Following the same schedule as the men's league, each season consist of two tournaments: an Apertura tournament, which takes place from July to December, and a Clausura tournament, which takes place from January to May.
Tigres UANL has won the league a record six times, followed by C.F. Monterrey with four titles, and C.D. Guadalajara and Club América with two titles each. In all, only these four clubs have won the Liga MX Femenil trophy.[2]
Previous to the establishment of Liga MX Femenil, there were attempts by the Mexican Football Federation, Liga MX clubs, and women's football advocates to professionalized women's football in Mexico, but none of these attempts were successful.
Liga Mexicana de Fútbol Femenil
In 2007, there was an attempt to professionalize women's football in Mexico via the Liga Mexicana de Fútbol Femenil. While the league did foster some success, it did not have major sponsorships and lacked media coverage as well as fan support. Therefore, major clubs participating in the league such as Chivas, pulled their support.[4]
In November 2012, the United States Soccer Federation announced the establishment of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) in a push to professionalized women's soccer in the United States.[5] In an arrangement with the U.S. Soccer Federation to develop Mexican talent in the United States, the Mexican Football Federation pledged to allocate Mexican players to NWSL clubs while also covering the salaries of such players. Mexican players such as Maribel Domínguez and Mónica Ocampo were among the first players to be allocated to the NWSL as part of this arrangement, which was in effect from 2013 until early 2016, when the Mexican Football Federation announced that it would no longer continue allocating players to the NWSL due to the limited playing time these players were receiving, foreshadowing the creation of Liga MX Femenil.[6]
The Chivas Femenil starting lineup that played the first leg of the Apertura 2017 final against Pachuca.
In December 2016, during a general assembly meeting with all Liga MX club owners, former Liga MX President, Enrique Bonilla, announced the formation of the new Liga MX Femenil in an effort to grow and build talent within Mexico.[9] The announcement stated that 16 out of the 18 Liga MX clubs (excluding Puebla and Chiapas due to financial problems) would field U-23 rosters with four U-17 players and up to two overage players.[10][1]
Before the inaugural season, the teams participated in a warm-up tournament called Copa MX Femenil.[11] The tournament took place between 3 May and 6 May 2017, with only 12 of the 16 teams participating due to four clubs not having a team ready by the time of the tournament's inauguration.[12]Pachuca won this tournament by winning the final 9–1 against Club Tijuana.[13]
First tournament
The first Apertura 2017 matches were played on 28 July 2017.[14]Chivas won the first Liga MX Femenil championship on 24 November 2017 by defeating Pachuca in the final. The two matches drew record-setting crowds of 28,955 and 32,466 spectators, respectively.[15][16]
Commentator Glenn Moore declared Liga MX Femenil to have concluded a "very successful debut campaign."[17]
Regulations
During the inaugural season, teams were expected to field U-23 rosters; four slots were reserved for U-17 players, while two were for overage players. All players had to be born in Mexico. Additionally, the sixteen teams were split into two groups. Teams in each group played each other twice per season. The top two teams from each group advanced to the liguilla (playoffs), which consisted of a semifinal of two matches (home and away) followed by a final, also of two matches.
League rules mostly stayed the same for the second season. However, the U-23 limit was raised to U-24.[18] liguilla spots were also expanded to include eight teams instead of four, with the top four teams from each group moving on to the liguilla.[19]
For the third season, the age limit was raised to 25, but each team was allowed to field up to 6 overage players at a time. In addition, the groups were undone, so each team would play each other at least once during the season. Foreign-born Mexican players were also allowed to play, with up to six allowed per team. This decision brought in more players to the league from the NCAA, as well as from the NWSL and Spain's Primera División.
