47 days after Toluca ended their 15-year wait for a Liga MX title, Mexican football comes back around for another enthralling campaign, set for dramatic ups and downs to determine who will get their paws on the Apertura and Clausura titles for the 2025/26 season.
Los Diablos Rojos brought an end to Club América’s run of three consecutive titles, with Antonio Mohamed’s side holding firm to deny them in the Clausura final despite a strong effort from Las Águilas.
As for the rest of the league, we have seen some shock departures and some even more surprising arrivals, with almost half of the 18 teams in the league switching things up at the top to improve their chances of success this season.
These are the key managerial incomings that you need to watch out for in the Liga MX Apertura 2025:
Atlético de San Luis - Guille Abascal
One of the more unknown names to Mexican football fans, Guille Abascal, will be taking his first steps into Mexican football this weekend, signing for Atlético de San Luis after spending eight years managing in Europe.
Since diving into management in 2017, Abascal has worked in five countries: Switzerland, Italy, Greece, Russia and his native Spain before being offered the chance to replace Doménec Torrent, who switched San Luis for Monterrey this summer.
The 36-year-old is still searching for his first piece of silverware, with his best achievement taking Spartak Moscow to a third-place finish in the Russian Premier League in 2023.
Chivas Guadalajara - Gabriel Milito
It's now eight years since Chivas sat at the top of Mexican football, calling for another roll of the dice as Gabriel Milito became the 12th man to take charge since Matías Almeyda left in 2018.
As a former defender in his playing days, Milito made 84 appearances for Barcelona before returning to his boyhood Independiente, in Argentina to end his 15-year career.
In his 12 years as a manager, the 44-year-old has managed in Argentina, Brazil and Chile, and is another new name to Mexican fans.
Whilst his trophy cabinet as a player is full of big honours, including two La Liga titles and a UEFA Champions League medal in 2011, Milito has just one managerial trophy to his name so far: the 2024 Campeonato Mineiro, which he won with Atlético Mineiro.
Cruz Azul - Nicolás Larcamón
Joining the reigning Concacaf Champions Cup winners, Nicolás Larcamón is another Argentine in Mexico, making the switch from Necaxa to Cruz Azul.
Larcamón arrived to Mexico in January and took Necaxa to the Clausura playoff's before a narrow loss to Tigres ended any hopes of silverware.
Despite not going further in the Clausura, Larcamón turned Los Rayos into one of the most entertaining teams in the league, scoring the second most number of goals of any team in the league, only beaten by eventual winners Toluca.
Larcamón has a big challenge ahead with La Máquina. Not only are Cruz Azul set to compete in the Intercontinental Cup this winter, potentially facing giants like PSG, but they've also reached three of the last four league semi-finals without lifting the trophy. With their last league title coming in 2021, fans are growing increasingly impatient for silverware.
Monterrey - Doménec Torrent
Unlike many of the names on the list, Doménec Torrent is one of the few managers who has had the chance to get some experience with his new team, taking them to the FIFA Club World Cup. Guiding Los Rayados to the round of 16, his side ended up being one of the best surprise packages of the competition, securing draws against Inter Milan and River Plate before destroying Urawa Red Diamonds 4-0. Their competition came crashing down when they lost 2-1 to Borussia Dortmund, but it was a positive tournament for the new boss.
Torrent packed his bags from San Luis after taking them to the 2024 Apertura semi-final, albeit failing to make the Clausura playoffs with a 15th-place finish.
The Spanish manager’s first league test comes on the opening weekend, as he takes his side to Hidalgo to face Pachuca, Mexico’s other representative at the Club World Cup.
Necaxa - Fernando Gago
Returning to Mexican football, Fernando Gago is back nine months after a dramatic exit from Chivas to manage his boyhood Boca Juniors.
Under Gago, Boca failed to reach the Copa Libertadores after a shock penalty shootout loss to Peruvian side Alianza Lima. The loss put the former Real Madrid midfielder under pressure, but six wins from seven seemed to put him in good stead before a Superclásico loss to River Plate, being the nail in Gago's coffin.
Two months after receiving the sack in Argentina, Necaxa came knocking to present Gago with a chance to replace fellow Argentine Nicolas Larcamón, who joined Cruz Azul.
Life in Aguascalientes doesn't start easy for the new manager who will take his squad to the Estadio Nemesio Diez to face the title holders Toluca.
Pachuca - Jaime Lozano
Like Torrent, Jaime Lozano has had some time to get to know his squad, having taken Los Tuzos to the FIFA Club World Cup. On the surface, the former Mexico manager's first job paints a bleak picture, but the performances were much more encouraging, going toe-to-toe with RB Salzburg, whilst failing to make the most of their chances on goal against Real Madrid and Al Hilal.
Lozano formerly managed the national team, guiding Mexico to the 2023 Gold Cup with a 1-0 win in the final against Panama. Twelve months later, El Trí struggled on the international stage, failing to break out of the Copa América group with Venezuela, Ecuador and Jamaica, ultimately leading to Lozano's dismissal.
Having previously managed Querétaro and Necaxa, Lozano's greatest achievement to date came with Los Gallos, where he led them to the 2017 Supercopa MX with a 2-0 win against Club América, marking one of the club's most memorable moments.
Tijuana - Sebastián Abreu
Los Xolos appointed Uruguayan Sebastián Abreu as manager this summer, replacing the much-loved Juan Carlos Osorio.
Nicknamed 'El Loco', Abreu made 70 appearances for his country over a 16 year playing career.
As a manager, he started with Boston River in Uruguay before taking over the fittingly-named Always Ready in Bolivia. In more recent times Abreu has gained experience in Peru and spent last in the Liga de Expansión with Dorados de Sinaloa.
Abreu's first call to order is against Querétaro at the Estadio Caliente, a game which many of the locals will be expecting a comfortable three points to start the new season.
Which of these managers will have the best career with their new clubs in your opinion? Let us know!