The 2020 LFA season was the fifth season of the Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional (LFA), the top American football league in Mexico. The regular season began on February 8 and was to conclude on April 26, with the playoffs beginning on May 1 and ending with the Tazón México V on May 17. Nevertheless, after week 5, on March 16, the LFA announced the suspension of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic[1][2] and on 29 March 2020 the league confirmed that the season was cancelled.[3]

2020 LFA season
Duration8 February 2020 – 8 March 2020
Tazón México V
DateNot held
VenueEstadio Azteca, Mexico City
Seasons
← 2019
2021 →

Preseason events

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Expansion and stadium changes

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One new team joined the league: Pioneros, based in Querétaro City.[4] Due to Pioneros joining the LFA and the league failing to secure a tenth expansion team, thus raising the number of teams to nine, the LFA took the decision that the Mayas would not participate in the season, returning in 2021. This decision was also made taking in consideration the change of ownership in the team.[5]

Four teams switched stadiums:

Coaching changes

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  • Fundidores: Carlos Strevel replaced Israel González as head coach of the team. González previously coached the team for two seasons (2018 and 2019) reaching playoffs once.[11]
  • Mexicas: Héctor Toxqui was chosen to replace Enrique Zárate as head coach of the team. As of the 2020 season, Mexicas is the only team in the league to have had a different coach for each one of its five seasons.[12]

Draft

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The 2020 draft was the largest so far, declaring more than 70 senior players from ONEFA, CONADEIP and FADEMAC for the first time. The draft was held on January 11 at the FES Acatlán facilities.[13]

