Man, 2024 was a wild ride for Mexican soccer. If you were trying to keep track of the Liga MX 2024 calendario, you basically needed a Ph.D. in logistics and a lot of coffee. Between the standard league matches, the Leagues Cup break, and those "jornadas dobles" that seemingly popped up out of nowhere, the schedule was packed.
It wasn't just about dates on a calendar. It was about survival of the fittest.
Honestly, looking back at how the year unfolded, the schedule played a massive role in who actually lifted the trophies. We saw América achieve something that felt impossible—the first-ever "tri-campeonato" in the short tournament era—and they did it while navigating one of the most congested calendars we've ever seen.
The Chaos of the Clausura 2024 Kickoff
The year started fast. Like, really fast. The Clausura 2024 kicked off on January 12. Most players barely had time to digest their New Year's dinner before they were back on the pitch.
Querétaro and Toluca got things moving with a 2-2 draw that set the tone for a high-scoring season. But everyone was looking at the big dates. You’ve probably noticed how the league tries to space out the "Clásicos" to keep the hype alive, and 2024 was no different.
- Jornada 7: The first big collision. Pachuca vs. América.
- Jornada 12: The Clásico Nacional. Chivas and América drew 0-0 on March 16, a game that felt like a chess match where neither side wanted to blink.
- Jornada 15: The Clásico Regio. April 13 saw Monterrey and Tigres beat the living daylights out of each other in a 3-3 thriller.
The regular season ended on April 28. No rest for the weary, though. The Play-In tournament—which I still have mixed feelings about, let's be real—started immediately on May 2. It's a bit of a "zombie" round where teams get a second life, but it adds that extra layer of drama (and fatigue) to the Liga MX 2024 calendario.
How the Summer Break Changed Everything
When the Clausura ended on May 26 with América beating Cruz Azul in a rainy, dramatic final at the Estadio Azteca, everyone thought we'd get a breather.
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Nope.
The Apertura 2024 schedule was essentially sliced in half by the Leagues Cup. The league started on July 5, ran for four rounds, and then just... stopped. For a whole month. From July 26 to August 24, Liga MX clubs were up in the U.S. playing MLS teams.
This is where the calendar gets tricky. Some teams, like Cruz Azul, used that break to find a terrifyingly good rhythm. Others, like Monterrey, seemed to lose their footing. When the league resumed in late August, it felt like a totally different season.
The Big Games You Might Have Missed
If you were trying to follow the Liga MX 2024 calendario during the second half of the year, these were the "don't leave the couch" moments:
- August 31 (Jornada 6): The Clásico Joven. Cruz Azul absolutely dismantled América 4-1. At that point, people were saying the "Águilas" dynasty was over. Spoiler: it wasn't.
- September 14 (Jornada 7): The Clásico Nacional part two. América bounced back to beat Chivas 1-0.
- October 19 (Jornada 12): Another Clásico Regio. Monterrey took this one 4-2 in a game that felt like a fever dream.
The Final Stretch and the Three-Peat
By the time we hit November, the fatigue was visible. The Apertura 2024 regular season wrapped up on November 10. Cruz Azul finished as the "super líder" with a record-breaking 42 points. They looked invincible. Martin Anselmi had them playing like a machine.
But the Liga MX 2024 calendario has a way of rewarding teams that peak at the right moment, not the ones who lead the whole way.
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The Liguilla kicked off with the Play-In on November 20. América, who had finished 8th, had to take the long road. They beat Tijuana on penalties, then survived a brutal series against Toluca.
The Historic Finale
The final dates were set: December 12 and December 15.
It was América vs. Monterrey. The first leg was a tense 0-0. The second leg at the BBVA—"El Gigante de Acero"—was where history happened. Richard Sánchez scored a long-range rocket that basically broke the internet. Monterrey fought back, scoring in the 85th minute to make it 1-1, but América held on for the 3-2 aggregate win.
That victory sealed the "tricampeonato." Three titles in a row (Apertura 2023, Clausura 2024, Apertura 2024). Love them or hate them, that's a level of dominance we haven't seen in modern Mexican football.
Navigating the Schedule: Expert Insights
When you look at the Liga MX 2024 calendario, you realize it’s not just about who has the best players. It’s about squad depth.
The teams that struggled were the ones with thin rosters. Chivas, for example, dealt with coaching changes (Fernando Gago leaving mid-season for Boca Juniors) and injuries that made the congested October schedule a nightmare. Meanwhile, teams like San Luis became the "giant killers" because they managed their rotations perfectly during the double-header weeks.
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A few things to remember if you're looking back at the stats:
- The "Jornadas Dobles" occurred in Rounds 3, 8, 13, and 16 of the Apertura.
- The Leagues Cup pause lasted exactly 29 days.
- The total goal count for the year was significantly higher in the Clausura compared to the Apertura's regular season.
What's Next for Your Viewing Strategy?
The 2024 calendar is in the books, but the patterns it established are staying. We're seeing more mid-week games and more international breaks than ever.
If you want to stay ahead of the curve for the upcoming 2025 seasons, you need to track the "FIFA dates" and the expanded tournament schedules. The physical toll on players is real, and it’s changing how managers approach the first five rounds of any tournament.
For anyone betting on games or just trying to win their office "quiniela," pay attention to the travel distance. A team playing in Tijuana on Friday and then in Cancún or Mexico City on Tuesday is almost always going to rotate their starting XI.
The Liga MX 2024 calendario proved that the "Super Líder" curse is alive and well, and that timing your peak is way more important than winning every game in August.
Keep your eyes on the official Liga MX app for the 2025 release dates, usually announced a few weeks before the January kickoff. You’ll want to circle the Clásico dates early, especially since the rivalry between Cruz Azul and América has reached a boiling point after the 2024 finals.
Stick to the official broadcasters like TUDN, ViX, and TV Azteca to catch the live adjustments, because if 2024 taught us anything, it's that the schedule is always subject to change.