Querétaro vs Monterrey: a win puts the winner in the top eight

Querétaro and Monterrey play on Saturday, November 14, with one immediate consequence: the winner will end the day inside the Apertura 2026 top eight, while a draw will leave both clubs outside it. That would not guarantee a quarterfinal place because each team will still have one match in Round 17.

The three match scenarios

Before kickoff, Monterrey sits 10th with 21 points and a +1 goal difference. Querétaro is 12th with 20 points and a -5 goal difference. Eighth-place Pachuca and ninth-place Tijuana have 22 points, while León is seventh with 23. The figures appear in the standings published by Claro Sports.

| Result | Immediate consequence |

|---|---|

| Querétaro win | Gallos reach 23 points and enter the top eight, in seventh or eighth depending on goal difference. Monterrey remains on 21. |

| Draw | Monterrey reaches 22 points but stays behind Pachuca (+9) and Tijuana (+3) on goal difference. Querétaro moves to 21. Neither enters the top eight. |

| Monterrey win | Rayados reach 24 points and provisionally take seventh place. Querétaro remains on 20. |

Querétaro’s position after a win would depend on the scoreline. The club would draw level with León on 23 points, leaving goal difference to determine their order. Seventh place therefore cannot be guaranteed in advance.

A win creates an advantage, not qualification

The winner will control its position entering the last round, but Saturday’s three points alone will not mathematically secure a quarterfinal berth. Monterrey’s official schedule shows Rayados still due to face Pumas on November 21.

The standings also contain several nearby challengers: León has 23 points, Pachuca and Tijuana have 22, and Pumas has 21. Results in Round 17 can therefore reorder the lower end of the top eight.

A draw helps the competing clubs

One point is not enough to move either side immediately into a qualification place. Even if Monterrey draws level with Pachuca and Tijuana on points, Rayados will remain behind both on goal difference. Querétaro will stay below that group.

Both teams would retain a mathematical chance in the final round, but they would depend more heavily on other results. A draw keeps the race alive without giving either club the provisional position available through a win.

Why the match was postponed

The fixture belongs to Round 7 and was moved because of Monterrey’s participation in the 2026 Leagues Cup. The Rayados announcement confirms the new date: Saturday, November 14, at 5 p.m. Central Mexico time, at Estadio Corregidora.

TV Azteca also identifies it as the outstanding Round 7 game. The time and schedule may change, so readers should check the club’s official calendar before kickoff. No US or UK broadcast availability has been confirmed by the sources used here.

What is already decided in the Apertura

There is no Play-In: only the top eight qualify directly for the quarterfinals. The matchups follow the format first vs eighth, second vs seventh, third vs sixth, and fourth vs fifth.

Cruz Azul, América, Chivas, Toluca and Atlas have already secured knockout-stage places, although their final positions can still change. The top four will host the second leg of their quarterfinal, and the higher-ranked team will advance if the aggregate score is level, according to the format described by Claro Sports.

How the result affects the matchups

This game cannot determine a final opponent. Its main effect is on the provisional occupant of seventh or eighth: a Monterrey win moves Rayados to seventh, while a Querétaro win places Gallos in one of those two spots depending on goal difference. Every quarterfinal projection will remain conditional on Round 17.

Discover Becoartes

Visit Becoartes at Rua Gonçalo Afonso, 99, Vila Madalena, São Paulo.