For the fourth season, the overage limit was removed, nonetheless the teams are still being required to allocate 1,000 minutes of play time per tournament to U-20 players to satisfy the league's minors rule.[20] The Campeón de Campeonas championship was also introduced to the league for the first time, with Tigres winning the first edition automatically after winning the league title of both tournaments of the 2021–22 season.[21][22]
For the fifth season, the league began to allow teams to have two non-Mexican players on their rosters.[23] On 25 June 2021, Tigres became the first club to make use of this option by signing Brazilian player Stefany Ferrer.[24] The league also inaugurated its youth division; Club América won the initial tournament.[25]
Beginning with the sixth season, the league began implementing VAR in the Liguilla phase of the tournament. Non-Mexican players spots also increased from two to four per team.[26]
During the eighth season, the league introduced an additional spot for non-Mexican players, thus allowing each team to have up to five non-Mexican players in their squad.[27] Additionally, the league made changes to the minors rule to not longer take into account U-20 players play time with the youth national teams (U-20 and U-17) unless the players receive a specific number of minutes during the current active tournament (90 minutes for U-17 players and 180 for U-20 players).[27]
Notable results
The league set history during the Clausura 2018 tournament as the second match of the final between Monterrey and Tigres at Estadio BBVA was at the time the highest-attended club match in women's football history, with a total of 51,211 fans attending the game.[28] This record has been broken multiple times since then,[29] but Mexico still holds the record for the highest attendance on a women's football match, which took place during the 1971 Women's World Cup final at Estadio Azteca.[30]
On 5 October 2019, a Liga MX Femenil team obtained for the first time a victory against an NWSL team when Tigres defeated Houston Dash 2–1 at the Estadio Universitario.[31] Previously, the Houston Dash had faced Monterrey in 2018 in a preseason match that ended with a 3–1 victory in favor of the Dash; This match represented the first time that a Liga MX Femenil team faced an NWSL side.[32]
On 5 July 2022, a Liga MX Femenil team and a European team faced each other for the first time when Club América played against Frauen-Bundesliga team Bayer 04 Leverkusen at Estadio Azteca. The match ended in a 1–0 victory for América.[33]
In November 2022, the league's previous highest attendance record set during the Clausura 2018 final between Monterrey and Tigres (51,211 attendees) was broken as the first match of the Apertura 2022 final between Tigres and Club América at Estadio Azteca drew a crowd of approximately 52,654 fans.[34] This final also broke TV viewership records as it was viewed by more than 5.3 million people, therefore becoming the most-viewed Liga MX Femenil final in history.[35][36][37] As a whole, the Apertura 2022 tournament was until that point the most viewed tournament in Liga MX Femenil history.[35]
During the Clausura 2023 tournament, Club América accepted to transfer Mexican forward Scarlett Camberos to Angel City FC in the fifth most expensive transfer in women's football of 2023, therefore becoming the largest transfer in league history for an outgoing player, larger than the transfers of Nigerian forward Uchenna Kanu to Racing Louisville for a $150,000 fee plus incentives, and Mia Fishel to Chelsea for a reported $250,000 fee, both by Tigres and in 2023 as well.[38][39][40][41] Additionally, the previous attendance record of the league that was set during the Apertura 2022 final was broken once again during the Clausura 2023 tournament final, as approximately 58,156 fans attended the second leg of this final at Estadio Azteca to watch Club América win its second title in history.[42] The Clausura 2023 tournament also became the most viewed tournament in league history as more than 15 million people tuned in to watch throughout the tournament.[43]
On 20 March 2024, the league in collaboration with the NWSL announced a new international competition named Summer Cup. This competition features six teams from Liga MX Femenil that compete against teams from the NWSL. The inaugural edition began on 19 July 2024.[45]
The league largest transfer in history for an incoming player came on 12 September 2024, when América reached an agreement with SC Internacional to transfer 20-years old Brazilian international forward Priscila to its ranks in exchange of a $497,403 fee plus incentives, making this transaction the largest one between Latin-American women's football clubs, and one of the largest in women's football.[46]
Club changes
For the inaugural season, only 16 of the 18 Liga MX clubs had a Liga MX Femenil team as Chiapas and Puebla were allowed to not have a team due to financial problems.[1] However, by the second season, all 18 clubs had an active Liga MX Femenil team. By then, Chiapas had been relegated to Ascenso MX, while Lobos BUAP had been promoted to Liga MX. As such, Lobos BUAP and Puebla both introduced their Liga MX Femenil teams during the 2018–2019 season.
Prior to the third season, BBVA México announced that it would sponsor Liga MX Femenil in addition to Liga MX and Ascenso MX. With the sponsorship, which is slated for at least three years, the league's name was changed to Liga BBVA MX Femenil in June 2019.[52] Each club also have their own sponsors.
On 29 March 2023, Liga MX Femenil announced that Nike would become an official sponsor of the league. Unlike other sponsorships the league has, this one is exclusively for Liga MX Femenil. With this sponsorship, the official match ball of the league will be provided by Nike. Nike will also be providing equípment to all league players including players of the league's youth division, product innovation, and investment in development programs. The sponsorship went into full effect beginning with the 2023–24 season and is set to last for three years.[53][54]
Lower and youth divisions
Lower divisions
In addition to the Liga Mexicana de Fútbol Femenil, Mexico is also home to the Liga Mayor Femenil. Many players in Liga MX Femenil previously played in either of these existing leagues, as well as in various Mexican or US college teams and the WPSL.