Draft 2020
Rd Sel. LFA Team Player Pos. University Conf.
SP 1 Pioneros José Pablo Morales DB Borregos ITESM Querétaro Liga Mayor ONEFA
2 Condors César Pérez Durán DL Águilas Blancas IPN Liga Mayor ONEFA
1 1 Pioneros Edgar Padilla LB Águilas Blancas IPN Liga Mayor ONEFA
2 Mexicas Jerónimo Arzate CB Pumas CU UNAM Liga Mayor ONEFA
3 Osos Daniel Rubio RB Potros Salvajes UAEM Liga Mayor ONEFA
4 Dinos Carlos Mercado OL Borregos Salvajes Monterrey Liga Premier CONADEIP
5 Artilleros Diego Bedolla OL Aztecas UDLAP Liga Premier CONADEIP
6 Fundidores Martín Maldonado DL Borregos Salvajes Monterrey Liga Premier CONADEIP
7 Raptors Ricardo Sainz WR/DB Pumas CU UNAM Liga Mayor ONEFA
8 Condors Luis Adán Ochoa DL Águilas Blancas IPN Liga Mayor ONEFA
2 9 Pioneros Saúl Aguilar OL Auténticos Tigres UANL Liga Mayor ONEFA
10 Mexicas Daniel Concepción OL Águilas Blancas IPN Liga Mayor ONEFA
11 Osos Carlos Garza LB Leones Anáhuac Norte Liga Mayor ONEFA
12 Fundidores vía Dinos Josué Antonio López OL Águilas Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua Liga Mayor ONEFA
13 Artilleros Osvaldo Zumalacarregui DB Aztecas UDLAP Liga Premier CONADEIP
14 Fundidores Cosme Lozano DB Borregos Salvajes Monterrey Liga Premier CONADEIP
15 Raptors Alfonso Trejos DL Burros Blancos IPN Liga Mayor ONEFA
16 Condors Luis Canela LB Pumas CU UNAM Liga Mayor ONEFA
3 17 Pioneros Ricardo Servín RB Pumas UNAM Acatlán Liga Mayor ONEFA
18 Mexicas Gerardo Rarmírez CB Pumas CU UNAM Liga Mayor ONEFA
19 Osos Hanscel López QB Potros Salvajes UAEM Liga Mayor ONEFA
20 Fundidores vía Dinos Edgar Cortez OL Auténticos Tigres UANL Liga Mayor ONEFA
21 Artilleros Diego Torres LB Aztecas UDLAP Liga Premier CONADEIP
22 Fundidores Enrique Zepeda LB Auténticos Tigres UANL Liga Mayor ONEFA
23 Raptors Marco Camacho WR Borregos Salvajes México Liga Premier CONADEIP
24 Condors Daniel Murillo DL Pumas CU UNAM Liga Mayor ONEFA
4 25 Mexicas vía Pioneros Brandon López QB Toros Salvajes Chapingo Liga Mayor ONEFA
26 Mexicas Ricardo Razo SS Leones Anáhuac Norte Liga Mayor ONEFA
27 Raptors vía Osos Gustavo Orostico DB Burros Blancos IPN Liga Mayor ONEFA
28 Fundidores vía Dinos Patricio Garza WR Lobos UAdeC Liga Mayor ONEFA
29 Artilleros Jorge Eduardo Retana WR Aztecas UDLAP Liga Premier CONADEIP
30 Fundidores Itan Salas LB Auténticos Tigres UANL Liga Mayor ONEFA
31 Raptors Rodrigo Aquino WR Burros Blancos IPN Liga Mayor ONEFA
32 Condors Jorge Sámano LB Leones Anáhuac Norte Liga Mayor ONEFA
5 33 Mexicas vía Pioneros Mario Ortiz WR Leones Anáhuac Norte Liga Mayor ONEFA
34 Mexicas Eduardo Jiménez WR Burros Blancos IPN Liga Mayor ONEFA
35 Osos Alejandro Sánchez OL Potros Salvajes UAEM Liga Mayor ONEFA
36 Fundidores vía Dinos Marco Santana QB Lobos UAdeC Liga Mayor ONEFA
37 Artilleros Marco Covarrubias OL Aztecas UDLAP Liga Premier CONADEIP
38 Fundidores Pick declined
39 Raptors Julio Villarreal DL Leones Anáhuac Norte Liga Mayor ONEFA
40 Condors Alberto González K Pumas CU UNAM Liga Mayor ONEFA
6 41 Pioneros Jorge Contreras OL Pumas UNAM Acatlán Liga Mayor ONEFA
42 Mexicas Fernando Hernández Toros Salvajes Chapingo Liga Mayor ONEFA
43 Raptors vía Osos Luis González OL Pumas UNAM Acatlán Liga Mayor ONEFA
44 Dinos Ángel Martínez DL Lobos UAdeC Liga Mayor ONEFA
45 Artilleros Jorge Bravo WR Aztecas UDLAP Liga Premier CONADEIP
46 Raptors Sean Muzquiz DL Leones Anáhuac Norte Liga Mayor ONEFA
47 Condors Mario Alberto Hernández WR Pumas CU UNAM Liga Mayor ONEFA
7 49 Pioneros Pick declined
50 Mexicas Emmanuel Vargas DL Águilas Blancas IPN Liga Mayor ONEFA
51 Raptors vía Osos Jorge Guzmán DE Pumas CU UNAM Liga Mayor ONEFA
52 Dinos Andrés Castro DB Lobos UAdeC Liga Mayor ONEFA
53 Artilleros Diego Vásquez WR Lobos BUAP Liga Mayor ONEFA
54 Raptors Eric Remigio WR Búhos IPN Liga Mayor FADEMAC
55 Condors Yannic Hernández DB Burros Blancos IPN Liga Mayor ONEFA
8 57 Mexicas Raymundo Mora OL Frailes UT Liga Mayor ONEFA
58 Osos Pick declined
59 Dinos Fernando Gómez WR Auténticos Tigres UANL Liga Mayor ONEFA
60 Artilleros Geovanni Gómez CB Lobos BUAP Liga Mayor ONEFA
61 Raptors Miguel Ríos DL Leones Anáhuac Norte Liga Mayor ONEFA
62 Condors Yair Alejandro Márquez QB Águilas Blancas IPN Liga Mayor ONEFA
9 63 Mexicas Sergio Soriano OL Águilas Blancas IPN Liga Mayor ONEFA
64 Artilleros Brandon Barrios DB Lobos BUAP Liga Mayor ONEFA
65 Raptors Ozdi Nimrod Barona QB Pumas UNAM Acatlán Liga Mayor ONEFA
66 Condors Gustavo Aguilar RB Pumas UNAM Acatlán Liga Mayor ONEFA
10 67 Mexicas Carlos Climaco RB Burros Blancos IPN Liga Mayor ONEFA
68 Artilleros Diego Ruíz QB Aztecas UDLAP Liga Premier CONADEIP
69 Raptors César Iván Alanís OL Frailes UT Liga Mayor ONEFA
70 Condors Javier Arceo RB Linces UVM Liga Mayor ONEFA
11 71 Artilleros Kevin Brian Correa RB Aztecas UDLAP Liga Premier CONADEIP
72 Artilleros Diego Huerta LB Aztecas UDLAP Liga Premier CONADEIP
73 Artilleros Alberto Adduci Bellizi OL Aztecas UDLAP Liga Premier CONADEIP
  Complementary selections

