Which Liga MX Playoff Teams Are Most Affected by Mexico’s 2026 World Cup Roster?

El Tri has taken some key players at the worst possible time for a number of Liga MX clubs.

Mexico’s World Cup preparations have weakened a number of Liga MX teams. | Emiliano Morales/Jam Media/Agustin Cuevas/Mauricio Salas/Getty Images

The Liga MX Clausura 2026 sees eight teams battling to decide the champion of Mexican soccer. But a number of teams will have to overcome some significant absences and the Mexico national team’s 2026 World Cup preparations are to blame.

Less than 48 hours after the conclusion of the Clausura 2026 regular season, Mexico manager Javier Aguirre announced a list of 12 Liga MX players that will be included in El Tri’s 2026 World Cup roster.

Ten of the players included on Aguirre’s list play for Liga MX clubs that are participating in the Clausura 2026 playoffs. However, as was agreed upon prior to the start of the season, these 10 players won’t feature in the playoffs and instead reported with El Tri to start training under Aguirre’s orders when Mexico’s World Cup camp starts on May 6.

As a result, some of the best players in Liga MX are missing the climax of the campaign, giving their clubs major headaches as they work on trying to mitigate their absences with worthy replacements.

Some teams, though, were impacted significantly more than others.

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Liga MX Playoff Teams Most Affected By Mexico World Cup Roster

Roberto Alvarado (left) and Armando González (middle) are Chivas’s two best attackers. | Leopoldo Smith/Getty Images

Mexico National Team Players That Will Miss Liga MX Clausura 2026 Playoffs

Player	Team	Position
Raúl Rangel	Chivas	Goalkeeper
Luis Romo	Chivas	Midfielder
Brian Gutiérrez	Chivas	Midfielder
Roberto Alvarado	Chivas	Midfielder
Armando González	Chivas	Forward
Jesús Gallardo	Toluca	Defender
Alexis Vega	Toluca	Forward
Israel Reyes	Club América	Defender
Erik Lira	Cruz Azul	Midfielder
Guillermo Martínez	Pumas	Forward

Gabriel Milito’s Chivas have been completely dismantled by Aguirre and El Tri, with the Argentine boss now having to replace five players—by far the most of any team—for the playoffs. Chivas finished second in the standings because of goal difference, but they were unquestionably the most consistently good team throughout the season.

Between the team’s stellar form under Milito and their historic rule of only having Mexican players in their ranks, Los Rojiblancos became the biggest source of talent for El Tri in 2026. Chivas can be proud that they are once again the base of Mexico’s World Cup roster, but there’s no denying that their chances of lifting their 13th Liga MX title have drastically deteriorated.

Reigning back-to-back champions Toluca are the second most affected team. With left back and captain Jesús Gallardo and playmaker Alexis Vega gone, Antonio Mohamed will have to deploy a makeshift left flank during the playoffs. Still, Los Diablos Rojos have serviceable replacements as well as plenty of other difference-making talents, and it could’ve been much worse had Marcel Ruiz or Everardo López been included on the list.

The trio of Mexico City powerhouses, Club América, Cruz Azul and Pumas are the only other teams impacted by Aguirre’s list, with each team losing one player. América will have to make do without starting center back Israel Reyes, while Cruz Azul won’t be able to call upon midfield–center back hybrid Erik Lira.

Top-seeded Pumas, however, will feel confident in their ability to replace towering striker Guillermo Martínez, given he only started three of the 17 games of the regular season.

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The Three Liga MX Playoff Teams Not Impacted By Mexico World Cup Roster

Tigres’s Diego Lainez was mysteriously erased from the Mexico national team in recent months. | Hugo Rivera/Jam Media/Getty Images

Pachuca, Atlas and Tigres are the three teams in the Clausura 2026 playoffs that will remain at full strength, unbothered by Aguirre’s list.

Atlas boast a modest roster but Diego Cocca’s side are stout defensively and will look to upset Cruz Azul after a narrow 3–2 defeat in the first leg of their quarterfinal tie.

Pachuca, on the other hand, never expected to lose any players because their foreign talents are the foundation of their title aspirations. With former Chelsea player Kenedy, Venezuela international Salomón Rondón and Ecuador’s all-time leading goalscorer Enner Valencia leading the way, Pachuca will like their chances against Toluca.

But no team got a better roll of the dice than Tigres. Not only did Aguirre omit starters Jesús Angulo and star winger Diego Lainez from the list, but they get to face the depleted Chivas in the quarterfinals. Finalists last season, everything seems to have aligned for Tigres to finish the job in the Clausura 2026.

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