Liga MX refused to stop during the FIFA break and there’s a bigger reason behind the decision

• Liga MX will proceed with Matchday 10 fixtures of the Apertura 2026 despite the official FIFA international window.

• Fixture congestion resulting from deep Leagues Cup runs forced league officials to maintain the domestic schedule.

• Participating clubs will compete without key international players called up by Mexico and South American federations.

In a rare scheduling decision across Latin American football where domestic competitions typically halt completely to accommodate national team fixtures, Liga MX officials have chosen to proceed with the regular season schedule of the Apertura 2026 tournament during the current September FIFA window. Unlike traditional breaks observed in major South American leagues, Mexican football supporters will witness Matchday 10 domestic action taking place alongside the international friendly matches conducted by the national team.

 

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Una publicación compartida por Vista Deportiva (@vdportiva)

Fixture backlog caused by extended Leagues Cup schedules

The underlying factor driving this scheduling adjustment stems directly from severe fixture congestion linked to the recent 2026 Leagues Cup tournament. Because marquee Mexican clubs including Club América, Toluca, Rayados de Monterrey, and León progressed deep into the knockout rounds of the international competition, the original domestic timeline established by the Mexican Football Federation required immediate restructuring, forcing executives to maintain league play to avoid severe backlog ahead of the postseason.

 

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Una publicación compartida por Armand Alejandre (@armandalejandre)

Roster management challenges for clubs missing key starters

Although domestic league action will continue as planned, participating clubs face significant tactical hurdles due to missing key starters from their matchday squads. Players selected by head coach Rafael Márquez for national team duty will be unavailable for their respective club fixtures. Similarly, high profile international players called up by South American federations will also miss domestic action, including Cruz Azul goalkeeper Kevin Mier, Club América winger Óscar Perea, Toluca midfielder Santiago Simón and Tigres forward Rodrigo Aguirre.

National team preparations under manager Rafael Márquez

While domestic teams compete for critical points in the standings, the Mexican national team under manager Rafael Márquez continues its tactical preparations for upcoming international test matches against Colombia on September 26 and Peru on September 29. The coaching staff aims to build team cohesion and evaluate tactical combinations for long term development, with additional high profile test matches already scheduled for October against the United States and Chile.

 

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Una publicación compartida por Mexican National Team (@miseleccionmx_en)