The 2019 LFA season was the fourth season of the Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional (LFA), the top American football league in Mexico. The regular season began on February 22 and concluded on April 14. The playoffs commenced on April 26 and concluded on May 12 with the Condors defeating the Raptors to win the Tazón México IV.
Preseason events
Expansion and stadium changes Two new teams joined the league for the 2019 season: Artilleros Puebla, based in Puebla, and Osos Toluca, based in Toluca, State of Mexico. This expansion raises the number of teams in the league to eight.
During the first LFA season, the Estadio Jesús Martínez "Palillo" hosted all the league's teams. Nevertheless, 2019 will be the first season in which none of the teams would play there, due to the fact that the stadium is now working as shelter for Central American migrants.
Condors was supposed to be the only team playing at the Estadio Jesús Martínez "Palillo", but moved to the ITESM Santa Fe stadium in the district of Santa Fe after Mexico City's government designed the "Palillo" Martínez stadium as a temporary shelter for Central American migrants. Mayas moved from the "Palillo" Martínez to the Estadio Wilfrido Massieu, which is regularly used by the Instituto Politécnico Nacional Águilas Blancas college football team. Mexicas also moved from the Estadio Jesús Martínez "Palillo" to the Casco de Santo Tomás, the training ground of the Instituto Politécnico Nacional football teams. Raptors moved from the Estadio José Ortega Martínez to the field of the National Autonomous University of Mexico Acatlán campus.
Draft The 2019 Draft was regional, that is, each team chose players graduated from universities in their region. In the case of Artilleros de Puebla and Osos de Toluca, being the only teams in their region, they had no competition in their player selections. The Draft was held on January 12 at the FES Acatlán facilities. There were nine rounds, 6 normal and 3 complementary. The selections were as follows: Draft 2019 Rd Sel. LFA Team Player Pos. University Conf. 11Fundidores Maximiliano Soto DL Borregos Salvajes ITESM Liga Premier CONADEIP2Condors* Aldo Alejandro Narváez WR Águilas Blancas IPN Liga Mayor ONEFA3Dinos Víctor Alejandro Sánchez LB Auténticos Tigres UANL Liga Mayor ONEFA4Mayas Jesús Augusto Sosa RB Burros Blancos IPN Liga Mayor ONEFA5Raptors José David Casarrubias DL Leones UA Norte Liga Mayor ONEFA6Mexicas José Ulises Espinosa DL Águilas Blancas IPN Liga Mayor ONEFA7ArtillerosCarlos Sebastián Olvera WR Aztecas UDLAPLiga Premier CONADEIP8Osos Enrique Gerardo Yenny K Borregos ITESM Toluca Liga Premier CONADEIP 29Fundidores Uriel Martínez DL Auténticos Tigres UANL Liga Mayor ONEFA10Condors César Torres DB Leones UA Norte Liga Mayor ONEFA11DinosJesús Gerardo Rendón WR Lobos UAdeC Liga Mayor ONEFA12MayasLuis Fernando Zárate LB Burros Blancos IPNLiga Mayor ONEFA13RaptorsTopilitzin Silva LB Leones UA Norte Liga Mayor ONEFA14MexicasEmmanuel Carpio DL Toros Salvajes UACH Liga Mayor ONEFA15ArtillerosJuan Manuel Márquez DB Aztecas UDLAP Liga Premier CONADEIP16OsosUlises Alberto Garduño LB Potros Salvajes UAEM Liga Mayor ONEFA317FundidoresJesús David AlanísDLLobos UAdeCLiga Mayor ONEFA18CondorsIrwin Heriberto ZuviriDLÁguilas Blancas IPNLiga Mayor ONEFA19DinosErick CázaresDBAuténticos Tigres UANLLiga Mayor ONEFA20MayasJair Alonso JuárezDLLeones UA NorteLiga Mayor ONEFA21RaptorsAlejandro ArceQBLeones UA NorteLiga Mayor ONEFA22MexicasOscar Lenard VaraLBCentinelas CGPLiga