17 Jul 2026
How to Read the Liga MX Table: Apertura, Clausura, Playoffs and the Coefficient
Liga MX runs two separate league tournaments each season: the Apertura and Clausura. Each has its own table, playoff bracket and champion, while the separate coefficient table tracks results across several tournaments.
Apertura and Clausura are separate standings
Liga MX divides its season into two 17-match regular seasons. The Apertura is usually played in the second half of the calendar year, and the Clausura follows in the first half of the next year. Every club starts each tournament on zero points. The Apertura table does not carry into the Clausura table, so finishing first in one does not give a club points or a playoff advantage in the other.
How points and table positions work
A win gives three points, a draw gives one and a loss gives zero. The table normally lists matches played, wins, draws, losses, goals scored, goals conceded, goal difference and points. Clubs are ranked first by points. If clubs finish level on points, Liga MX applies tiebreakers set out in its competition rules. These usually begin with goal difference, then goals scored, then results between the tied clubs. Further criteria can include away goals, coefficient-table position, fair-play records and, if needed, a draw. For a tie involving more than two clubs, the league can use a mini-table of their relevant matches.
Who reaches the Liga MX playoffs
The top 10 clubs in the regular-season table reach the postseason, known as the Liguilla. Positions one to six qualify directly for the quarter-finals. Clubs in seventh through 10th enter the Play-In. Seventh hosts eighth, and the winner takes the seventh quarter-final seed. Ninth hosts 10th, with the loser eliminated. The loser of the seventh-versus-eighth match then hosts the winner of ninth versus 10th for the eighth seed. Play-In matches must produce a winner, so a draw goes to a penalty shootout.
How seeding affects the Liguilla
The quarter-finals pair first against eighth, second against seventh, third against sixth and fourth against fifth. Quarter-finals and semi-finals are generally played over two legs. If the aggregate score is level after those rounds, the higher-ranked club from the regular-season table advances. The final is also played over two legs, but an aggregate tie is decided on the field under the final’s tie rules, usually extra time and penalties. Regular-season position therefore matters even after a club has qualified.
What the relegation coefficient table measures
The coefficient table, often called the tabla de cociente, is separate from the Apertura and Clausura standings. It is a rolling average: a club’s points across the relevant recent tournaments are divided by its matches played in those tournaments. It has commonly covered the latest six tournaments, or three seasons. For example, 150 points from 102 matches produces a coefficient of 1.471. A club that has played fewer tournaments is calculated using its own matches played, which can make its coefficient move faster.
Coefficient rules and the current relegation situation
Liga MX historically used the lowest coefficient to determine relegation to Liga de Expansión MX. Sporting relegation and promotion have been suspended under the league’s current system, so the bottom coefficient positions do not automatically send a club down. Instead, the lowest-ranked clubs can face financial sanctions set by the league, while the money is directed toward development and certification measures in the lower division. The exact number of sanctioned places, payment amounts and any return of promotion and relegation depend on the regulations issued for each season. The coefficient still matters because it can affect sanctions and can appear among the final tiebreaking criteria for the regular-season table.
Analysis: pksport · our methodology
Analysis based on public data and market signals. For analysis only — not betting advice.