Liga Mx: Schedules and stakes for Jornada 9 of Clausura 2026
Who: Cruz Azul and Pumas headline a crucial Jornada 9; what: a double date of Clausura 2026 matches that can reshape the table; when/where: fixtures fall across March 3 and March 4 at venues including Estadio Olímpico Universitario and Estadio Hidalgo. This stretch will put form and momentum on display in the liga mx.
Immediate fixtures and kickoff times (ET)
Kickoff times below are listed in Eastern Time (ET). Schedules and stadium assignments for the two-match window are as follows:
- Tuesday, March 3 — 20: 00 ET — Estadio Hidalgo
- Tuesday, March 3 — 20: 00 ET — Estadio Corona
- Tuesday, March 3 — 22: 00 ET — Estadio Libertad Financiera
- Tuesday, March 3 — 22: 10 ET — Estadio Olímpico Universitario (Pumas vs Toluca)
- Wednesday, March 4 — 20: 00 ET — Estadio Cuauhtémoc
- Wednesday, March 4 — 20: 00 ET — Estadio BBVA
- Wednesday, March 4 — 22: 00 ET — Estadio Jalisco
Liga Mx: Leaders and the unbeaten chase
Cruz Azul closed the previous round as leader of the Torneo Clausura 2026 after a 0-2 victory over Monterrey; Chivas dropped points in a loss to Toluca. Pumas stand out as the only team unbeaten after eight rounds and will defend that mark at Estadio Olímpico Universitario when they host Toluca, a club described in tournament coverage as bicampeón and also unbeaten in the competition so far.
Historical matchups feed the narrative: Pumas have lost only once to Toluca in the last nine meetings, a record the hosts will lean on as they aim to preserve their run. Cruz Azul’s victory over Monterrey carried them to the top, but the table remains fluid through this double date.
Monterrey enters the window amid a managerial change: the club dismissed coach Domenec Torrent and appointed Nicolás Sánchez as the new manager. Sánchez, a former defender and former auxiliary coach, is set to debut against Querétaro and will be supported on the bench by Walter Erviti and Severo Meza. Under Torrent, Monterrey sat ninth in the standings with the eighth-ranked offense and the eighth-ranked defense at home indicated by a home ledger of one win, one draw and two defeats; the club’s immediate aim is stabilization under Sánchez.
What’s next
The double date will determine immediate momentum. In Ciudad Universitaria one of the only two remaining invictos is expected to fall when Pumas host Toluca, a matchup that will test whether the unbeaten run is a reality or an illusion. Monterrey’s Sánchez will seek a positive debut at home to Querétaro and, if victorious, the club will move into a qualification zone — a timely lift ahead of a scheduled continental meeting with Cruz Azul next Tuesday in the CONCACAF champions competition.
Expect table movement and tactical shifts across the fixtures listed above; final placements after these rounds will set the tone for the next phase of the Clausura. Watch closely how these matchups reshape the liga mx picture over the coming days.
