Necaxa vs Atlante - prediction, team news, lineups

Necaxa and Atlante volition get the 2026 Liga MX Apertura play underway erstwhile they clash astatine Estadio Victoria connected Friday morning.

The hosts finished 13th successful 2025, portion the visitors are backmost successful the top-flight for the archetypal clip since 2013-14.

Match preview

Necaxa person endured a challenging fewer seasons since past securing a playoff spot successful Liga MX Apertura successful 2022-23. 

Los Rayos person subsequently finished 18th, 13th and 13th successful the past 3 seasons, and they volition beryllium hoping for a stronger run this clip around.

Necaxa did person a hard extremity to the Liga MX Clausura term, winning lone 2 of their past 11 matches, seeing them driblet to a 15th-placed finish. 

However, Martin Varini's squad did spell connected to bask an encouraging pre-season campaign, beating Club Atletico Morelia (1-0), Correcaminos UAT (6-3) and drafting with Atlas FC (0-0). 

The hosts, alongside boasting the location advantage, volition besides caput into the lucifer arsenic the favourites against the newly-promoted Atlante. 

Atlante were relegated from the apical part successful 2013-14 but person secured their instrumentality aft the league's owners approved the acquisition of franchise rights from Mazatlan FC - with Atlante taking their spot successful Liga MX. 

Ahead of their instrumentality to the Liga MX stage, Atlante failed to acquisition a beardown pre-season, remaining winless successful their 4 affable fixtures. 

Atlante mislaid to Juarez (2-0) earlier drafting with New Mexico United (3-3) - though they went connected to triumph 5-4 connected penalties - Monterrey (1-1) and Toluca (3-3).

Necaxa volition besides gully assurance from their astir caller meetings against Atlante, winning each of their past six encounters crossed each competitions.

Necaxa signifier (friendlies):

W W D

Atlante signifier (friendlies):

L D D D

Team News

Necaxa volition beryllium without the availability of Julian Carranza owed to an ongoing limb injury, with the guardant not expected to instrumentality until August.

Tomas Badaloni scored 3 goals successful his last 5 Liga MX Clausura matches, and the in-form striker should pb the enactment connected Friday.

Meanwhile, Atlante are incapable to telephone upon defender Francisco Reyes owed to suspension, portion the remainder of the squad should beryllium disposable for selection.

Miguel Herrera, who returned to negociate Atlante for the 3rd clip successful April 2026, is apt to line-up successful his preferred five-defender system, with a imaginable backline of Walter Portales, Nicolas Carrera, Eduardo Tercero, Diogo Bagui and Walter Clar.

Necaxa imaginable starting lineup:

Jimenez; Martinez, Ochoa, Pena, Oliveros; Leyva, Faravelli; Rosero, Torres, Monreal; Badaloni

Atlante imaginable starting lineup:

Jimenez; Portales, Carrera, Tercero, Bagui, Clar; Julio, Meza, Pizzuto, Calzadilla; Puente

We say: Necaxa 2-1 Atlante

Atlante volition beryllium highly motivated to unafraid a effect successful their archetypal crippled backmost successful Liga MX, but Necaxa are surely the stronger squad connected insubstantial and boast a formidable caller grounds successful this fixture, starring america to expect a location win.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.