The 2022–23 Liga de Expansión MX season was the third professional season of the second-tier football division in Mexico. The season is divided into two championships—the Torneo Apertura and the Torneo Clausura—each in an identical format and each contested by the same eighteen teams. The Apertura tournament began on 24 June 2022. The Clausura tournament will began in January 2023.
Changes from the previous season The Liga de Expansión MX is a Mexican football league founded in 2020 as part of the Mexican Football Federation's "Stabilization Project", which has the primary objective of rescuing the financially troubled teams from the Ascenso MX and prevent the disappearance of a second-tier league in Mexico, for which there will be no promotion and relegation during the following six years. The project also attempts for Liga MX and former Ascenso MX teams to consolidate stable projects with solid basis, sports-wise and administrative-wise, financially wise and in infrastructure.
On April 21, 2022, Tampico Madero were sold and relocated to La Paz as Club Atlético La Paz.
On April 5, 2022, Atlante, Atlético Morelia, UAT, U. de G. and Venados applied for promotion certification to restart the promotion and relegation process. The league required four teams to be certified for promotion before reactivating it. On May 13, 2022, Leones Negros was the only team that met all requirements for promotion to Liga MX. Atlético Morelia did not complete the certification process.
On June 1, 2022, the rule that awarded an extra point to teams that won their away matches was abolished.
On June 14, 2022, Durango was accepted as a new member of the league after passing the certification process to join the competition, Durango was the champion of the 2021–22 Serie A de México season.
On November 7, 2022, the league owner's assembly announced the 2023–24 promotion certification process for Liga de Expansión MX teams would begin in January 2023 and would be finalized in May 2023.
Stadiums and locations +TeamCityStadiumCapacityAtlanteMexico CityCiudad de los Deportes33,000Atlético La PazLa Paz, Baja California SurGuaycura5,209Atlético MoreliaMorelia, MichoacánMorelos35,000CancúnCancún, Quintana RooAndrés Quintana Roo18,844CelayaCelaya, GuanajuatoMiguel Alemán Valdés23,182DurangoDurango City, DurangoFrancisco Zarco18,000OaxacaOaxaca City, OaxacaTecnológico de Oaxaca14,598Pumas TabascoVillahermosa, TabascoOlímpico de Villahermosa12,000Raya2Monterrey, Nuevo LeónBBVA53,500SinaloaCuliacán, SinaloaDorados20,108SonoraHermosillo, SonoraHéroe de Nacozari18,747TapatíoZapopan, JaliscoAkron49,850TepatitlánTepatitlán de Morelos, JaliscoGregorio "Tepa" Gómez12,500TlaxcalaTlaxcala City, TlaxcalaTlahuicole9,462UATCiudad Victoria, TamaulipasMarte R. Gómez10,520U. de G.Guadalajara, JaliscoJalisco55,020VenadosMérida, YucatánCarlos Iturralde15,087ZacatecasZacatecas City, ZacatecasCarlos Vega Villalba20,068
Personnel and kits Team Chairman Head coach Captain Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor(s)Atlante Jorge Santillana Mario García Covalles Humberto Hernández Keuka BetcrisAtlético La Paz Samuel Hernández Jaime Durán Andrés Mendoza Silver Sport Baja FerriesAtlético Morelia José Luis Higuera Carlos Adrián Morales Arturo Ledesma Keuka Akron, Axen CapitalCancún Jeff Luhnow Iñigo Idiakez Michael Pérez Nike CancúnCelaya Carlos Benavides Escardó Paco Ramírez Leobardo López Keuka BachocoDurango Roberto Zermeño Héctor Real José Hernández Keuka Bio Pappel, GazproOaxaca Juan Carlos Jones Jorge Manrique Hedgardo Marín Silver Sport Patsa, Romasa, Wahaka MezcalPumas Tabasco Ramón Neme Israel Hernández Juan José Miguel Nike DHLRaya2 José Antonio Noriega Nicolás Sánchez Sergio Villarreal Puma Sinaloa José Antonio Núñez Rafael García Ricardo Díaz Charly Coppel, Caliente, SukarneSonora Juan Pablo Rojo Roberto Hernández José Saavedra Keuka CalienteTapatío Amaury Vergara Gerardo Espinoza José González Puma Tepatitlán Víctor Flores Cosío Daniel Guzmán Luis Robles Sporelli PacíficaTlaxcala Rafael Torre Mendoza Jorge Villalpando Gerardo Ruíz Keuka TlaxcalaUAT David Ashdruval Martínez Edgar Solano Luis López Private label (Apertura 2022) Sliver Sport (Clausura 2023) U. de G. Alfonso Sosa José Hernández Sporelli ElectrolitVenados Rodolfo Rosas Cantillo Bruno Marioni Rodrigo Noya Spiro YucatánZacatecas Eduardo López Muñoz Omar Alexis Moreno José Plascencia Spiro Fresnillo plc
