Puebla vs Chivas: Liga MX Apertura 2026 Jornada 3 preview

The Mexican football league, Liga MX, is gearing up for an important clash on Friday, July 31, as Puebla hosts Chivas in Jornada 3 of the Apertura 2026 season. The match, scheduled at the Estadio Cuauhtémoc, pits two teams with identical points against each other, making the outcome significant for their playoff aspirations.

Puebla, also known as 'La Franja,' enters the game needing a victory to rebound from their previous defeat against Cruz Azul. Despite the setback, their opening-day win against FC Juárez has kept them within reach of the Liguilla, the league's postseason tournament.

Chivas, officially Club Deportivo Guadalajara, arrives at this fixture having secured their first three points of the season with a narrow 1-0 win over FC Juárez, thanks to a late goal from Roberto Alvarado. This win came after an initial loss in their season debut against Toluca. This game marks the first away match for Chivas under coach Gabriel Milito.

Both Puebla and Chivas are eager to climb the league table. A win for either side would place them among the top eight teams, a crucial position for qualifying for the Liguilla. The stakes are high, as demonstrated by Chivas' dominant 5-0 victory over Puebla in their last encounter and Chivas' current streak of three consecutive league wins.