As the Liga MX Apertura 2026 regular season enters its final five matchdays, clubs face a strict deadline to accumulate 1,170 minutes for young players born in 2004 or later. Failure to meet the quota mandated by competition rules results in a deduction of three points and financial penalties.
With the tournament drawing toward its conclusion, six clubs have already secured their compliance with the regulations established since the Apertura 2024 tournament. Tijuana, Atlante, América, Necaxa, Pumas, and Pachuca have surpassed the minimum threshold of 1,170 minutes, protecting their positions in the standings from potential sporting sanctions.
Tijuana Leads Young Player Minutes While Others Scramble
Xolos of Tijuana leads the competition by a wide margin with 1,795 minutes, bolstered by the regular involvement of young talents such as Yael Padilla and Gilberto Mora in the starting lineup. Atlante follows in second place with 1,665 minutes, and América occupies the third spot with 1,502 minutes. Necaxa, Pumas y Pachuca también completan la cuota de minutos requeridos en la regla de menores.
Further down the table, Pumas has accumulated 1,255 minutes and Pachuca has reached 1,192 minutes. Atlas sits close to the finish line with 1,154 minutes, needing only 16 more to clear the requirement, while Guadalajara holds 1,038 minutes. Atlético de San Luis registers 957 minutes, León accumulates 837, and Toluca reaches 828 minutes.
Cruz Azul Advances Following Victory Over Juárez
Cruz Azul used a dominant 5-0 win against FC Juárez to make significant headway on its mandatory youth minutes. Before the fixture, La Máquina sat at 665 minutes, but the wide margin on the scoreboard allowed the coaching staff to introduce substitutes from the bench without risking the result.
Rogelio González entered in the second half and scored the fifth goal at the 75th minute, contributing 45 minutes to the total. Luka Romero also saw action by entering at halftime in place of Carlos Rodríguez to provide another 45 minutes, while Ariel Castro entered at the 61st minute for Agustín Palavecino to supply about 29 minutes. These changes brought Cruz Azul’s total to 784 minutes, leaving the team with 386 minutes still required.
Bottom-Tier Clubs Face Pressure Ahead of Regular Season Close
The bottom of the youth minutes table features teams with substantial ground left to cover before the regular season concludes. FC Juárez sits at the bottom of the classification with 441 minutes, accompanied by Monterrey with 469 minutes, Querétaro with 495 minutes, and Santos Laguna with 515 minutes. Tigres holds 645 minutes, and Puebla records 591 minutes.
The regulation allows a maximum of 225 minutes to be counted per match, leaving trailing squads with narrow margins for rotation. Clubs that fail to reach the 1,170-minute mark will face a three-point deduction in both the general standings and the quotient table alongside financial penalties.
Tigres faces an equally challenging scenario with 525 minutes still pending under Víctor Manuel Vucetich, relying on contributions from players like Diego Sánchez with 553 accumulated minutes, Henrique Simeone with 59, and Isac Galván with 24.