The Tijuana Xolos will begin their Liga MX 2025 Apertura season this Friday, July 11. The Border City Dogs will host Queretaro at the Estadio Caliente to begin the new campaign.

Club Tijuana had a woeful 2025 Clausura season, finishing 13th in the competition with 19 points. The Xoloitzcuintles did end the campaign on a three-game winning streak, defeating San Luis, Mazatlan, and Santos Laguna.

This was under the leadership of interim manager Cirilo  Saucedo and the guidance of current manager Sebastian Abreu during the training sessions. This is Abreu’s most high-profile job to date, and this is set to be a challenge for the Uruguayan manager.

The Aztec Canines have had a relatively busy transfer window as they lost Efrain Alvarez and are set to lose star striker Raul Zuniga. The Colombian striker was the joint top scorer in the Liga MX 2025 Clausura regular season with 12 goals scored. Zuniga is set to join Club America, and this is set to be a massive absence for the Xolos this season.

The star player for Club Tijuana is clearly 16-year-old Gilberto Mora Jr., who was a revelation for Mexico in the latest Gold Cup. Mexico defeated the USMNT in the Gold Cup final, and Mora was a starter for El Tri throughout the knockout stage of the tournament.

Mora rejoined Club Tijuana from his international stint this past Wednesday, July 9, and will be available for this opening match.

There are some new faces with Club Tijuana, and perhaps the most notable in the attack is Adonis Preciado. The Ecuadorian forward scored four goals and provided an assist playing primarily as a winger for Queretaro last season.

Preciado offers plenty of speed down the wings that has the potential to be valuable for this Tijuana offense going forward.

Queretaro is also coming off a rough 2025 Clausura campaign, finishing 12th on the Liga MX table. Tijuana native Benjamin Mora is currently in charge of Los Gallos Blancos and will be looking to start the campaign successfully in his hometown.

Mora was in charge of this team when the two squads last faced off last season. Club Tijuana came away with a 2-1 win at home under the leadership of former manager Juan Carlos Osorio.

Like most recent seasons, this start of the 2025 Apertura is set to be a bit of a transitional phase for the Xoloitzcuintles. However, this is a crucial home game to try and get a positive start to the new campaign.

Francisco Velasco

Francisco, 28, Chula Vista/Tijuana. I have been a Padres fan all my life, did most of the series previews and recaps in the Padres’ 2016 season for EVT. Now I focus more on the local soccer scene. Tijuana Xolos, San Diego FC, San Diego Wave. I have covered Liga MX, MLS, Mexico National Team, USWNT, Copa América and European clubs like Manchester United and Borussia Dortmund.