What happens if there is a tie in the Liga MX Clausura 2023 final between Tigres and Chivas?

Tigres host Chivas in the first leg of the Liga MX Clausura 2023 final on Thursday, with the return clash taking place in Guadalajara on Sunday. Both sides head into the tie full of confidence after respective Clásico victories in the semi-finals and, for many, picking a winner is no easy task. Which begs the question: what happens if the teams can’t be separated after 180 minutes of play?

Rather than be straightforward, there are different tie-breaker rules for the different stages of the Liga MX playoffs, with final not following the same rules as the semis or quarter-finals, which in turn don’t follow those used in the repechaje/reclassification round.

What tie-breaker is used in the Liga MX repechaje/reclassification round?

As you’ll be aware, teams finishing between fifth and 13th at the end of the league stage qualify and have a chance to progress to the quarter-finals of the playoffs. The highest qualified team plays the lowest qualified team (5th vs 13th, 6th vs 12th etc) in a one-off game which is hosted by the higher seed.

If there is a tie at the end of the 90 minutes, the match goes straight to a penalty shootout, with the team who scores the most of their five penalties (sudden death if there’s also a tie here) progressing.

In the Clausura 2023 tournament, 13th seed Santos Laguna beat 5th seed Pachuca on penalties after an incredible 4-4 draw at Estadio Hidalgo.

What tie-breaker is used in the Liga MX quarter-finals and semi-finals?

The format changes completely as the playoffs ‘properly’ get underway. The remaining teams are reseeded according to their positions in the league table, with the highest once again facing the lowest (1st vs 8th, 2nd vs 7th etc). Ties in this round are played over two legs, with the higher seed given the ‘advantage’ of playing the second leg at home.

Here, though, there is considerably less drama in the event of a tie. Rather than go to extra time or even a penalty shootout, the team which finished higher in the league stage automatically goes through to the next round (which is no fun).

This year, Chivas (3rd in the league) progressed to the semi-finals in this way after a 1-1 aggregate draw against 6th-placed Atlas.

What tie-breaker is used in the Liga MX final?

Thankfully, the potential for drama returns in the final, although the format changes once more. Another two-legged tie, with the best-placed team in the league again playing the second leg at home.

However, this time there is extra time if the teams are level at the end of 180 minutes. Two additional periods of 15 minutes are played and, if there is still a tie, the winner will be decided by a penalty shootout (the most penalties scored of five and sudden death thereafter).