*In exchange for draft selection in the Mayan draft, Dinos gave Fundidores selections in the second, third, fourth, and fifth round of the 2020 draft. ** In exchange for WR Aldo Narvaes and Josep Acosta, Pioneers gave Mexica selections in the fourth and fifth round of the 2020 draft. *** In exchange for Mayan draft picks, Osos gave Raptors selections in the fourth, sixth, and seventh round of the 2020 draft.

Mayas draft

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For the 2020 season, the 8 teams of the LFA made a draft of the Mayas' players who declared themselves eligible to play the 2020 season with some other team in the league, with the intention to continue playing and not lose the pace of competition. Artilleros declined participation by arguing not to be interested in any Mayas' players.

Mayas draft
Rd Sel. LFA Team Player Pos.
1 1 Mexicas Isaac Medina DL
2 Fundidores *Marco García QB
3 Dinos Omar Cojolum RB
4 Osos Leonel Ramírez OL
5 Raptors Edgar White LB
6 Pioneros Ramiro Pruneda OL
7 Condors Josué Martínez WR
2 8 Mexicas Diego Magaña DL
9 Dinos vía Fundidores Mariano Vargas OL
10 Dinos Lennin Ortiz RB
11 Osos Jonathan Segura OL
12 Raptors Jesús Sosa Piña RB
13 Pioneros Álvaro Camacho QB
14 Condors Luis David Martínez WR
3 15 Mexicas Uriel Ávalos DE
16 Osos Juan Vázquez DB
17 Raptors Adan Hernández SS
18 Pioneros **Jordi Saldaña FS
19 Condors Ricardo Espinoza CB
4 20 Mexicas Uriel López LB
21 Osos José Falcón CB
22 Raptors Christian Gómez WR
24 Condors Luis Zárate LB
5 20 Mexicas Carlos Díaz TE
21 Osos Sebastián Baig LB
22 Raptors Edgar Arroyo RB
24 Condors Marco Morales WR
6 25 Mexicas Jonathan García LB
26 Osos Gustavo Ramos WR
27 Raptors José Garatachea SS
28 Condors Fernando Aguirre DL
7 29 Raptors Arturo Callejos QB

*He declined his hiring for labor reasons | **Hired by the Raptors

Teams

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Team City Stadium Capacity Head coach
North Division
Dinos Saltillo, Coahuila Estadio Olímpico Francisco I. Madero 8,000   Javier Adame
Fundidores Monterrey, Nuevo León Estadio Borregos 10,057   Carlos Strevel
Pioneros Querétaro City, Querétaro Unidad Deportiva El Pueblito 4,000   Rassielh López
Raptors Naucalpan, State of Mexico Estadio José Ortega Martínez 3,700   Guillermo Gutiérrez
Central Division
Artilleros Puebla City, Puebla Estadio Universitario BUAP 19,283   Gustavo Torres
Condors Mexico City Estadio ITESM Santa Fe 2,500   Félix Buendía
Mexicas Mexico City Estadio Perros Negros 2,500   Héctor Toxqui
Osos Toluca, State of Mexico Estadio Fortaleza Siglo XXI 4,000   Horacio García