Managerial changes
Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Replaced by Date of appointment Position in table Ref.Pre-Apertura changes Venados Carlos Gutiérrez Sacked 27 April 2022 Andrés Carevic 9 May 2022Preseason Cancún Federico Vilar End of contract 3 May 2022 Iñigo Idiakez 1 June 2022 Celaya Israel Hernández Mutual agreement 13 May 2022 Paco Ramírez 27 May 2022 Raya2 Héctor Becerra (Interim) End of tenure as caretaker 17 May 2022 Nicolás Sánchez 17 May 2022 Pumas Tabasco Raúl Alpizar (Interim) End of tenure as caretaker 20 May 2022 Carlos Cariño 20 May 2022 Atlético Morelia Ricardo Valiño Signed by Tijuana 27 May 2022 Gabriel Pereyra 29 May 2022 Sonora Gabriel Pereyra Signed by Atlético Morelia 28 May 2022 Roberto Hernández 15 June 2022 Tapatío Joaquín Moreno (Interim) End of tenure as caretaker 3 June 2022 Gerardo Espinoza 3 June 2022 Tlaxcala Jorge Villalpando (Interim) Ratified as manager 3 June 2022 Jorge Villalpando 3 June 2022 Pre-Clausura changes Pumas Tabasco Carlos Cariño Signed as assistant in Necaxa 4 November 2022 Israel Hernández 12 November 2022Preseason UAT Héctor Altamirano Mutual agreement 6 November 2022 Edgar Solano 6 November 2022 Tepatitlán Bruno Marioni Mutual agreement 17 November 2022 Daniel Guzmán 27 November 2022 Venados Andrés Carevic Signed by Alajuelense 20 November 2022 Bruno Marioni 22 November 2022 Clausura changes Atlético Morelia Gabriel Pereyra Sacked 27 February 2023 Carlos Adrián Morales 27 February 2023 8th
Torneo Apertura The defending champions were Atlético Morelia. The tournament began on 24 June 2022.
Regular season
Standings
Positions by round
Results Each team plays once all other teams in 17 rounds regardless of it being a home or away match.
Regular season statistics
Top goalscorers Players sorted first by goals scored, then by last name. Rank Player Club Goals1 Diego JiménezSonora122 Ricardo MarínCelaya9 Raúl ZúñigaSinaloa4 Armando GonzálezOaxaca8 Ángel SayagoRaya26 Luis RazoZacatecas77 José GonzálezTapatío 6 Daniel LajudAtlante Joao MaleckTepatitlán Bryan MendozaAtlético Morelia Mauro PérezVenados Juan PortalesAtlante Edson TorresSonora Óscar VillaUdeG Source: Liga de Expansión MX
Hat-tricks Player For Against Result Date Sebastián Pérez BouquetTapatíoZacatecas 4–3 (A)6 July 2022 Joao MaleckTepatitlánPumas Tabasco4–3 (H)3 August 2022 (H) – Home; (A) – Away
First goal of the season: José Cobián for Zacatecas against Celaya (24 June 2022) Last goal of the season: Eduardo Banda for UAT against Celaya (16 October 2022)
Discipline
Team Most yellow cards: 64 Oaxaca Most red cards: 8 Tepatitlán Fewest yellow cards: 39 Atlante Tapatío Fewest red cards: 0 Celaya Source Liga de Expansión MX
Attendance Per team A match played behind closed doors is not included.
Highest and lowest Highest attended Lowest attended Week Home Score Away Attendance Home Score Away Attendance 1 Tlaxcala 2–0 Sonora 2,525 Tapatío 3–1 Durango 3622 U. de G. 3–0 Tepatitlán 3,125 Cancún 0–1 Raya2 1,1153 Atlético La Paz 2–2 UdeG 3,480 Tapatío 2–0 Atlético Morelia 2034 Raya2 0–0 Atlante 3,046 Oaxaca 1–1 Sonora 7845 Atlético La Paz 0–0 Celaya 3,650 Sonora 0–0 Cancún 1,1386 Atlético Morelia 1–0 UAT 7,012 Raya2 1–1 Sonora 6977 Atlante 1–0 Atlético Morelia 4,791 Tapatío 1–1 Raya2 1898 Atlético Morelia 2–1 Sonora 4,577 Raya2 1–2 Venados 4139 Atlante 1–1 Tepatitlán 4,813 Tapatío 1–0 Cancún 24310 Atlético Morelia 3–0 Sinaloa 5,473 Raya2 2–3 Celaya 35811 Venados 0–1 Zacatecas 3,008 Tapatío 1–1 Tlaxcala 24312 Atlético Morelia 4–2 Atlético La Paz 5,068 Pumas Tabasco 0–2 UdeG 87013 Atlético Morelia 0–0 Cancún 3,845 Tapatío 2–0 UAT 193 14 Zacatecas 2–2 Atlético Morelia 7,213 Pumas Tabasco 0–1 Sonora 450 15 Atlético Morelia 1–1 Tepatitlán 4,497 Raya2 0–3 Zacatecas 19016 Atlante 4–1 Tapatío 4,561 Pumas Tabasco 0–3 Sinaloa 36017 Tlaxcala 0–5 Atlante 4,205 Cancún 1–2 Tepatitlán 741
Source: Liga de Expansión MX
Final phase
Reclassification
Matches
Bracket
Quarter-finals The first legs were played between 25 and 26 October, and the second legs were played between 28 and 29 October.
