Puebla missed the Liga MX Apertura 2026 postseason after Monterrey defeated Querétaro to push the qualification threshold beyond the club’s reach.
Monterrey Victory Seals Puebla Fate
Monterrey beat Querétaro at La Corregidora stadium to raise the cutline for the final phase to 23 points. That total became mathematically impossible for Gerardo Espinoza’s squad to achieve with only one match remaining in the regular season.
The defeat leaves Puebla with 19 points and a maximum possible finish of 22 points. The club sits alongside Juárez, Tigres, San Luis, Necaxa, and Atlante on the list of teams eliminated before the final round of fixtures.
Cruz Azul Leads the Apertura 2026 Table
Cruz Azul leads the Apertura 2026 table with 32 points, followed by América and Chivas with 30 points each. Toluca and Atlas hold 27 points apiece, while Santos Laguna sits on 25 points and Monterrey has 24 points.
At the bottom of the standings, Juárez occupies last place with 11 points and a maximum possible finish of 14 points. Necaxa holds 13 points, Atlante has 14 points, and Tigres sits at 15 points.
Tigres Streak Ends
Tigres missed the Liguilla for the first time in more than a decade, ending a streak of consecutive postseason appearances since 2014. Los Tigres UANL finished with 15 points and a goal differential of minus-8, ending a historic run of qualification consistency in Mexican football.
San Luis and Puebla share 19 points each at the lower end of the playoff bubble, but neither side can reach the 23-point threshold established by Monterrey’s victory. Querétaro stands just above them with 20 points, while Pumas UNAM holds 21 points and Tijuana and Pachuca have 22 points each.
Final Matchday Schedule
The regular season concludes with the final round of fixtures, after which the top teams advance directly or through the play-in phase. Eliminated clubs must wait until the next tournament cycle to compete for the league title.
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