Liga MX Clausura 2026 Final: Cruz Azul vs Pumas UNAM

The Liga MX Clausura 2026 final is set: Cruz Azul against Pumas UNAM, with the first leg on May 21 and the decisive second leg on May 24 at Estadio Olímpico Universitario in Mexico City.

The finalists were confirmed on Sunday night. Pumas eliminated Pachuca 1-0 in the second leg of their semifinal at Ciudad Universitaria, advancing on aggregate after Jordan Carrillo's free kick delivered the goal the universitarios had to have. Cruz Azul had already punched through, dismissing Chivas 4-3 on aggregate in a semifinal that knocked out one of the tournament's presumed favorites.

Two title droughts. Two historic clubs. One trophy.

Cruz Azul last won the Liga MX championship in the Clausura 2021 — their ninth title, a crown that ended more than 20 years of near-misses. A tenth would be a milestone. Coach Joel Huiqui has steadied La Máquina into a functional knockout-round outfit: defensively organized, willing to grind. Their semifinal against Chivas was decided by margins and set pieces. That profile suits a two-leg final.

Pumas carry a 15-year drought. Their last Liga MX title was the Clausura 2011. Coach Efraín Juárez has built this run around goalkeeper Keylor Navas — a postseason operator with Champions League pedigree — and a compact, patient defensive structure that has absorbed pressure throughout the Liguilla without breaking. The Pachuca semifinal was the template: disciplined, low-scoring, decided by a single set piece in front of their own crowd.

The venue matters. Estadio Olímpico Universitario hosts the second leg and is already designated as a 2026 World Cup stadium. Cruz Azul cannot use Estadio Banorte — it has been transferred to FIFA for World Cup preparations — removing what would have been a meaningful home advantage from their side of the bracket.

The championship window: May 21, May 24. The answer comes with the summer.