Apertura 2026 opener sees young debuts for América and Querétaro

In the opening match of the Apertura 2026 tournament, Club América defeated Querétaro 1‑0. Forward Alejandro Cárdenas Alonso, a Yucatecan player, made his official Liga MX debut for América, entering in the 90th minute as a substitute for Henry Martín.

Querétaro also introduced a teenager, Juan Carlos Martínez, who came on in stoppage time at 16 years, 4 months and six days old. His appearance made him the sixth‑youngest player ever to debut in Mexico’s top division. The match, highlighted by Isaías Violante’s earlier goal for América, marked a notable start for both clubs and underscored a growing trend of giving game time to youthful talent.