Furthermore, after much criticism of the format that allowed the participation of up to 12 teams in the playoffs, the Liga MX executives decided to make an adjustment, opting for entertainment by emulating a successful model from the United States.

The play-in tournament, driven in recent years by the NBA, has been adopted by Liga MX to give a boost to the finals. That’s why there are very important changes for the teams looking for the title in Apertura 2023.

This experiment is crucial for the future of soccer in Mexico, considering the controversy following the elimination of promotion and relegation, in addition to the unstoppable growth of the MLS as a major competitor in the region.

What is the new format of Liga MX Apertura 2023 playoffs?

The new Play-In format in Liga MX is exactly the same as that of the NBA. Teams ranked 7th to 10th on the table will compete for the final two spots in the Liguilla. This is the procedure:

• The 7th and 8th teams in the standings will face each other in the first matchup of the Play-In. The winner will qualify for the quarterfinals, while the loser will proceed to a ‘second chance’ to enter the Liguilla.
• On the other hand, the 9th and 10th clubs will meet in the second Play-In game. The winner will qualify for the ‘second chance’ to enter the Liguilla, while the loser will be automatically eliminated from the tournament.
• Then, at the final stage of the Play-In, the loser of 7vs8 matchup will face the winner of 9vs10. The winner gets the last ticket available. Once the eight participants in the Liguilla are set, the quarterfinals, semifinals and final will be played to determine the champion of Apertura 2023.

Liga MX Apertura 2023 playoffs: Bracket and Results

Play-In tournament:

1. Atletico San Luis 3-2 Club Leon (Match 1) – Atletico San Luis advance to the quarterfinals as No.7 ranked team. Club Leon go to Match 3.
2. Santos Laguna 2-1 Mazatlan (Match 2) – Santos Laguna go to Match 3. Mazatlan are eliminated.
3. Club Leon 3-2 Santos Laguna (Match 3) – Club Leon advance to quarterfinals. Santos Laguna are eliminated.

The four series of the quarterfinals are:

1. Club America vs Club Leon.
2. Monterrey vs Atletico San Luis.
3. Tigres vs Puebla.
4. Pumas UNAM vs Chivas.

Liga MX Apertura 2023 playoffs: Dates and schedule

Play-in tournament:

• Atletico San Luis 3-2 Club Leon.
• Santos Laguna 2-1 Mazatlan.
• Club Leon 3-2 Santos Laguna.

Quarterfinals:

• (1) Club America vs Club Leon (8).
  • First leg: 2-2 at Estadio Nou Camp.
  • Second leg: 2-0 at Estadio Azteca.
    • Club America advance with 4-2 aggregate score.
• (2) Monterrey vs Atletico San Luis (7).
  • First leg: 0-1 at Estadio Alfonso Lastras.
  • Second leg: 1-1 at Estadio BBVA.
    • Atletico San Luis advance with 2-1 aggregate score.
• (3) Tigres UANL vs Puebla (6).
  • First leg: 2-2 at Estadio Cuauhtemoc.
  • Second leg: 3-0 at Estadio Universitario.
    • Tigres UANL advance with 5-2 aggregate score.
• (4) Pumas UNAM vs Chivas (5).
  • First leg: 1-0 at Estadio Akron.
  • Second leg: 3-0 at Estadio Olimpico Universitario.
    • Pumas UNAM advance with 3-1 aggregate score.

Semifinals:

• First leg (December 6-7) and Second leg (December 9-10).
  • (1) Club America vs Atletico San Luis (7).
    • First leg: Club America won 5-0 at Estadio Alfonso Lastras.
    • Second leg: Atletico San Luis won 2-0 at Estadio Azteca.
      • Club America advance with 5-2 aggregate score.
  • (3) Tigres UANL vs Pumas UNAM (4).
    • First leg: Tigres UANL won 1-0 Estadio Olimpico Universitario.
    • Second leg: 1-1 at Estadio Universitario.
      • Tigres UANL advance with 2-1 aggregate score.

Final:

• (1) Club America vs Tigres UANL (3).
  • First leg: Thursday, December 14 at Estadio Universitario.
  • Second leg: Sunday, December 17 at Estadio Azteca.