Youth division
Since the beginning of 2022, Liga MX Femenil has had a youth division to develop players in which all clubs are required to participate.[55] This division began as a U-17 division, but it will gradually increment the allowed age of the players that can participate in it after each season until it becomes a U-20 division. This is done with the objective of giving continuity and a chance of debuting professionally to the players that partake in this division.[56] There are future plans for the league to expand this division by including unique categories for ages 15–20.[56]
Teams
The following 18 clubs will compete in Liga MX Femenil during the 2024–25 season:
Each Liga MX Femenil season is divided into two tournaments: an Apertura tournament, which usually takes place from July to December, and a Clausura tournament, which usually takes place from January to May, with each tournament crowning a champion. Each tournament consist of a regular phase, and a Liguilla (Liga MX Femenil version of the playoffs) phase. The league does not have a promotion and relegation system.
For the inaugural 2017–18 season, the regular phase competition format consisted of 16 teams divided into two groups of eight from which the top two teams from each group at the end of the regular phase qualified to the semi-finals of the Liguilla.[76] For the 2018–19 season, the regular phase format was changed along with the addition of two more teams to the league. With the new format, 18 teams were divided into two groups of nine, from which the top four teams from each group at the end of the regular phase of the tournament qualified to the quarter-finals of the Liguilla.[19] For the 2019–20 season, the format was changed once more and the current regular phase format was implemented. The current format consists of a single table of 18 teams, in which each side plays against the other 17 teams. After 17 matchdays, The top eight teams advance to the quarter-finals of the liguilla.[77]
Playoffs (Liguilla) phase
The Liguilla (Spanish for "little league") is the playoff phase of the tournament. This phase begins with the quarter-finals, for which the top eight teams at the end of the regular phase qualify. Each knockout stage of the Liguilla is played as a two-game series (home-and-away basis), in which the team that finished higher in the table during the regular phase always plays the second match at home. In case of a draw in the aggregate score of a series after 180 minutes in the quarter-finals or semi-finals stage, the team that finished higher in the table during the regular phase of the tournament advances to the next stage. In case of draw in the aggregate score of the final after 180 minutes, the teams go directly to penalties to decide the champion.
CONCACAF W Champions Cup qualification
On 12 March 2024, CONCACAF announced the CONCACAF W Champions Cup, its annual continental women's football club competition.[78] Liga MX Femenil is allocated three spots into the group stage of the competition. Teams qualify to this tournament based on the following criteria:[79]
Champion of the Apertura tournament
Champion of the Clausura tournament
Best runner-up of the season based on total accumulated points across the regular phase of both Apertura and Clausura tournaments
Summer Cup qualification
On 20 March 2024, Liga MX Femenil and the NWSL announced the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup.[45] For the inaugural 2024 edition, the six teams that accumulated the most number of points across the Clausura and Apertura tournaments of the previous calendar year qualify to this competition.[80]
Champions
Liga MX Femenil
Each Liga MX Femenil season crowns two champions, one for the Apertura tournament and another one for the Clausura tournament.
The Campeón de Campeonas is an annual championship that was introduced to the league during the 2020–21 season. Teams qualify to this championship by winning the league title of either the Apertura or Clausura tournament of the current season. For the inaugural edition, the trophy was awarded to Tigres UANL automatically after winning the league title for both Apertura and Clausura tournaments of the 2020–21 season.[21][82]
Each club in the league negotiates directly TV rights contracts with TV networks or streaming platforms. All clubs have an official broadcaster in Mexico, and a number of them also offer their games in the U.S. either through TV broadcast or streaming.
All home matches are streamed on ViX and Club América Femenil digital platforms (Youtube and Facebook). Selected matches may air on free-to-air channel El Nueve in Mexico.
Matches are streamed on Telemundo streaming platforms (Telemundo App, TelemundoDeportes.com, and Telemundo Deportes Youtube channel). Selected home matches are also televised on pay TV channel Universo.
All home matches are shown on an ESPN-branded linear TV network and streamed via Star+ in Mexico, Central America and Dominican Republic, and streamed via Star+ in Spanish-speaking South America.
All home matches are streamed through Caliente TV digital platforms (www.caliente.tv, Facebook, Twitch, X, and Youtube) as well as being broadcast through Caliente TV own television channel.
↑ Club América play some of its home games during the regular phase at an alternative venue located at their training grounds.
↑ Cruz Azul plays all of its regular phase home games at a venue located at their training grounds. In the case of Cruz Azul advancing to the liguilla, they must play their home games at an stadium due to league regulations.
↑ On 22 May 2020, Liga MX informed that the Clausura tournament in Liga MX and Liga MX Femenil was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with no title being awarded.[81]
The Campeón de Campeones is an annual Mexican super cup match, between the Liga MX champions of the Apertura and Clausura tournaments. It was initially a super cup match between the league and cup champions. Since 2018, the winners of the Campeón de Campeones have competed in the Campeones Cup, facing the MLS champions.
