Liga MX Femenil

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Liga MX Femenil
Organising bodyMexican Football Federation
FoundedDecember 5, 2016; 7 years ago (2016-12-05)
CountryMexico
ConfederationCONCACAF
Number of teams18
Level on pyramid1
Domestic cup(s)Campeón de Campeones
International cup(s)CONCACAF W Champions Cup Summer Cup
Current championsTigres UANL (6th title)
(Apertura 2023)
Most championshipsTigres UANL
(6 titles)
Most appearancesLiliana Mercado (246)
(as of 20 March 2024)
Top goalscorerKatty Martinez (145)
(as of 20 March 2024)
TV partnersESPN[a]
Fox Sports [b]
Televisa[c]
TV Azteca[d]
Websitewww.ligafemenil.mx
Current: 2023–24 Liga MX Femenil season

The Liga MX Femenil, officially known as the Liga BBVA MX Femenil for sponsorship reasons, is the highest division of women's football in Mexico. Supervised by the Mexican Football Federation, this professional league has 18 teams, each coinciding with a Liga MX club.[1]

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.

The league's first official domestic cup competition took place in May 2017 via the Copa MX Femenil, a now discontinued tournament that was created with the objective of preparing the teams for the inaugural season of the league which began in July 2017.[2] Former Liga MX President, Enrique Bonilla, stated that the league was created in order to nurture the stars of the Mexico women's national football team and to build an infrastructure for women's football in Mexico.[3]

Tigres UANL has won the league a record six times, followed by C.D. Guadalajara, C.F. Monterrey, and Club América with two titles each. In all, only these four clubs have won the Liga MX Femenil title.[4]

The current champions are Tigres UANL who defeated Club América with a 3–0 aggregate score in the Apertura 2023 final in November 2023.[5]

History[edit]

Background[edit]

Liga Mexicana de Fútbol Femenil[edit]

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 such as Chivas, pulled their support.[6]

NWSL[edit]

In November 2012, the United States Soccer Federation announced the establishment of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) as an effort to professionalized women's soccer in the United States.[7] In a 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. This arrangement 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.[8]

First professional women's team[edit]

The late Marbella Ibarra was an enthusiastic women's football advocate who persuaded Club Tijuana to create a professional women's team in 2014. Former Mexico women's national football team player Andrea Rodebaugh took the helm as manager during the program's stint in the Women's Premier Soccer League.[9][10]

A new mexican league[edit]

Announcement and preparation[edit]

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.[11] 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.[3][1]

Before the inaugural season, the teams participated in a preparation tournament called Copa MX Femenil.[12] 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.[13] Pachuca won this tournament by winning the final 9–1 against Club Tijuana.[14]

First tournament[edit]

The first Apertura 2017 matches were played on 28 July 2017.[15] 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.[16][17]

Commentator Glenn Moore declared the Liga MX Femenil to have concluded a "very successful debut campaign."[18]

The Chivas Femenil starting lineup that played the first leg of the Apertura 2017 final against Pachuca.
The Chivas Femenil starting lineup that played the first leg of the Apertura 2017 final against Pachuca.

Regulations[edit]

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.[19] 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.[20]

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 fouth 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.[21] The Campeón de Campeones championship was also introduced to the league for the first time, with Tigres winning the first edition automatically by winning the league title of both tournaments.[22][23]

For the fifth season, the league began to allow each team to have two international non-Mexican players on their roster.[24] On 25 June 2021, Tigres became the first club to make use of this option by signing Brazilian player Stefany Ferrer.[25] The league also inaugurated its youth division; Club América won the initial tournament.[26]

Beginning with the sixth season, the league began implementing VAR in the liguilla phase of the tournament. International non-Mexican players spots also increased from two to four per team.[27]

Notable results[edit]