First leg
Second leg
U. de G. won 3–2 on aggregate.
3–3 on aggregate. Sonora advanced as the higher seed in the classification table.
Celaya won 2–0 on aggregate.
Atlante won 4–2 on aggregate.
Semi-finals The first legs were played on 2 November, and the second legs were played on 5 November.
First leg
Second leg
Celaya won 3–1 on aggregate.
Atlante won 2–1 on aggregate.
Finals The first leg was played on 9 November, and the second was played on 12 November.
First leg
Second leg
Atlante won 3–1 on aggregate.
Torneo Clausura The Clausura tournament began on 4 January 2023. The defending champions are Atlante.
Regular season
Standings
Positions by round
Results Each team plays once all other teams in 17 rounds regardless of it being a home or away match.
Regular season statistics
Top goalscorers Players sorted first by goals scored, then by last name. Rank Player Club Goals1 Ricardo MarínCelaya102 Luis LoroñaCancún93 Cristian CañozalesOaxaca7 William GuzmánDurango Amaury EscotoCelaya6 Julio CruzOaxaca6 Giovani HernándezUAT Daniel LajudAtlante9 Kristian Álvarez Atlético La Paz5 Diego CruzTlaxcala Victor LópezRaya2 Sleyther LoraVenados Ángel LópezVenados Source: Liga de Expansión MX
Hat-tricks Player For Against Result Date Adrián JustoAtlético La PazUAT4–1 (H)7 March 2023 Cristian CañozalesOaxacaZacatecas3–6 (A)21 March 2023
(H) – Home; (A) – Away
First goal of the season: Carlos Monges for Celaya against Cancún (4 January 2023) Last goal of the season: Maximiliano García for Atlante against Durango (23 April 2023)
Discipline
Team Most yellow cards: 63 Celaya Most red cards: 7 Venados Fewest yellow cards: 29 UAT Fewest red cards: 1 Tlaxcala UAT
Source Liga de Expansión MX
Attendance Per team
Highest and lowest Highest attended Lowest attended Week Home Score Away Attendance Home Score Away Attendance 1 Venados 1–0 Tepatitlán 4,217 Raya2 0–0 Tapatío 2722 Atlético Morelia 3–0 Durango 6,085 Tapatío 4–3 Atlante 2643 Venados 2–1 Oaxaca 4,024 Durango 0–2 Tepatitlán 1,1004 Atlético Morelia 1–0 Venados 7,038 Raya2 2–0 Tlaxcala 2305 Venados 0–1 Raya2 4,997 Duango 4–3 Cancún 1,4766 Atlético Morelia 2–0 Tapatío 7,502 Raya2 2–0 Atlético La Paz 3017 Tepatitlán 1–1 U. de G. 4,403 Tapatío 3–1 Pumas Tabsco 3018 Atlético Morelia 0–1 Atlante 13,362 Raya2 0–0 Cancún 4099 Atlante 2–1 Raya2 2,985 Tapatío 1–1 Oaxaca 36510 Atlético Morelia 1–2 Zacatecas 6,650 Raya2 1–1 Oaxaca 30911 Atlético Morelia 1–0 Raya2 5,507 Tapatío 1–0 UAT 34212 Venados 0–0 Tapatío 4,536 Raya2 0–4 UAT 56113 Atlante 0–0 UdeG 8,496 Tapatío 0–2 Tepatitlán 81014 Atlético Morelia 3–2 Celaya 8,508 Raya2 1–2 Sinaloa 18515 Atlante 2–1 UAT 3,728 Raya2 1–1 Durango 60216 Atlético Morelia 2–1 Oaxaca 9,128 Zacatecas 0–2 Sonora 1,52017 Venados 1–1 Cancún 7,086 Raya2 1–1 Tepatitlán 274
Source: Liga de Expansión MX
Final phase
Reclassification
Matches
Bracket
Quarter-finals The first legs were played between 2–4 May, and the second legs were played between 5–7 May.
First leg
Second leg
Celaya won 4–0 on aggregate.
Atlante won 2–1 on aggregate.
3–3 on aggregate. Tapatío advanced due to being higher seed in the table.
Atlético Morelia won 2–1 on aggregate.
Semi-finals The first legs will be played between 10 and 11 May, and the second legs will be played between 13 and 14 May.
First leg
Second leg
Tapatío won 1–0 on aggregate.
Atlético Morelia won 4–2 on aggregate.
Final