FC Juarez Heads Into Final Regular-Season Match with Playoff Seeding on the Line
FC Juarez is set to close out its most successful regular season to date by facing Queretaro at 6 p.m. MT at Estadio Benito Juárez. The Bravos currently hold seventh place and have secured at least a spot in the upcoming play-in tournament, yet this last game carries important seeding implications for the Liguilla playoffs.
Liga MX 2025 Apertura Playoff Format
Liga MX, Mexico’s premier soccer league and older than the MLS by 50 years, structures its playoffs similarly to the NBA. The top six teams qualify directly for the Liguilla, while teams ranked seventh through tenth compete in a two-round play-in tournament to complete the eight-team playoff field.
Current Standings and Stakes for FC Juarez
- Toluca won the 2025 Clausura tournament, finishing the season in May.
- Going into the final match, Cruz Azul leads the standings, with Toluca in second place.
- To secure sixth place, FC Juarez must:
- Defeat Queretaro.
- Hope Guadalajara Chivas lose at home to Monterrey on Saturday, November 8.
- Overcome a four-goal differential deficit against Chivas.
If Juarez wins but does not meet the other conditions, they will enter the playoffs as the seventh seed, hosting a single play-in game they must win to advance. A loss could place them anywhere between eighth and tenth place, affecting their playoff path.
"Under the Liguilla format, the ninth seed hosts the tenth seed, with the winner traveling to face the loser of the seven versus eight seed matchup."
This structure emphasizes the importance of Juarez's final game in determining their playoff trajectory.
Author's Summary
FC Juarez aims to finish its best regular season with a win over Queretaro, battling for critical playoff seeding in Liga MX’s competitive 2025 Apertura format.