With one matchday remaining in the Liga MX Apertura 2022 regular season there is plenty left to be decided before the liguilla playoffs begin Oct. 5 and 6.
The biggest stakes are in the battle for the last available bye to the quarterfinals (between Santos Laguna and Tigres UANL). Also, the last two spots in the playoffs are up for grabs with five teams still in the hunt.
But the teams that have already clinched playoff spots also need to win to ensure the highest possible seeding, which determines playoff opponents and/or whether clubs get to host a first-round match. The higher a club finishes, the more favorable matchups on paper await.
Here’s a breakdown of what’s at stake between Friday and Sunday in the final matchday of the Liga MX regular season:
- Fourth place (and a first-round bye): Santos Laguna currently occupy fourth place, but Tigres UANL are just three points behind. Santos can clinch with a win or draw at home on Sunday, but they’ll be hosting a Mazatlan team that could have plenty to play for.
- Last two spots in the play-in round (repechaje): Five clubs — Necaxa, Atletico San Luis, Mazatlan, Juarez, Tijuana — are vying for a berth. Necaxa and San Luis start the weekend in the driver’s seat: Win and they’re in.
- Seeding: All 12 playoff seeds are up for grabs. Even the No. 1 seed can change hands if Monterrey win and Club America trip up.
MORE: All-time list of Liga MX champions
Liga MX 2022 schedule (Matchday 17)
The schedule of matches for the final regular-season matchday:
| Date | Match | Time (ET) | TV Channels | Streaming |
| Fri., Sept. 30 | Puebla vs Club America | 8 p.m. | TUDN | fuboTV |
| Fri., Sept. 30 | FC Juarez vs Pumas UNAM | 10 p.m. | Fox Deportes | fuboTV |
| Sat., Oct. 1 | San Luis vs. Tigres UANL | 6 p.m. | — | ViX+ |
| Sat., Oct. 1 | Monterrey vs. Pachuca | 6 p.m. | ESPN Deportes | fuboTV |
| Sat., Oct. 1 | Atlas vs. Necaxa | 8 p.m. | Univision, TUDN | fuboTV, ViX+ |
| Sat., Oct. 1 | Cruz Azul vs. Chivas | 10 p.m. | Univision, TUDN | fuboTV, ViX+ |
| Sun., Oct. 2 | Toluca vs. Queretaro | 1 p.m. | Univision, TUDN | fuboTV, ViX+ |
| Sun., Oct. 2 | Santos Laguna vs. Mazatlan | 7 p.m. | Fox Deportes | fuboTV |
| Sun., Oct. 2 | Club Leon vs. Tijuana | 9 p.m. | TUDN | fuboTV |
Liga MX Apertura 2022 table
The standings below are based on points collected during the 17 games of the regular season: three points for a win, one for a draw, none for a loss.
If teams are tied on points, the first tiebreakers are goal difference and then goals scored (if necessary). The full list of tiebreakers is outlined in the official rules (Page 9).
Updated as of Sept. 30, 2022
| Pos. | Team | PTS | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Club America-X | 35 | 16 | 11 | 2 | 3 | 36 | 16 | +20 |
| 2. | Monterrey-X | 34 | 16 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 29 | 13 | +16 |
| 3. | Pachuca-X | 31 | 16 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 28 | 15 | +13 |
| 4. | Santos Laguna | 30 | 16 | 9 | 3 | 4 | 35 | 21 | +14 |
| 5. | Tigres UANL-Y | 27 | 16 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 21 | 14 | +7 |
| 6. | Toluca-Y | 24 | 16 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 23 | 22 | +1 |
| 7. | Puebla-Y | 22 | 16 | 4 | 10 | 2 | 24 | 21 | +3 |
| 8. | Chivas-Y | 22 | 16 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 18 | 15 | +3 |
| 9. | Club Leon-Y | 21 | 16 | 6 | 3 | 7 | 23 | 27 | -4 |
| 10. | Cruz Azul-Y | 21 | 16 | 6 | 3 | 7 | 24 | 33 | -9 |
| 11. | Necaxa | 19 | 16 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 19 | 25 | -6 |
| 12. | Atl. San Luis | 18 | 16 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 15 | 20 | -5 |
| 13. | Mazatlan | 17 | 16 | 3 | 8 | 5 | 17 | 21 | -4 |
| 14. | FC Juarez | 16 | 16 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 14 | 17 | -3 |
| 15. | Club Tijuana | 16 | 16 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 16 | 28 | -12 |
| 16. | Pumas UNAM-E | 14 | 16 | 2 | 8 | 6 | 20 | 28 | -8 |
| 17. | Atlas-E | 10 | 16 | 2 | 4 | 10 | 15 | 27 | -12 |
| 18. | Queretaro-E | 9 | 16 | 1 | 6 | 9 | 17 | 31 | -14 |
(PTS=Points. GP=Games Played. W=Wins. D=Draws. L=Losses. GF=Goals for. GA=Goals against. GD=Goal Difference.)
