Photo: Mexsport

Club América will face Monterrey in the final of the Apertura 2024 Liga MX tournament, but the first leg, scheduled for Thursday, December 12, will not take place in Mexico City, surprising fans. The decision to change the venue stems from logistical and security issues that make it impossible for the match to be held at the Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes, América's home ground this season.

Reason for the Venue Change

The Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes was ruled out due to conflicting events in the area:

• Plaza de Toros La México, located adjacent to the stadium, will host a bullfighting event on Thursday, December 12.
• Authorities in the Benito Juárez borough indicated that holding two large-scale events simultaneously in the same vicinity would pose significant logistical and security challenges, along with potential penalties for the organizers.

To avoid these complications, América opted to relocate the match to the Estadio Cuauhtémoc in Puebla. The club has already played at this venue during Matchday 16 against Pachuca, under similar circumstances, securing a 2-1 victory.

Schedule and Context of the Final

• First Leg: Thursday, December 12, 9:00 PM ET, Estadio Cuauhtémoc (Puebla).
• Second Leg: Sunday, December 15, 8:00 PM ET, Estadio BBVA (Monterrey).

América aims to make history as the first team to achieve a three-peat in the short tournament era, seeking their 16th league title, further cementing their status as the most successful club in Mexican football. Meanwhile, Monterrey, led by Martín Demichelis, will pursue their sixth league championship and the first since the Apertura 2019.