26 Aug 2026
How the Liga MX works: format, standings and Liguilla
Liga MX is contested in two tournaments each season: the Apertura and Clausura. Find out about the regular season, play-in, quarter-finals and how the Mexican champion is decided.
The season is split into the Apertura and Clausura
Liga MX holds two tournaments each season. The Apertura usually takes place in the second half of the year, while the Clausura is played in the first half of the following year. Each tournament has its own champion, and the standings reset at the start of every edition.
How the regular season works
The competition features 18 clubs. Each team plays 17 matches in the regular season, facing every other side once. A win is worth three points, a draw one and a defeat none. At the end of this stage, teams are ranked by points, with tie-breakers including goal difference and goals scored.
What is the play-in?
Under the current format, the top six teams advance directly to the quarter-finals. The teams finishing seventh to tenth contest the play-in for the remaining two places. Seventh plays eighth, with the winner claiming one place. The loser then faces the winner of the tie between ninth and tenth for the final spot.
How the Liguilla works
The Liguilla is Liga MX’s knockout phase. It begins with the quarter-finals, followed by the semi-finals and the final. Ties are played over two legs. In each tie, the higher-ranked team from the regular season usually has home advantage in the second leg and, if the aggregate score is level, advances under the tournament rules. In the final, if the scores are level after both matches, extra time is played and, if necessary, the winner is decided on penalties.
Is there relegation in Liga MX?
The promotion and relegation system is suspended in Liga MX. Clubs are not directly relegated to Liga de Expansión MX. Instead, teams can be required to pay fines determined by a cumulative performance table covering several seasons. The admission of new clubs also depends on the league’s rules and licensing requirements.
How a club becomes champion
The champion of each tournament is the winner of the Liguilla final. Liga MX therefore normally has two champions each season: one from the Apertura and one from the Clausura. These titles also affect subsequent competitions, such as the Campeón de Campeones, which brings together the winners of the two tournaments.
Related pre-match analysis
Keep reading
Analysis: PK Sport · our methodology
Analysis based on public data and market signals. For analysis only — not betting advice.