Mayor ONEFA23ArtillerosAlan Eduardo MéndezLBAztecas UDLAPLiga Premier CONADEIP24OsosDaniel BecerrilWRPotros Salvajes UAEMLiga Mayor ONEFA425FundidoresRubén MartínezRBAuténticos Tigres UANLLiga Mayor ONEFA26CondorsRafael Adrián GómezWRBurros Blancos IPNLiga Mayor ONEFA27DinosYael de Jesús RomeroWRLobos UAdeCLiga Mayor ONEFA28MayasMarco Antonio MoralesWRBurros Blancos IPNLiga Mayor ONEFA29RaptorsOscar Daniel LariosRBLeones UA NorteLiga Mayor ONEFA30MexicasEdgar Ángeles CastañedaLBFrailes UTLiga Mayor ONEFA31ArtillerosJuan Manuel GrayOLAztecas UDLAPLiga Premier CONADEIP32OsosJesús Eduardo EstradaDLPotros Salvajes UAEMLiga Mayor ONEFA533FundidoresCarlos Alberto DíazDBAuténticos Tigres UANLLiga Mayor ONEFA34CondorsRodrigo Omar GarfiasDBCentinelas CGPLiga Mayor ONEFA35DinosLuis Eduardo MirelesTECorrecaminos UATLiga Mayor ONEFA36MayasJuan Salvador VázquezDBToros Salvajes UACHLiga Mayor ONEFA37RaptorsAndrés AguilarRBPumas UNAM AcatlánLiga Mayor ONEFA38MexicasSergio Enrique MartínezQBPumas UNAM AcatlánLiga Mayor ONEFA39ArtillerosAnwar de Jesús RamírezRBBorregos ITESM PueblaLiga Premier CONADEIP40OsosElías GonzálezOLPotros Salvajes UAEMLiga Mayor ONEFA641FundidoresAlejandro Emmanuel PalomoDLCorecaminos UAT NorteLiga Mayor ONEFA42CondorsOmar Torres ValleWRCentinelas CGPLiga Mayor ONEFA43DinosAdrián Azahel GarcíaDLCorrecaminos UATLiga Mayor ONEFA44MayasEnrique Hernán BenavidesQBPumas UNAM AcatlánLiga Mayor ONEFA45RaptorsIan Uriel MompalaDBCentinelas CGPLiga Mayor ONEFA46MexicasManuel Ignacio MartínezWRÁguilas Blancas IPNLiga Mayor ONEFA47ArtillerosManuel Eduardo HernándezDBAztecas UDLAPLiga Premier CONADEIP48OsosRodrigo GarcíaOLPotros Salvajes UAEMLiga Mayor ONEFA749FundidoresOsvaldo SánchezDLCorecaminos UAT NorteLiga Mayor ONEFA50CondorsDiego CarsolioKLeones UA NorteLiga Mayor ONEFA51DinosHermillo Jesús CorralDLCorecaminos UAT NorteLiga Mayor ONEFA52MayasCarlos Missael MansillaOLToros Salvajes UACHLiga Mayor ONEFA53RaptorsVíctor Francisco FosadoWRPumas UNAM AcatlánLiga Mayor ONEFA54MexicasÁngel Alexis GonzálezDLFrailes UTLiga Mayor ONEFA55ArtillerosAndrés FernándezOLLobos BUAPLiga Mayor ONEFA56OsosMario Alberto GonzálezWRPotros Salvajes UAEMLiga Mayor ONEFA857FundidoresRoberto Alejandro AvilánRBCorecaminos UAT NorteLiga Mayor ONEFA58CondorsPedro Arturo MartellOLFrailes UTLiga Mayor ONEFA59MayasLuis David MartínezWRBurros Blancos IPNLiga Mayor ONEFA60RaptorsSamuel Hazel GonzálezRBCentinelas CGPLiga Mayor ONEFA61MexicasJesús FloresWRPumas UNAM AcatlánLiga Mayor ONEFA62ArtillerosGuillermo CalderónDLAztecas UDLAPLiga Premier CONADEIP963MayasJesús Ramsés GuerreroOLLeones UA NorteLiga Mayor ONEFA64ArtillerosGabriel AmavizcaKLobos BUAPLiga Mayor ONEFA65ArtillerosMauricio Francisco ValverdeRBBorregos ITESM PueblaLiga Premier CONADEIP66ArtillerosJosé Irvin NuñezOLLobos BUAPLiga Mayor ONEFA
* Not signed with Condors but with Mexicas.
CFL–LFA draft
In November 2018, the LFA signed a non-binding Letter of Intent with the CFL to share resources and to allow for at least one CFL game to be played in Mexico, as well as lay the ground work for special Mexican-specific editions of the CFL Combine and CFL draft.
On January 11, 2019, 51 players from the LFA and Mexican college ranks were announced as participants in a combine to beheld on January 13 and a 27-player draft to be held on January 14, 2019. Each CFL team sent scouts and were reported to likely receive four picks.
27 players were chosen from an invited pool of 51 Mexican players: 34 from the LFA and 17 seniors from Mexican university teams.
