with championships, although results during the past year suggested it had begun to run its course.

Even then, Jardine always projected confidence that América would return to the top.

After spending the summer evaluating his future, he decided it was time to step aside. América moved quickly, hiring Guillermo Almada, a Liga MX and Concacaf Champions Cup winner with Pachuca who returns to Mexican soccer after a brief stint in Spain.

His arrival immediately calmed supporters. For about five minutes. Because as opening day approaches, América still hasn’t completed a single signing. Meanwhile, Jonathan dos Santos and Néstor Araujo have both departed.

The club continues to pursue Mexico international Luis Chávez, Spain striker Borja Iglesias (currently playing at the World Cup) and Colombian midfielder Nelson Deossa.

We’ll see whether América can assemble a roster capable of competing for titles immediately or whether this season becomes the beginning of a longer rebuilding process.

Chivas hopes to build on last season’s breakthrough

Many around Liga MX believe Chivas would’ve won the Clausura title had they not been forced to play the playoffs without five Mexico internationals. Gabriel Milito’s project already looks like one of the club’s most convincing and well-structured in years.

Guadalajara hasn’t won Liga MX since 2017 and has no intention of entering a full decade without another championship. Raúl Rangel, Luis Romo, Armando González and Brian Gutiérrez all return after representing Mexico at the World Cup and should come back full of confidence.

Chivas also strengthened the squad by signing Jordan Carrillo, one of Pumas’ standout performers last season, along with Kevin Castañeda.

On paper, this team looks even stronger than the one that reached the semifinals.

Pumas want to stay among Liga MX’s elite

With Sebastián Córdova, Cristian Calderón and Víctor Arteaga arriving as reinforcements, Pumas hope to make another run to the Liga MX Final.

Following the unexpected departure of Efraín Juárez, the club turned to a familiar face, appointing former Pumas midfielder Esteban Solari as head coach.

On paper, these signings don’t exactly scream “title favorites.” But if Pumas proved anything last season, it’s that you don’t need the league’s most expensive roster—or the flashiest transfer window—to compete for a championship.

Gilberto Mora’s final Liga MX season?

He isn’t even 18 years old yet, which means FIFA regulations still prevent him from moving abroad. But that hasn’t stopped Gilberto Mora from becoming Mexican soccer’s brightest prospect.

After starring for El Tri at the World Cup, Mora will wear Xolos’ iconic No. 10 shirt in what is widely expected to be his final Liga MX campaign. All signs point toward a winter move to Europe after his 18th birthday in October.

Liverpool and Arsenal are already closely monitoring his development. If everything goes according to plan, Liga MX fans should enjoy him while they still can.

Matías Almeyda is back in Liga MX

For years, every time a major Liga MX club fired its coach, one name inevitably resurfaced: Matías Almeyda. Now, after coaching in MLS and later in Europe with AEK Athens and Sevilla, the Argentine finally returns to Mexican soccer—this time to lead Monterrey.

Rayados also decided it was time for a complete organizational reset after spending years investing enormous sums of money only to discover that big budgets sell jerseys… but not necessarily championships. What was supposed to become one of the most ambitious projects in Liga MX history ultimately produced far more headlines than trophies.

Sergio Ramos and Sergio Canales have already come and gone. Now Dennis te Kloese returns to oversee the club’s sporting project, while former Columbus Crew star Diego Rossi headlines Monterrey’s summer arrivals.

We’ll find out whether a stronger structure finally allows Rayados to live up to their enormous expectations.

Tigres begins life after André-Pierre Gignac

Nothing has been officially announced, and Gignac himself hasn’t publicly addressed his future. Still, everything points to last season being the legendary striker’s final appearance for Tigres.

After 445 matches and 222 goals, the Frenchman appears ready to close one of the greatest careers in club history. We’ll see if, at 40 years old, he decides to give Tigres supporters one final dance.

If not, this will mark the first Liga MX season in more than a decade without André-Pierre Gignac wearing the famous yellow and blue.

That alone feels strange.

Atlas begins a new chapter under new ownership

Atlas enters a new era after separating from Grupo Orlegi. Grupo PRODI purchased the club as Mexican soccer continues taking gradual steps toward eliminating multi-club ownership.

With Atlas changing hands—while Santos Laguna remains under Grupo Orlegi—and Mazatlán FC disappearing to make way for Atlante’s return, Grupo Pachuca is now the only ownership group that still controls two Liga MX clubs: Pachuca and León.

Atlas supporters hope the new ownership restores an identity that seemed to fade over the past few years, when it often felt as though major investments were always happening somewhere else.

Atlante returns to Liga MX after 12 years away

The Iron Colts—the People’s Team—is finally back in Mexico’s top flight.

Atlante returns to Liga MX after purchasing Mazatlán FC’s place in the league, ending a 12-year absence from the country’s highest division. The club last won the league title in 2007 during its successful years in Cancún.

Now, under head coach Miguel Herrera, Atlante begins a brand-new chapter. The club will play its home matches at Estadio Azteca and hopes to make an immediate impact instead of becoming just another newly promoted side fighting to stay out of the bottom of the standings.