Honestly, trying to keep track of the calendario Liga MX 2024 has been a bit of a headache for the average fan. Between the Clausura 2024 that wrapped up in May and the Apertura 2024 that kicked off while the grass was barely dry from the summer tournaments, the rhythm of Mexican soccer is faster than ever. If you've felt like games are being played at weird times or that your favorite team is suddenly playing three times in eight days, you aren't imagining things.
The 2024 schedule wasn't just about domestic glory. It had to squeeze in the Leagues Cup, the CONCACAF Champions Cup, and FIFA international breaks. It's a logistical jigsaw puzzle.
The Clausura 2024 Sprint and the America Dynasty
The year started with the Clausura 2024, a tournament that felt like a redemption arc for several big clubs but ultimately turned into a coronation for Club América. The regular season began on January 12. Most fans remember that opening weekend where Querétaro and Juárez played to a dull draw, but things heated up quickly.
André Jardine’s América was a machine. They didn't just win; they controlled the tempo of the entire calendario Liga MX 2024 in the first half of the year. By the time we hit the Liguilla in May, the stakes were massive. The "Clásico Joven" final against Cruz Azul was the peak. That controversial penalty in the second leg at the Estadio Azteca? People are still arguing about it in cantinas across Mexico City. América secured the Bicampeonato, becoming only the fourth team in the short-tournament era to win back-to-back titles.
Cruz Azul’s resurgence under Martín Anselmi was the real surprise of the Clausura. They went from being a mess in 2023 to a tactical powerhouse. Their presence at the top of the table forced the league to adjust kickoff times for high-security matches, showing how the schedule reacts to which teams are actually "hot."
The Apertura 2024: A Summer Start and the Leagues Cup Break
If the Clausura was about tradition, the Apertura 2024 was about disruption. The tournament started incredibly early—July 5. Why? Because the entire league had to pack its bags and head to the United States for the Leagues Cup in late July and August.
This is where the calendario Liga MX 2024 gets messy.
The league basically paused for a month. For teams like Monterrey or Tigres, who have deep rosters, this was a chance to rotate. For smaller clubs like Puebla or Mazatlán, it was a momentum killer. When the league resumed in late August, the "Jornadas Dobles" (double-header weeks) became the norm. Players were exhausted. We saw a spike in muscle injuries across the league, particularly with teams that didn't have the luxury of chartering private jets for every leg of the North American tour.
Key Dates That Defined the Year
- July 5: Apertura 2024 Kickoff.
- August 23: The league resumes after the Leagues Cup break.
- September 14: El Súper Clásico (América vs. Chivas) during Jornada 7.
- October 19: El Clásico Regio (Monterrey vs. Tigres) at the BBVA.
- November 10: End of the regular phase.
The "Play-In" format continued to be a polarizing part of the schedule. Introduced to keep more fans engaged until the end of the season, it essentially creates a "mini-tournament" before the actual Liguilla. While TV executives love the extra revenue, managers like Tuca Ferretti have historically been vocal about how it punishes the teams that actually performed well over 17 rounds.
Why Mid-Week Games are Becoming the New Normal
You’ve probably noticed more Tuesday and Wednesday night games. This isn't a coincidence. The Liga MX hierarchy is desperate to fit more games into a shrinking window. Between the expanded FIFA Club World Cup preparations and the heavy load of the Mexican National Team (El Tri), the domestic calendar is under siege.
In 2024, the "Jornada Doble" happened three times in the Apertura alone. This forces coaches to play their "B" teams, which sorta dilutes the quality of the product on the pitch. Fans who pay for season tickets at the Estadio Akron or the Volcán are sometimes seeing a lineup of youngsters and substitutes because the stars are being rested for the weekend "Big Match."
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It’s a balancing act. The league wants the money from the US market (hence the Leagues Cup), but they can't afford to lose the soul of the home-and-away local season. The calendario Liga MX 2024 is essentially a prototype for what soccer will look like globally—more games, less rest, and a lot of travel.
The Chivas Struggle and the Gago Exit
You can't talk about the 2024 schedule without mentioning the chaos at Guadalajara. Chivas started the year with high hopes under Fernando Gago. The schedule was actually kind to them in the early part of the Apertura, with several home games clustered together. But then came the bombshell: Gago leaving mid-season for Boca Juniors.
This threw their specific season calendar into a tailspin. Suddenly, interim coaches had to navigate a brutal October stretch featuring matches against Pumas and Monterrey. It’s a prime example of how a fixed calendar meets the unpredictable nature of football management. When your schedule is packed with double-headers and your head coach leaves, you don't have time to practice. You just play, recover, and play again.
Logistics: The Nightmare of the "Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes"
One of the weirdest quirks of the calendario Liga MX 2024 was the stadium situation in Mexico City. With the Estadio Azteca undergoing massive renovations for the 2026 World Cup, both América and Cruz Azul had to move to the old Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes (formerly the Estadio Azul).
This created a logistical nightmare for the league’s schedulers. You had two of the biggest teams in the country sharing a stadium that is literally tucked inside a residential neighborhood with terrible parking and aging infrastructure.
There were weekends where the league had to schedule games on Friday and Sunday just to give the grass a chance to recover. Then, in November, the stadium was briefly shut down by local authorities for safety violations right in the middle of a matchday. This forced the league to move an América match to Puebla at the last minute. If you’re a fan trying to plan a trip based on the official calendar, 2024 taught us that "confirmed" is a relative term in Mexican soccer.
How to Navigate Future Liga MX Schedules
If you're looking to actually attend a game or plan your life around the calendario Liga MX 2024 and beyond, you have to be cynical. Don't trust the dates more than three weeks out. The league is notorious for moving kickoff times to satisfy broadcast partners like Televisa (TUDN), TV Azteca, or the streaming platforms like ViX.
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The best way to stay updated isn't necessarily the official league website—which can be slow to update—but rather following the verified accounts of the stadiums themselves. They are usually the first to know when the police or local government demand a time change.
Actionable Steps for the Dedicated Fan
Stop looking at the schedule as a static document. It’s a living thing. To stay ahead of the curve for the rest of this year and the start of 2025, do this:
- Download the official Liga MX App, but turn on notifications for specific club beat reporters. Reporters like David Medrano or those from Diario Récord often leak schedule changes 48 hours before the league confirms them.
- Watch the "Regla de Menores" (Minor’s Rule) impact. In 2024, teams were forced to give minutes to young players. Check the schedule for "easier" mid-week games; that’s usually when coaches will swap in the kids to meet their quota, which can drastically change your betting odds or fantasy lineup.
- Account for altitude and travel. When teams play in Toluca or Mexico City during the mid-week "Jornadas Dobles," the fatigue factor is doubled. Look for the "away" team to struggle significantly in the final 20 minutes of those matches.
- Verify the venue. With the Azteca out of commission, always double-check where the "home" game is actually being played. América is playing "home" games everywhere from Querétaro to Puebla depending on the month.
The 2024 season has been a wild ride of "Bicampeonatos," stadium closures, and exhausting summer tournaments. It wasn't perfect, but it was undeniably Liga MX.