Liga MX, officially known as Liga BBVA MX for sponsorship reasons, is the top professional division of Mexican football. Formerly called Liga Mayor (1943–1949) and then Primera División de México (1949–2012), it has 18 clubs and the season is divided into two short tournaments, Apertura from July to December and Clausura from January to May. The champions of each tournament is decided by a final phase called "liguilla". Since 2020, promotion and relegation has been suspended, which is to last until 2026.
Carmelina Moscato is a Canadian soccer coach and former professional player who is currently an assistant coach for Racing Louisville FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). She played as a defender for UPC Tavagnacco in the Serie A; Piteå IF and Dalsjöfors GoIF in the Damallsvenskan; the Chicago Red Stars, Boston Breakers and Seattle Reign FC in the NWSL; and Western Sydney Wanderers in the Australian W-League. She made 94 appearances for the Canadian national team. She served as the commissioner of League1 Ontario Women's Division from 2019 to 2020. She was the director of women's football for the Bahamas Football Association in 2021.
María Guadalupe Sánchez Morales is an American professional soccer player who plays as a forward for San Diego Wave FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). Born in the United States, she also plays for the Mexico national team.
Club América Femenil, commonly known as América Femenil or simply América, is a Mexican professional women's football club based in Mexico City, Mexico. The club competes in the Liga MX Femenil and has been the women's section of Club América since 2016. The team plays its home games at the renowned Estadio Azteca, with Cancha Centenario, situated within their training grounds, serving as alternative venue.
Club de Fútbol Pachuca Femenil, commonly known as Pachuca Femenil or simply Pachuca, is a Mexican professional women's football club based in Pachuca, Hidalgo, Mexico. The team competes in the Liga MX Femenil and has been the women's section of C.F. Pachuca since 2016. Estadio Hidalgo serves as the venue for the team home matches.
Tigres UANL Femenil, also known simply as Tigres Femenil or Tigres, is a Mexican professional women's football club based in the city of San Nicolás de los Garza, Nuevo León, Mexico that competes in the Liga MX Femenil. The club has been the women's section of Tigres UANL since 2016. The team plays its home matches at the Estadio Universitario.
C.F. Monterrey Femenil is a Mexican professional women's football club based in Guadalupe, Nuevo León, Mexico that competes in the Liga MX Femenil. The club has been the women's section of C.F. Monterrey since 2016. The team plays its home matches at Estadio BBVA.
C.D. Guadalajara Femenil is a Mexican professional women's football club based in Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico that competes in the Liga MX Femenil. The club has been the women's section of C.D. Guadalajara since 2017. Nicknames for the team are Chivas and the Rebaño Sagrado, the same as the men's team. The team play its home matches at Estadio Akron.
The 2020–21 Liga MX Femenil season was the fourth season of the premier women's football league in Mexico. The season began on 13 August 2020 and finished on 31 May 2021, albeit behind closed doors because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sarah Jacquelyn Luebbert is an American professional soccer player who plays as a winger for Liga MX Femenil side Club América.
The 2020–21 season is Guadalajara's fourth competitive season and fourth season in the Liga MX Femenil, the top flight of Mexican women's football.
The 2019–20 season was UANL's third competitive season and third season in the Liga MX Femenil, the top flight of Mexican women's football.
The 2021–22 Liga MX Femenil season was the fifth season of the premier women's football league in Mexico. The season began on 16 July 2021 and finished on 30 May 2022.
The 2022–23 Liga MX Femenil season was the sixth season of the premier women's football league in Mexico. The season began on 8 July 2022 and finished on 10 July 2023.
Scarlett Nefer Camberos Becerra is a professional footballer who plays as a forward for Liga MX Femenil side Club América. Born in the United States, she represents Mexico at the international level.
Mia Renee Fishel is an American professional soccer player who plays as a forward for Women's Super League club Chelsea and United States national team.
Betzy Casandra Cuevas Araujo, known as Casandra "Cas" Cuevas or Betzy Cuevas, is a Mexican professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Liga MX Femenil side Club América and the Mexico women's national football team. Cuevas is one of the players with the most match appearances in Liga MX Femenil.
The 2023–24 Liga MX Femenil season is the seventh season of the premier women's football league in Mexico. The season began on 14 July 2023 and finished on 27 May 2024.
The 2024–25 Liga MX Femenil season is the eighth season of the premier women's football league in Mexico. The season began on 4 July 2024 and will finish in May 2025.
↑ México, Yael Rueda | El Sol de. "BBVA patrocinador de la liga mx femenil". El Sol de México | Noticias, Deportes, Gossip, Columnas (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 November 2022.
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