The 2022 LFA season was the seventh season of operation (sixth season of play) of the Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional (LFA), the top American football league in Mexico. The regular season began on 4 March and concluded on 24 April, with the playoffs beginning on April 30 and ending with the Tazón México V, on 21 May.[1] The league returned after a two-season hiatus.
Fundidores won their first LFA championship after defeating Gallos Negros 18–14 in the Tazón México V, played in Tijuana.[2]
Preseason events
Expansion
Two new teams joined the league for the 2022 season: Galgos de Tijuana, based in Tijuana, and Reyes de Jalisco, based in Zapopan, Jalisco.[3][4] The league also lost one team, Osos de Toluca, that folded in January 2021.[5] With these changes, the 2022 season will be contested by seven teams and, unlike the previous seasons, the league will not be divided into two divisions. As a result, the league decided to expand the playoff field from four teams to six teams. The top two teams will have a bye in the quarterfinals and will host home field in the semifinals.
Condors originally relocated to Querétaro City, and changed its name to Condors de Querétaro, after their acquisition to the ownership group that owned Querétaro F.C. On 3 February 2022, the team officially were rebranded as Gallos Negros de Querétaro. Following the rebrand, the league considers Gallos Negros as a new franchise that began competing in the 2022 season.[6][7]
Raptors returned to play their home games in the Estadio FES Acatlán, after playing in the Estadio José Ortega Martínez for the previous two seasons.[9]
The Tazón México V was held on 21 May 2022 at the Estadio Caliente in Tijuana. It was the first time the Tazón México was held outside of Mexico City. Fundidores became LFA champions after beating Gallos Negros by a score of 14–18.
^ ab"Calendario 2022". LFA.mx. 20 December 2021. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
^"¡Nuevos monarcas! Fundidores derrota a Gallos y se proclama campeón de la LFA". Mediotiempo.com (in Spanish). 22 May 2022. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
^"Presentan a Reyes de Jalisco, nuevo equipo de la LFA bajo el mando del coach Ernesto Alfaro". Máximo Avance (in Spanish). 21 December 2021. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
^Muñoz, Heriberto (17 November 2021). "Galgos, la pieza que faltaba en el futbol americano de Baja California". El Imparcial (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 January 2022.
^Fernández, Domingo (14 November 2021). "Osos Toluca se despide de la liga LFA". El Sol de Toluca (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 January 2022.
^"La nueva historia de Gallos Negros en Querétaro". LFA.mx. 14 February 2022.
^González, Francisco (7 December 2021). "Llegan los Condors a Querétaro". Diario de Querétaro (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 January 2022.
^Arguijo, Aarón (21 January 2022). "Dinos de Saltillo presenta su temporada 2022". El Siglo de Torreón (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 February 2023.
^"Estadio FES Acatlán, la casa oficial de Raptors". LFA.mx (in Spanish). 2 March 2022. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
^"Luego de violencia en el Estadio Corregidora, Gallos Negros posponen su juego debut en contra de Reyes de Jalisco". A3 Noticias. 9 March 2022. Retrieved 13 March 2022.
^"Comunicado Oficial". Facebook (Press release). 22 March 2022. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
^"Estadísticas 2022". LFA.mx. Archived from the original on 8 May 2022. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
^"Tijuana será sede de Tazón México V". El Sol de Tijuana (in Spanish). 21 April 2022. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
^"Ganadores de la segunda Gala LFA". LFA.mx (in Spanish). 23 February 2023. Retrieved 27 February 2023.