The 2026 LFA season was the 11th season of operation (10th season of play) of the Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional (LFA), the top American football league in Mexico. The regular season began on 9 April and ended on 23 May, with the playoffs beginning on 30 May and ending with the Tazón México IX, the league's championship game, on 7 June.
The Caudillos de Chihuahua defeated the Osos de Monterrey in Tazón México IX, becoming the first team to win three Tazón México championships.
Preseason events
Draft The LFA draft was held on 17 January. The first three rounds were held in person in Mexico City, while the latter five were held virtually. The Reyes de Jalisco selected Joseph Cortés from with the first overall pick.
Player selections 2026 LFA draft Rnd. Pick No. LFA Team Player Pos. School 1 1 Reyes Joseph Cortés DL 1 2 Gallos Negros Roberto Villalón OL UDLAP 1 3 Raptors Daniel Díaz WR 1 4 Dinos Steven Zambrano OL ITESM Monterrey 1 5 Caudillos Alonso Meraz DB ITESM CEM 1 6 Osos Pablo Treviño DE UANL 1 7 Mexicas Jonathan Castañeda WR ITESM CEM 2 8 Reyes Damián Cruz OL 2 9 Gallos Negros Mariano Hernández DL UNAM 2 10 Gallos Negros Alí Flores RB UDLAP 2 11 Dinos Sergio Reséndiz QB UANL 2 12 Mexicas Diego Rodríguez OL 2 13 Osos Óscar Soto DL ITESM Monterrey 2 14 Mexicas Luis Reyes OL IPN (Águilas Blancas) 3 15 Osos Eduardo Martínez RB UANL 3 16 Gallos Negros Alan Herrera QB/WR/K IPN (Águilas Blancas) 3 17 Raptors Erick Andrade FS FES Acatlán 3 18 Reyes Renato Ávila DT FES Acatlán 3 19 Caudillos Benjamín Huez DE UANL 3 20 Dinos Vinicio García WR UANL 3 21 Mexicas Carlos Navarrete DL ITESM CEM 4 22 Reyes Axel Medina QB 4 23 Gallos Negros Emiliano Jiménez LB ITESM Querétaro 4 24 Raptors Felipe Borjas DL ITESM CEM 4 25 Dinos Brian Lezama OL 4 26 Caudillos José Limón WR 4 27 Osos Alejandro Rodríguez DT UANL 4 28 Osos Edwyn Cabello CB UANL 4 29 Osos Luis Olvera WR UANL 5 30 Reyes Víctor Mellado LB 5 31 Gallos Negros Octavio García DL Anáhuac Querétaro 5 32 Raptors Gerardo Barocio QB/WR IPN (Búhos) 5 33 Dinos Isaac Briones WR 5 34 Caudillos Armando Guerrero DB 5 35 Mexicas Irving Robles FS 5 36 Gallos Negros Andrés Tovar WR Anáhuac Cancún 6 37 Reyes Gustavo Olivares OL IPN (Búhos) 6 38 Gallos Negros Orlando Pérez OL FES Acatlán 6 39 Raptors Jesús Alcalá RB IPN (Águilas Blancas) 6 40 Dinos Ángel Carrizales OL 6 41 Caudillos Mauricio Martínez LB ITESM Monterrey 6 42 Mexicas Samuel Flores LB UNAM 6 43 Mexicas Alonso Guerrero DL UNAM 7 44 Reyes Elías Montini LB Anáhuac Cancún 7 45 Raptors Isaac Ávalos OL 7 46 Dinos Reynaldo Blanco K UANL 7 47 Mexicas Maximiliano García DL 7 48 Mexicas Emilio Méndez WR 8 49 Reyes Daniel Canales OL ITESM Monterrey 8 50 Raptors Rogelio Aranda OL 8 51 Dinos Jonathan Montes DT UANL 8 52 Mexicas Patricio Santisteban DB ITESM Monterrey 8 53 Mexicas Arath Ríos RB 8 54 Dinos Rodrigo Motte OL UDLAP
Team changes The Arcángeles de Puebla were unexpectedly absent from the draft. Days later, it was revealed that the team had been excluded from the draft due to disagreements with the new LFA leadership, but that Puebla would remain in the league. Despite reports of the Arcángeles submitting the proper documentation, they were ultimately excluded from the 2026 season schedule, which was released on 12 February. The team claimed that the LFA demanded that they cede 90% of the team's shares, even after they paid MXN$2.3 million in outstanding debts under threat of expulsion. The magazine Proceso called it an "extortion".
A press release from the Arcángeles stated: "[T]hey failed to take control of the team from us. However, they seek to take control of the location with the intention of returning to Puebla in 2027, ignoring the work, history, and effort already built". 32 of the team's players were later reassigned to the remaining seven teams via dispersal draft.
