A hard blow for the teams’ plans
The enthusiasm of several clubs to put together a stronger team for the final stretch of the tournament ended this Thursday. Liga MX confirmed that FIFA said no to a special request to open a third registration period.
This is a serious problem. The original idea was to help teams that are going to lose key players because they are leaving with the Mexican National Team for the 2026 World Cup. But the highest body in world football did not give its approval.
“Consequently, it will not be possible to carry out additional registrations or transfers between Liga MX Clubs to reinforce the squads of the clubs that transfer selected teams,” the league explained.
Who is most harmed?
Looking at Professor Javier Aguirre’s calls, Guadalajara could be the hardest hit. According to what we have seen this year, Chivas could lose between three and five important elements just for the decisive games.
Imagine preparing the entire season to reach the Liguilla and, suddenly, key pieces of your puzzle are taken away from you. And on top of that, without being able to bring spare parts. It is a litmus test for the depth of the templates and the work of the basic forces.
The regular phase ends on April 26. From there, the clubs with selected players must release them. By regulation, players have a week of mandatory rest before training with El Tri, whose preparation will begin on May 6.
This is not just administrative news. Completely change the strategy for the quarter-finals, semi-finals and grand final. Technical directors will have to grit their teeth and trust as much as possible in what they already have at home.
Resilience, that word that we use so much in sport, will be tested like never before. The teams that manage to maintain the level despite the losses will demonstrate a winning character.
