Liga MX Returns for Matchday 4 with America on Top, but Still Without Key Reinforcements After Leagues Cup Break

Three weeks without Liga MX can change a lot. Enough time for a coach to lose his job, for a forward to recover from injury, and for first place to change hands without a single ball being kicked in the meantime. That is exactly what fans will find when the Apertura 2026 picks back up this weekend for Matchday 4, following the break caused by the Leagues Cup group stage.

The Mexican tournament had barely played three matchdays when it handed the spotlight over to the binational competition. It was not many games, but it was enough to sketch out a picture of favorites, surprises and disappointments that will now be tested.

America Leads, But Without New Signings

The Eagles sit atop the table in their first season without Andre Jardine on the bench. Guillermo Almada took charge of the team and, after a start that had fans on edge (a narrow win over Gallos and a draw against Atlante), answered with a 3-0 rout right before the break that earned them first place. Still, the blue and cream squad returns to league action without any significant reinforcements to bolster the roster, something many had expected the club to sort out during these weeks off.

Right behind them sits Tijuana, which capitalized on home advantage with two wins to open the tournament and closed out Matchday 3 with a scoreless draw against Atletico San Luis. That record was enough for the Xolos to settle into second place, a spot few would have predicted before the tournament kicked off.

Toluca Gets Its Scorer Back, Cruz Azul Looks to Recover

Third place belongs to Toluca, which won two of its first three matches and lost only to Pumas. The Red Devils were without Paulinho for that stretch due to a muscle issue, but the forward has since recovered and will be available when action resumes.

On the other side of the coin is Cruz Azul. The Clausura 2026 champion went into the break with a loss to Atlante, the first stumble for Joel Huiqui at the helm of the Cementeros. It is not the way a defending champion wants to show up after a short vacation.

Queretaro, for its part, got off to a better start than expected with six points out of a possible nine, thanks in large part to the scoring of Ali Avila, who has three goals and ranks among the tournament's top scorers.

Chivas Lacking Rhythm, Tigres Without Pizarro

Chivas, meanwhile, lost some of the momentum it carried over from Clausura 2026. The club sent more players than any other to the Mexican National Team at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but that return of national team players has yet to translate into results: Chivas lost to Toluca in the opener, edged Juarez by a single goal, and drew with Puebla.

Atlas did surprise early on thanks to its new signings, with wins over Leon and Santos, though that momentum stalled with a 2-0 loss to Monterrey. That is the very team Tigres will visit as it returns to league play without Guido Pizarro on the bench. A draw and two losses in the first three matchdays, combined with a lack of reinforcements, ultimately cost the coach his job, and now Hernan Elizondo will take over on an interim basis this weekend while the club searches for its next manager.

Pumas, meanwhile, had a better start in the domestic tournament than in the Leagues Cup: two wins and a loss have the club sitting in fourth place, highlighted by a 5-1 rout of Juarez, its best showing through Matchday 3.