Season structure

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The training camp began in the first week of November 2019, some teams started early, as the case of Condors and Dinos that began at the end of October. The regular season is played from February to April. Each team faces each of the teams of their respective division twice, once at home and once as a visitor. There will also be 4 games between conferences, each team will have two home games and two visiting. There will be three bye weeks: one between week 5 and 6 and also for teams that enter playoffs between week 10 and the conference finals, and one week before the Tazón México V.

Suspension

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On March 16, after Week 5, the league announced the indefinite suspension of the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was informed that none of the eight team players were affected by the virus. It was also announced that all the foreign players participating in the league as part of the LFA-CFL agreement would return immediately to their countries.[2]

Cancellation

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On April 29, Alejandro Jaimes, the LFA commissioner, announced that the season would be cancelled and that the league would return until 2021.[3]

Regular season

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Standings

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Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, PF = Points for, PA = Points against

Results

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Week 1
Away Score Home Venue Date Time TV
Raptors 13–5 Mexicas Estadio Perros Negros February 7 20:00 Claro Sports
Condors 29–7 Pioneros Unidad Deportiva El Pueblito February 8 12:00 TUDN, Claro Sports
Artilleros 10–12 Dinos Estadio Olímpico Francisco I. Madero February 8 18:30 Claro Sports, Multimedios, RCG TV, Televisa
Fundidores 20–14 Osos Fortaleza Siglo XXI February 9 12:00 Claro Sports, Nuestra Visión (USA)
Week 2
Away Score Home Venue Date Time TV
Dinos 23–15 Fundidores Estadio Borregos February 14 20:00 Multimedios, Claro Sports, Nuestra Visión (USA)
Mexicas 26–24 Artilleros Estadio Universitario BUAP February 15 12:00 TUDN, Televisa, Claro Sports
Pioneros 2–19 Raptors Estadio José Ortega Martínez February 15 17:00 Claro Sports
Osos 10–27 Condors Estadio ITESM Santa Fe February 16 12:00 Claro Sports
Week 3
Visitor Score Home Stadium Date Time TV
Osos 16–15 Mexicas Estadio Perros Negros February 22 14:00 Claro Sports, TUDN
Raptors 29–30 Dinos Estadio Olímpico Francisco I. Madero February 22 19:00 Multimedios, Claro Sports, RCG TV
Artilleros 18–29 Condors Estadio ITESM Santa Fe February 23 12:00 Claro Sports, Televisa
Fundidores 23–3 Pioneros Unidad Deportiva El Pueblito February 23 15:00 Claro Sports
Week 4
Visitor Score Home Stadium Date Time TV
Mexicas 13–19 Fundidores Estadio Borregos February 28 20:30 Multimedios, Claro Sports
Osos 7–23 Raptors Estadio José Ortega Martínez February 29 17:00 Claro Sports
Dinos 20–26 Condors Estadio ITESM Santa Fe March 1 12:00 Claro Sports
Pioneros 19–24 Artilleros Estadio Universitario BUAP March 14 14:00 Televisa, Claro Sports
Week 5
Visitor Score Home Stadium Date Time TV
Condors 10–27 Mexicas Estadio Perros Negros March 7 12:00 Claro Sports
Fundidores 0–28 Raptors Estadio José Ortega Martínez March 7 17:00 Claro Sports
Pioneros 9–8 Dinos Estadio Olímpico Francisco I. Madero March 7 18:30 Televisa, Claro Sports, RCG TV
Artilleros 31–21 Osos Universidad Siglo XXI March 8 12:00 Claro Sports, Televisa
Week 6
Visitor Score Home Stadium Date Time TV
Fundidores cancelled Dinos Estadio Olímpico Francisco I. Madero March 21 18:30 Televisa, Claro Sports, RCG TV
Artilleros cancelled Mexicas Estadio Perros Negros March 21 19:00 Claro Sports, Televisa
Osos cancelled Condors ITESM Santa Fe March 22 12:00 Claro Sports
Raptors cancelled Pioneros La Pirámide March 22 15:00 Claro Sports
Week 7
Visitor Score Home Stadium Date Time TV
Pioneros cancelled Fundidores Estadio Nuevo León Unido March 27 20:00 Televisa Claro Sports
Condors cancelled Artilleros Estadio Universitario BUAP March 28 14:00 Televisa Claro Sports
Dinos cancelled Raptors José Ortega Martínez March 28 17:00 Claro Sports
Mexicas cancelled Osos Universidad Siglo XXI March 29 12:00 Claro Sports
Week 8
Visitor Score Home Stadium Date Time TV
Fundidores cancelled Artilleros Estadio Universitario BUAP April 4 14:00 Televisa Claro Sports
Osos cancelled Dinos Estadio Olímpico Francisco I. Madero April 4 18:30 Televisa Claro Sports RCG TV
Raptors cancelled Condors ITESM Santa Fe April 5 12:00 Claro Sports
Mexicas cancelled Pioneros La Pirámide April 5 15:00 Claro Sports
Week 9
Visitor Score Home Stadium Date Time TV
Condors cancelled Fundidores Estadio Nuevo León Unido April 17 20:00 Televisa Claro Sports
Pioneros cancelled Osos Universidad Siglo XXI April 18 12:00 Claro Sports
Artilleros cancelled Raptors José Ortega Martínez April 18 17:00 Claro Sports Televisa
Dinos cancelled Mexicas Estadio Perros Negros April 19 13:00 Claro Sports
Week 10
Visitor Score Home Stadium Date Time TV
Raptors cancelled Fundidores Estadio Nuevo León Unido April 24 20:00 Televisa Claro Sports
Osos cancelled Artilleros Estadio Universitario BUAP April 25 14:00 Televisa Claro Sports
Mexicas cancelled Condors ITESM Santa Fe April 25 12:00 Claro Sports
Dinos cancelled Pioneros La Pirámide April 26 15:00 Claro Sports

