Liga MX’s final has a hidden twist
Pumas and Cruz Azul meet in a final that revives a long-lost Liga MX storyline and guarantees a Mexican coach will lift the title.
It all comes down to the final two. The Liga MX Clausura 2026 has set its championship final: Pumas UNAM against Cruz Azul’s Máquina Celeste, two of the most historic and traditional teams in Mexican soccer.
The Auriazules arrive after a historic regular season in which they topped the overall standings. In the playoffs, they advanced thanks to their position in the table after drawing 6-6 with América’s Águilas and 1-1 with Pachuca’s Tuzos. Cruz Azul, meanwhile, finished third and changed head coaches late in the campaign. The Celestes beat Atlas 4-2 and Chivas 4-3 to reach this stage.
Mexican coaches shine again in Liga MX
One of the main storylines in this compelling championship series is on the benches. For the first time in 13 years, the Mexican soccer final will be contested by Mexican coaches, ending a long period dominated by Argentines, Brazilians and Uruguayans, among others.
On one side, Efraín Juárez has just passed a year in charge and, although he had fallen short in the biggest moments, his project kept receiving backing from the board. After growing steadily as the season went on, he now enters the final as the favorite to win the title.
On the other side is one of those stories that seem to happen only in Mexican soccer. After Nicolás Larcamón was dismissed, Joel Huiqui was chosen as the interim coach to see out the tournament. Expectations appeared to be fairly limited and yet the former defender has taken charge of five games, with four wins and one draw. No one is taking the Celeste icon’s dream away from him.
When was the last time there was a final between Mexican coaches?
The last time both benches in a final were Tricolor was in the Clausura 2013 tournament. América, coached by Miguel “Piojo” Herrera, beat Cruz Azul’s Máquina Celeste, then led by Guillermo Vázquez, in a heart-stopping game.
The end of an era in Mexican soccer
This final series, regardless of how it ends, guarantees that a Mexican coach will once again be crowned champion in his own country. That has not happened since the Guardianes 2020 tournament, when León’s Panzas Verdes, coached by Ignacio Ambriz, beat Pumas UNAM. Nearly six years of dominance by foreign coaches is about to come to an end.
Get closer to the game! Whether you like your soccer of the European variety or that on this side of the pond, our AS USA app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more. Plus, stay updated on NFL, NBA and all other big sports stories as well as the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.
And there’s more: check out our TikTok and Instagram reels for bite-sized visual takes on all the biggest soccer news and insights.