Meanwhile, the Galgos de Tijuana took the 2025 season off and planned to return in 2026. However, this did not materialize, leaving the league with seven teams for the season.
Teams Stadiums, locations and personnel Team Location Stadium Capacity Head coach Caudillos Chihuahua City, Chihuahua Estadio Olímpico de la UACH 22,000 Federico Landeros Dinos Saltillo, Coahuila Estadio Jorge A. Castro Medina 3,476 Javier Adame Gallos Negros Querétaro City, Querétaro Estadio Olímpico de Querétaro 4,600 Raúl Herrera Mexicas Tlalpan, Mexico City ITESM CCM 2,500 Félix Buendía Osos Monterrey, Nuevo León Estadio Banorte 10,057 Jorge Valdéz Raptors Atizapán de Zaragoza, State of Mexico Club Comanches 1,500 Horacio García Reyes Guadalajara, Jalisco La Fortaleza Azul 3,500 Willy Valdovinos
Coaching changes Pre-seasonTeamDeparting CoachNew CoachReference Reyes Mauricio Salas Willy Valdovinos
In-seasonTeamDeparting CoachNew CoachDateReference Gallos Negros Carlos Strevel Raúl Herrera 15 April
Regular season Standings Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, PF = Points For, PA = Points against
Playoffs
Tazón México IX
Tazón México IX was held on 7 June at the Estadio Universitario UACH in Chihuahua City.
The Caudillos de Chihuahua defeated the Osos de Monterrey, 24–12, to win their LFA-record third Tazón México championship. Dishon McNary was named the Tazón México MVP.
Background On 19 May, the LFA announced that the Estadio Universitario UACH, home of the Caudillos de Chihuahua, was selected as the Tazón México site. It marked the second Tazón México hosted in Chihuahua, following Tazón México VI in 2023. It was also announced that a special edition of the championship trophy would be presented to the winner in honor of the league's 10th season of play. The trophy was presented at a media day held at the Nido de Águilas field in Chihuahua the day before the game.
The Caudillos came into the game looking to win their LFA-record third Tazón México title, while the Osos were vying for their first Tazón México title since their time as the Fundidores de Monterrey.
Tazón México IX was broadcast on ESPN2 and Disney+ in Mexico, and on Telemundo Deportes and Peacock in the United States.
Rock band El Gran Silencio performed after the game.
Regular-season statistical leaders +2026 LFA statistical leadersCategoryPlayerTeamStatOffensePassing yardsJeremy JohnsonCaudillos1,860Passing Touchdowns20Rushing yardsChance BellDinos420Rushing TouchdownsTimothy WhitfieldOsos6ReceptionsJuwan ManigoCaudillos37Receiving yardsKeyon Lesane Sr.Caudillos642Receiving Touchdowns10DefenseTacklesVincent SullivanDinos68SacksTramel Logan, Jr.Mexicas4Rakweon RamseyReyesBryan RiceReyesInterceptionsMarquise ManningGallos Negros3Special teamsPunt return yardsJuwan ManigoCaudillos199Kick return yardsJoan MedinaDinos310Field goals madeJesús AguirreOsos6Gabriel BallinasDinos
Source: LFA
Awards Players of the week WeekOffensive PlayerDefensive PlayerRefs.PlayerPos.TeamPlayerPos.Team1 No awards given No awards given2Juwan ManigoWRCaudillosEsteban SolaresLBRaptors3Mike PatiñoQBGallos NegrosElorm LumorLBOsos4Keyon Lesane Sr.WRCaudillosMarquise ManningCBGallos Negros5Juwan ManigoWRCaudillosKarrheem DarringtonDBRaptors6Shelton EpplerQBOsosMatthew BarrettLBReyes7Brandon KylesQBMexicasVincent SullivanLBDinosSemifinalsJulio CovarrubiasRBCaudillosBrian Hughes Jr.DBOsos
Venture capital funding On 25 November 2025, it was announced that the league had received foreign backing from Global Sports Capital Partners, who pledged an investment of $100 million over a period of at least seven years, in a move branded as LFA 2.0.
In March 2026, the LFA announced a historic broadcast deal with ESPN, who acquired the exclusive rights to air all regular season and playoff games in Mexico, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Games were broadcast on ESPN2 and Disney+. Starting week 4, games were also broadcast in the United States by Telemundo Deportes via its livestreaming channel, Telemundo Deportes Ahora.
The league also reached a three-year sponsorship deal with Finsus, a financial institution, which included changing its official name to LFA Finsus.
The LFA welcomed several current and former NFL players as special guests to various games during the season: Will Hernandez, Reyes at Gallos Negros, Week 1 Isaac Alarcón, Osos at Caudillos, Week 2 Sam Darnold, Mexicas at Osos, Week 4 Emmitt Smith, Gallos Negros at Caudillos, Week 5
References
Notes