CAMPEÓN DE CAMPEONES
All you need to know about the Campeón de Campeones: teams, date, venue, format, prize money…
Tigres defeated Chivas to win Liga MX’s Clausura 2023 and will now face Apertura 2022 winners Pachuca in the ‘Mexican Super Cup’.
Tigres are Liga MX’s latest champions after a nervy Clausura 2023 victory over Chivas in Guadalajara on Sunday. For over an hour of the second leg, it looked as if Velkjo Paunovic’s side would go on to lift the trophy after they had raced into 2-0 lead but a stirring second-half fightback from Los Auriazules ended with captain Guido Pizarro winning the game for them in extra time.
For their efforts, then men from San Nicolás de los Garza get a shiny trophy, a financial reward and a place in the 2024 Concacaf Champions League. But it also means they’ll have the chance to compete for another title, namely the Campeón de Campeones.
What is the Campeón de Campeones?
The competition started off in 1942 as a type of Super Cup between the champions of Liga MX, which was then a longer tournament, and the Copa MX winners. However, since the move to the short tournament format in 1995, the the Campeón de Campeones was initially cancelled, coinciding with the Mexican Cup being abolished in 1997. It was then decided that the winners of the two shorter leagues could face each other, starting in 2003. The Copa MX was restored in 2012 but the winners now have no involvement.
In the 81 years since the first edition was played, there have been other periods in which it hasn’t been held (1973, 1977-1987, 1991, 1993-94, 2007-2014, 2020) for different reasons. In other years, teams that have won both of the qualifying tournaments have automatically been awarded the trophy, such as Atlas in 2022.
When and where is the 2023 Campeón de Campeones?
The Apertura 2022 tournament ended a while ago, so let’s refresh our memories. Despite finishing only fourth in the regular season, Pachuca stormed to the title, thrashing Monterrey 6-2 over two legs in the semi-finals before outdoing themselves in the final, where they demolished Toluca 8-2.
Unlike the Liga MX playoffs, which are held over two legs (other than the initial reclassification/repechaje stage), the Campeón de Campeones in its current format is a one-off game that is played to a finish. If the teams are level after 90 minutes, the match goes straight to a penalty shoot-out, with no extra time played.
Since 2015, the game has been played at a neutral venue in the United States. This year’s clash between Pachuca and Tigres will be held at Dignity Health Sports Park in Los Angeles, the LA Galaxy’s home stadium, on Sunday 25 June.
How much prize money does the Campeón de Campones winner receive?
The victors will earn 1.7 million pesos (circa $95,650). By comparison, the top Liga MX prize is 4.1 million pesos (circa $230,700), while the the Copa MX winners take home 2 million pesos (circa $124,400).
Campeones Cup qualification
Finally, the Campeón de Campeones winners will face the reigning MLS Cup holders, LAFC, in the Campeones Cup. The date and venue has yet to be announced, although since its inception in 2018, the clash has usually been held in the United States in September.