- X = Qualified for quarterfinals
- Y = Qualified for play-in (repechaje)
- E = Eliminated
How Liga MX Liguilla 2022 works
Twelve teams make the playoffs, with the top four seeds advancing directly to the quarterfinals. The other eight teams play a single-elimination play-in round (the Repechaje in Spanish). If there is a draw after 90 minutes, the teams go directly to a penalty shootout.
The four teams that survive the play-in round will face the top four seeds in the quarterfinals. Those matchups are played over two legs, as is the rest of the playoffs, including the final.
The team that scores the most goals over the two legs advances. If teams are level on total goals after the second leg, the higher seed advances in the quarters and semis. That rule disappears for the final. Extra time and penalties (if necessary) would be used to determine a champion.
- Play-in matches (Repechaje): Oct. 8-9 (single elimination)
- Quarterfinals: Oct. 12-13 (First leg) & Oct. 15-16 (Second leg)
- Semifinals: Oct. 19-20 (First leg) & Oct. 22-23 (Second leg)
- Final: Oct. 27 (First leg) & Oct. 30 (Second leg)
Play-In matches (Repechaje)
| Date | Match | Time (ET) | TV | Streaming |
| Sat./Sun., Oct. 8/9 | No. 5 vs. No. 12 | TBD | TBD | fuboTV |
| Sat./Sun., Oct. 8/9 | No. 6 vs. No. 11 | TBD | TBD | fuboTV |
| Sat./Sun., Oct. 8/9 | No. 7 vs. No. 10 | TBD | TBD | fuboTV |
| Sat./Sun., Oct. 8/9 | No. 8 vs. No. 9 | TBD | TBD | fuboTV |
Quarterfinals (First leg)
| Date | Match | Time (ET) | TV | Streaming |
| Wed./Thu., Oct. 12/13 | TBD vs. No. 1 | TBD | TBD | fuboTV |
| Wed./Thu., Oct. 12/13 | TBD vs. No. 2 | TBD | TBD | fuboTV |
| Wed./Thu., Oct. 12/13 | TBD vs. No. 3 | TBD | TBD | fuboTV |
| Wed./Thu., Oct. 12/13 | TBD vs. No. 4 | TBD | TBD | fuboTV |
Quarterfinals (Second leg)
| Date | Match | Time (ET) | TV Channels | Streaming |
| Sat./Sun., Oct. 15/16 | No. 1 vs. TBD | TBD | TBD | fuboTV |
| Sat./Sun., Oct. 15/16 | No. 2 vs. TBD | TBD | TBD | fuboTV |
| Sat./Sun., Oct. 15/16 | No. 3 vs. TBD | TBD | TBD | fuboTV |
| Sat./Sun., Oct. 15/16 | No. 4 vs. TBD | TBD | TBD | fuboTV |
Liga MX TV channels, live streams in the USA
- TV channels: Univision, TUDN, UniMas, Telemundo, Universo, ESPN Deportes, Fox Deportes
- Live streaming: fuboTV, ViX, ViX+, ESPN+, ESPN App, TelemundoDeportes.com, Fox Deportes app
The Liga MX 2022 Apertura season is carried by four major U.S. broadcast outlets: the Univision family of networks (including Univision, TUDN and UniMas), ESPN Deportes, Telemundo/Universo and Fox Deportes.
All these Spanish-language channels can be streamed on fuboTV, which offers a free trial.
Most matches can also be streamed with user authentication on the various alternate platforms offered by the networks: ViX+, TUDN.tv, TelemundoDeportes.com, and the apps for Telemundo Deportes, ESPN, TUDN and Fox Deportes.