References

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  1. ^ "Calendario LFA 2020 – LFA". LFA.mx (in Spanish). LFA. 24 December 2019. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  2. ^ a b @LFAmex (16 March 2020). "BREAKING NEWS" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  3. ^ a b "Coronavirus obliga a cancelar temporada 2020 de la LFA". ESPN.com.mx (in Spanish). 30 April 2020. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  4. ^ "Pioneros de Querétaro se suma a la LFA". LFA.mx (in Spanish). LFA. 4 September 2019. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  5. ^ "Se va el bicampeón Mayas de la LFA". Reporte Indigo (in Spanish). 3 December 2019. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  6. ^ "Artilleros LFA anuncia su nueva casa". LFA.mx (in Spanish). LFA. 17 December 2019. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  7. ^ "Fundidores jugará en el estadio Borregos del Tec de Monterrey". LFA.mx (in Spanish). LFA. 24 January 2020. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  8. ^ "¡Todo listo! Conoce el nuevo Estadio Borregos del campus Monterrey". Tec.mx (in Spanish). ITESM. 22 April 2019. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  9. ^ "Las sedes de la temporada V". LFA.mx (in Spanish). LFA. 3 February 2020. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
  10. ^ "Del Palillo Martínez al estadio Borregos: 21 diferentes inmuebles ha tenido la LFA". Máximo Avance (in Spanish). 28 January 2020. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  11. ^ ""Queremos construir un Fundidores triunfador": Coach Strevel". LFA.mx (in Spanish). LFA. 20 January 2020. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
  12. ^ "Cinco años cinco Coaches". LFA.mx (in Spanish). LFA. 10 October 2019. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
  13. ^ "Sábado de Draft en la LFA". Marca.com (in Spanish). 11 January 2020. Retrieved 8 February 2020.