Liga MX schedule adopts new playoffs structure

The 2023 La Liga MX Apertura Tournament is in its closing stages.

There is one remaining place for either Santos Laguna or Club Leon to join the seven teams that have qualified for the ‘Liguilla’/Quarter-Finals.

The first six places were decided on league position, with America, Monterrey, Tigres, Pumas, Chivas and Puebla securing those spots.

The remaining two places are to be decided through the Play In.

The first place was decided when seventh-placed Atletico San Luis defeated eighth-placed Club Leon. Club Leon still have an opportunity to qualify as they face Santos Laguna, who defeated Mazatlan in the 9th vs 10th placed game.

The winner of this game tonight will qualify for the ‘Liguilla’/Quarter-Final.

What are the format changes for the Liga MX playoffs?

Meanwhile, January 12, 2024, is when the 2024 Clausura season of Liga MX will begin.

Every season, the Leagues Cup causes a delay in the start compared to when it normally starts. Teams from Liga MX and Major League Soccer will compete in a unique event formatted like a mini-league.

Beginning on July 21 and concluding on August 19, the Leagues Cup will take place.

There are only 37 days before the 2023 Clausura ends and the Apertura begins, giving the clubs a little time to get their teams and address any issues that may have arisen during the Clausura.

Moreover, a new playoff system will determine the winners of the Apertura 2023 competition, which has altered its qualifying requirements.

Recent seasons have seen a ‘Repechaje’/Reclassification qualification round for clubs who finished fifth through twelfth in the league. That way, the top four teams advance straight to the ‘Liguilla’/Quarter-Finals.

Starting with the Guardianes 2020 season, the owner’s assembly voted to change the ‘Liguilla’ qualifying. There are now six teams instead of four that go straight to the Quarter-Finals. The ‘Repechaje’/Reclassification round was also adjusted to mirror the NBA’s “play-in” round by reducing the number of clubs that may participate from eight to four.

An elimination game between the ninth and tenth-placed teams will be played. The seventh seed plays host to the eighth seed in a double-chance game; the victor gets to keep the seventh seed. To decide who will be seeded eighth, the team that finishes last will play host to the victor of the elimination match between the ninth and tenth-place teams.

There were four one-off matches between those eight clubs: fifth vs. twelve, sixth vs. eleven, seventh vs. ten, and eighth vs. nine. That concludes the group of Semi-Finalists. So, almost every one of the 18 clubs in the league had something to play for right up to the last week of the season, and the group that finished 12th had a shot at winning it all.

New feature unveiled for Apertura 2023

Eleventh and twelfth-place finishes are no longer sufficient to have a chance at glory under the new structure, which is rather harsher on those in the lower half of the standings.

Six clubs from each league now go straight to the quarterfinals, leaving only two spaces available in the new play-in round.

To determine who advances to the quarterfinals, the seventh-place club plays host to the eighth-place team.

For the last spot in the quarterfinals, the team that finishes last in that match will host the victor of the match between the ninth and tenth-place teams.

Only last-place Necaxa have already decided they will not be participating in the end-of-season action since most teams still have two games remaining. Nothing is out of reach for anyone else at this point.

Photo credit: IMAGO / Agencia-MexSport