If you’ve ever tried to explain the Liga MX standings to a casual fan, you probably ended up sounding like a conspiracy theorist. It’s messy. The tabla general de futbol mexicano isn’t just a list of who is winning; it’s a shifting, volatile ecosystem where a team can go from "basically dead" to "title contender" in the span of ninety minutes.
Most leagues around the world are marathons. You play 38 games, you get the most points, you lift the trophy. Simple. Mexico? Mexico prefers a sprint through a minefield.
The math behind the madness
The tabla general de futbol mexicano functions as the gatekeeper for the Liguilla. That’s the playoff phase that makes or breaks seasons. But here is the kicker: because we have two tournaments a year—the Apertura and the Clausura—the table resets constantly. You don’t get a year to fix your mistakes. You get seventeen games. That's it.
If you stumble in August, your Christmas is ruined.
Right now, the way the points are tallied is standard—three for a win, one for a draw. But the implications of those points are totally different than in the Premier League or La Liga. In those leagues, finishing 10th is just... finishing 10th. In Mexico, finishing 10th keeps the dream alive because of the Play-In system. It's a lifeline that keeps fans glued to the screen until the final whistle of Jornada 17.
Why being number one is a curse
There is a legendary concept in Mexican soccer called the Maldición del Superlíder (The Curse of the Super Leader).
Statistically, finishing at the very top of the tabla general de futbol mexicano often feels like a death sentence once the playoffs start. You’d think the team that dominated the regular season would cruise to the title, right? Wrong. Since the short tournament format was introduced in 1996, the number one seed has failed to win the trophy more often than not.
💡 You might also like: El Salvador partido de hoy: Why La Selecta is at a Critical Turning Point
Take a look at the history books. You’ll see giants like Club América or Cruz Azul steamroll everyone for four months, only to get knocked out in the quarterfinals by an 8th-place team that barely scraped into the standings. It’s beautiful. It’s also incredibly frustrating if you’re a fan of the top seed. The pressure of the tabla isn't just about qualifying; it's about surviving the expectations that come with it.
The "Cociente" and the ghost of relegation
Even though "relegation" is technically suspended right now in Mexican soccer, the tabla de cocientes (the percentage table) still looms over the regular standings like a dark cloud.
Teams at the bottom of this three-year average table don't get sent down to a lower division anymore, but they do get hit with massive financial fines. We are talking millions of dollars. So, when you look at the bottom of the tabla general de futbol mexicano, those teams aren't just playing for pride. They are playing to save their owners' bank accounts. It’s a high-stakes game of "don't be the worst."
How to actually read the table for the Liguilla
Understanding the "Big Six" and the "Play-In" is essential.
The top six teams in the standings after 17 rounds get a direct pass to the quarterfinals. They get a week off to rest and watch the chaos unfold below them.
Then you have spots 7 through 10. These four teams enter the Play-In. It’s a mini-tournament. 7 plays 8, and the winner takes the 7th seed. 9 plays 10, and the winner of that plays the loser of the 7 vs 8 game. Honestly, it’s a bit of a headache to track, but it ensures that almost 60% of the league is still "in the hunt" until the very end.
📖 Related: Meaning of Grand Slam: Why We Use It for Tennis, Baseball, and Breakfast
This is why you’ll see a mid-table team like Santos Laguna or Pumas suddenly play like prime Barcelona in the last three weeks. They aren't trying to win the league in the regular season; they are just trying to find a seat before the music stops.
The tiebreakers that matter
When teams are level on points—which happens constantly—the first tiebreaker is goal difference. If they are still tied? Most goals scored. If they are still tied? Head-to-head results. If the universe is feeling particularly chaotic and they are still tied after all that, the "Fair Play" table kicks in. Basically, the team with fewer red and yellow cards moves up.
It’s rare, but imagining a championship run being decided by a random yellow card in week 4 is peak Liga MX energy.
The impact of the "Grandes" on the standings
The tabla general de futbol mexicano always feels "right" when the big four are at the top: América, Chivas, Cruz Azul, and Pumas.
When América is leading, the rest of the country has a common enemy. When Chivas is up there, the "purely Mexican" squad narrative takes over the media. But recently, the power has shifted North. Tigres and Monterrey (Rayados) have used their massive budgets to park themselves at the top of the table year after year.
The "Regio" dominance has changed the rhythm of the league. It used to be that any team could win. Now, if you want to be in the top four of the tabla, you usually have to displace one of the wealthy Monterrey teams. They’ve turned the regular season into a display of squad depth that most other clubs just can't match.
👉 See also: NFL Week 5 2025 Point Spreads: What Most People Get Wrong
Strategies for following the race
If you’re betting or just following closely, you have to watch the home and away splits.
Playing at the Estadio Azteca in the thin air of Mexico City is a different beast than playing in the humid heat of Tijuana or the high-altitude pressure of Toluca. Some teams are "Table Lions" at home but "Table Kittens" on the road.
Check the "Forma" (Form) column more than the total points. A team in 12th place that has won its last three games is significantly more dangerous than a 4th-place team that hasn't won in a month. In the Mexican league, momentum is the only currency that actually matters when the playoffs hit.
Actionable insights for the next matchday
To get the most out of following the tabla general de futbol mexicano, don't just look at the points. Follow these specific steps to understand who actually has the advantage:
- Ignore the first five weeks. The table is a lie until at least Jornada 6. Teams are still conditioning, and new signings are barely getting their visas.
- Track the "Double Dates" (Jornadas Dobles). These mid-week fixtures are where the depth of the top teams shows. Smaller squads usually tank in the standings during these weeks due to fatigue.
- Watch the 7th through 12th spots. This is where the real drama lives. The gap between these teams is usually less than three points, meaning one goal can shift the entire playoff bracket.
- Check the injury reports for the FIFA breaks. Liga MX pauses for international windows. Teams with lots of national team players often return tired, leading to upsets against bottom-table teams immediately after the break.
The beauty of the Mexican standings is that they are never settled. You can be the king of the mountain on Saturday and out of the playoff picture by Sunday night. Keep your eyes on the goal difference and never count out a team in 10th place. They might just be the next champions.
***