Teams TeamCityStadiumCapacityHead coach North DivisionDinosSaltillo, CoahuilaEstadio Olímpico Francisco I. Madero8,000 Javier AdameFundidoresMonterrey, Nuevo LeónEstadio Nuevo León Unido1,500 Israel GonzálezOsosToluca, State of MexicoUniversidad Siglo XXI4,000 Horacio García AponteRaptorsNaucalpan, State of MexicoFES Acatlán3,000 Guillermo Gutiérrez Central Division ArtillerosPuebla City, PueblaEstadio Templo del Dolor4,500 Gustavo TorresCondorsMexico CityITESM Santa Fe2,000 Félix BuendíaMayasMexico CityEstadio Wilfrido Massieu13,000 Francisco ChaparroMexicasMexico CityCasco de Santo Tomás2,000 Enrique Zárate
Regular season
Standings Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, PF = Points for, PA = Points against
North DivisionTeam Raptors 8 6 2 210 118 5–1 W4 Fundidores 8 3 5 134 133 3–3 W1 Dinos 8 3 5 110 125 2–4 L2 Osos 8 2 6 116 226 2–4 L1
Central DivisionTeam Condors 8 6 2 205 150 4–2 W1 Mayas 8 5 3 130 129 4–2 W2 Artilleros 8 5 3 145 131 3–3 L1 Mexicas 8 2 6 132 170 1–5 L4
Results
Week 1 Away Score Home Venue Date Kickoff (UTC-6) Streaming Dinos 13–26 Fundidores Estadio Nuevo León Unido February 22 21:00 Osos 12–48 Raptors FES Acatlán February 23 16:00 Condors 21–13 Mayas Estadio Azul February 24 12:00 Artilleros 29–12 Mexicas Estadio Azul February 24 16:00
Week 2 Away Score Home Venue Date Kickoff (UTC-6) Streaming Fundidores 29–30 Osos Universidad Siglo XXI March 2 13:00 Raptors 21–7 Dinos Estadio Olímpico Francisco I. Madero March 2 18:00 Mexicas 3–13 Mayas Estadio Wilfrido Massieu March 3 12:00 Condors 22–15 Artilleros Estadio Templo del Dolor March 3 15:00
Week 3 Away Score Home Venue Date Kickoff (UTC-6) Streaming Raptors 21–31 Fundidores Estadio Nuevo León Unido March 8 21:00 Dinos 22–10 Osos Universidad Siglo XXI March 10 12:00 Mexicas 22–18 Condors ITESM Santa Fe March 10 15:00 Artilleros 7–14 Mayas Estadio Wilfrido Massieu March 10 15:00
Week 4 Away Score Home Venue Date Kickoff (UTC-6) Streaming Osos 6–17 Artilleros Estadio Templo del Dolor March 16 15:00 Dinos 13–16 Mayas Estadio Wilfrido Massieu March 17 12:00 Fundidores 13–15 Condors Campo ITESM Santa Fe March 17 12:00 Raptors 23–29 Mexicas Casco de Santo Tomás March 17 15:00
Week 5 Away Score Home Venue Date Kickoff (UTC-6) Streaming Fundidores 0–8 Dinos Estadio Olímpico Francisco I. Madero March 23 18:00 Mayas 13–20 Raptors FES Acatlán March 24 12:00 Mexicas 20–21 Artilleros Estadio Templo del Dolor March 24 12:00 Condors 54–30 Osos Campo Universidad Siglo XXI March 24 15:00
Week 6 Away Score Home Venue Date Kickoff (UTC-6) Streaming Artilleros 7–6 Fundidores Estadio Nuevo León Unido March 29 21:00 Raptors 28–6 Osos Universidad Siglo XXI March 30 13:00 Mexicas 20–28 Dinos Estadio Olímpico Francisco I. Madero March 30 18:00 Mayas 14–33 Condors ITESM Santa Fe March 31 12:00
Week 7 Away Score Home Venue Date Kickoff (UTC-5) Streaming Osos 13–12 Dinos Estadio Olímpico Francisco I. Madero April 6 18:00 Mayas 22–12 Mexicas Casco de Santo Tomás April 7 12:00 Fundidores 13–30 Raptors FES Acatlán April 7 12:00 Artilleros 29–26 Condors Campo ITESM Santa Fe April 7 15:00
Week 8 Away Score Home Venue Date Kickoff (UTC-5) Streaming Osos 9–16 Fundidores Estadio Nuevo León Unido April 12 21:00 Dinos 7–19 Raptors FES Acatlán April 13 16:00 Condors 16–14 Mexicas Casco de Santo Tomás April 14 12:00 Mayas 25–20 Artilleros Estadio Templo del Dolor April 14 15:00
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