Who are the referees in the Apertura 2025 play-in? The lowdown on the Liga MX officials

With the FIFA international break now behind us, Liga MX action resumes with the play-in matches that will determine who advances to the Apertura 2025 playoffs. Just days before kickoff, the Referees Commission has announced the officials assigned to these crucial games.

Tijuana vs FC Juárez (Thursday, Nov. 20, 10:00 p.m. ET)

At Estadio Caliente, the match referee will be Marco Antonio Ortiz Nava, assisted on the sidelines by Christian Kiabek Espinoza and Michel Alejandro Morales. Maximiliano Quintero will serve as the fourth official, while Erick Yair Miranda and Jorge Camacho will oversee the action from the VAR booth.

Pachuca vs Pumas (Thursday, Nov. 20, 8:00 p.m. ET)

For this matchup, Luis Enrique Santander will take charge as the head referee. The assistant referees are Michel Ricardo Espinoza and Erik Durón Martínez, with Vicente Reynoso acting as the fourth official. VAR duties will be handled by Guillermo Pacheco and Michel Caballero.

The winner of the Tijuana vs Juárez clash will secure a direct spot in the playoff quarter-finals. The loser will get one more shot, facing off against the victor of the Pumas vs Pachuca showdown.

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