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 won for the first time against an NWSL team when Tigres beat 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-watched Liga MX Femenil final in history.[35][36][37] The second match of this final was also the most-viewed women's football match in history in North America.[36] 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, Tigres accepted to transfer Nigerian forward Uchenna Kanu to NWSL club Racing Louisville for a $150,000 fee plus incentives, at the time the largest transfer in league history.[38][39] Additionally, the previous attendance record of the league which was set during the Apertura 2022 tournament, was broken once again during the Clausura 2023 tournament as approximately 58,156 fans attended the second leg of the final of this tournament at Estadio Azteca to watch Club América win its second title in history.[40] 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.[41]

During the Apertura 2023 tournament, the previous transfer record set during the previous season was broken once again when Tigres transferred American forward Mia Fishel to Chelsea for a reported $250,000 fee.[42] Additionally, the transfer of Miah Zuazua from FC Juárez to Club América was the first transaction between two Liga MX Femenil clubs in which a transfer fee was paid.[43]

On 20 March 2024, the league in collaboration with the NWSL, announced a new international competition named Summer Cup. This competition will feature six teams from Liga MX Femenil that will compete against teams from the NWSL. The inaugural edition is schedule to kick-off in July 2024.[44]

Club changes[edit]

For the inaugural season, only 16 out of the 18 Liga MX teams 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 teams 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.

By the third season, the league was expanded to 19 teams as Atlético San Luis Femenil was introduced due to Atlético San Luis being promoted to Liga MX while no team was relegated.[45] Additionally, the Lobos BUAP franchise was acquired by then-second division club FC Juárez, as such the Lobos BUAP femenil team moved from Puebla to Juárez to form FC Juárez Femenil.[46] After the Apertura 2019, Veracruz folded in Liga MX, as such Veracruz Femenil became a defunct club as well, bringing the league back down to 18 teams.[47][48] In June 2020, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the Monarcas Morelia franchised was relocated to Mazatlán, putting an end to Morelia Femenil's three-years old trajectory in the top flight, and creating and integrating Mazatlán F.C. as the newest member of the league.[49]

Sponsorships[edit]

Prior to the third season, BBVA México announced that it would sponsor the 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.[50] Each club also has sponsors for their jerseys, salaries, TV rights, and other factors.

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.[51][52]

Lower and youth divisions[edit]

Lower divisions[edit]

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[edit]

Since the beginning of 2022, Liga MX Femenil has had a youth division to develop players in which all clubs are required to participate.[53] 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.[54] There are future plans for the league to expand this division by including unique categories for ages 15–20.[54]

Teams[edit]

The following 18 clubs will compete in the Liga MX Femenil during the 2023–24 season:

Location of the 2023–24 Liga MX Femenil teams in Greater Mexico City.
Location of the 2023–24 Liga MX Femenil teams in Greater Guadalajara.
Club City Ground Capacity Ref
América[e] Mexico City Azteca 81,070 [55]
Atlas Guadalajara Jalisco 55,020 [56]
Atlético San Luis San Luis Potosí City Alfonso Lastras 25,709 [57]
Cruz Azul [f] Mexico City Instalaciones La Noria 2,000 [58][59]
Guadalajara Zapopan Akron 46,232 [60]
Juárez Ciudad Juárez Olímpico Benito Juárez 19,703 [61]
León León León 31,297 [62]
Mazatlán Mazatlán Mazatlán 25,000 [63]
Monterrey Guadalupe BBVA 51,348 [64]
Necaxa Aguascalientes City Victoria 23,851 [65]
Pachuca Pachuca Hidalgo 27,512 [66]
Puebla Puebla City Cuauhtémoc 47,417 [67]
Querétaro Querétaro City Estadio Olímpico de Querétaro 4,600 [68]
Santos Laguna Torreón Corona 29,237 [69]
Tijuana Tijuana Caliente 27,333 [70]
Toluca Toluca Nemesio Díez 31,000 [71]
UANL San Nicolás de los Garza Universitario 41,886 [72]
UNAM Mexico City Olímpico Universitario 48,297 [73]

Managers[edit]

The current managers in Liga MX Femenil are:

Nat. Name Club Appointed Time as manager
Mexico Gabriel Velasco Toluca 27 November 2021 2 years, 122 days
Spain Ángel Villacampa América 17 June 2022 1 year, 285 days
Mexico Juan Manuel Romo Tijuana 28 June 2022 1 year, 274 days
Mexico Alejandro Corona León 6 December 2022 1 year, 113 days
Spain Mila Martínez UANL 6 June 2023 296 days
Spain Óscar Fernández Juárez 13 June 2023 289 days
Mexico Roberto Medina Atlas 13 June 2023 289 days
Mexico Alberto Arellano Querétaro 4 July 2023 268 days
Mexico María José López Puebla 7 July 2023 265 days
Argentina Antonio Spinelli Guadalajara 14 July 2023 258 days
Mexico José Alonso Madrigal Mazatlán 12 September 2023 198 days
Mexico Oscar Fernando Torres Pachuca 29 November 2023 120 days
Mexico Daniel Flores Atlético San Luis 30 November 2023 119 days
Italy Marcello Frigério UNAM 14 December 2023 105 days
Costa Rica Amelia Valverde Monterrey 15 December 2023 104 days
Mexico José Julio Cevada Cruz Azul 18 December 2023 101 days
Mexico Karla Maya Santos Laguna 23 December 2023 96 days
Mexico Miguel Ramírez Necaxa 2 January 2024 86 days

Source: Liga MX Femenil

Player records[edit]

Top scorers by tournament[edit]

Tournament Player Club Goals
Apertura 2017 Mexico Lucero Cuevas América 15
Clausura 2018 Mexico Lucero Cuevas (2) América 15
Apertura 2018 Mexico Desirée Monsiváis Monterrey 13
Clausura 2019 Mexico Fabiola Ibarra Atlas 7
Mexico Isela Ojeda Santos Laguna
Apertura 2019 Mexico Desirée Monsiváis (2) Monterrey 17
Mexico Viridiana Salazar Pachuca
Guardianes 2020 Mexico Katty Martínez UANL 18
Guardianes 2021 Mexico Alison González Atlas 18
Grita México 2021 Mexico Alicia Cervantes Guadalajara 17
Clausura 2022 Mexico Alicia Cervantes (2) Guadalajara 14
Apertura 2022 United States Mia Fishel UANL 17
Clausura 2023 Mexico Charlyn Corral Pachuca 20
Apertura 2023 Mexico Alicia Cervantes (3) Guadalajara 15
Mexico Maricarmen Reyes UANL

Most appearances[edit]

Pos Player Regular phase appearances Liguilla appearances Total appearances Years Teams(s)
1 Mexico Liliana Mercado 177 59 236 2017–present Tigres UANL (236)
2 Mexico Belén Cruz 173 58 231 2017–present Tigres UANL (231)
3 Mexico Nancy Antonio 171 59 230 2017–present Tigres UANL (208)
4 Mexico Casandra Cuevas 192 35 227 2017–present Club América (209), Club Tijuana (18)
5 Mexico Lizbeth Ángeles 192 33 225 2017–present Club León (17), C.F. Pachuca (208)
6 Mexico Rebeca Bernal 172 50 222 2017–present C.F. Monterrey (222)
7 Mexico Mariana Cadena 174 47 221 2017–present C.F. Monterrey (221)
8 Mexico Lizbeth Ovalle 159 60 219 2017–present Tigres UANL (219)
8 Mexico Greta Espinoza 163 56 219 2018–present Tigres UANL(219)
10 Mexico Daniela Espinosa 176 36 212 2017–present Club Tijuana (55), Club América (157)

Most goals[edit]

Pos Player Regular phase goals Liguilla goals Total goals Years Teams(s)
1 Mexico Katty Martinez 110 22 132 2017–present Club América (37), Tigres UANL (95)
2 Mexico Desirée Monsiváis 114 17 131 2017–present UNAM (9), C.F. Monterrey (122)
3 Mexico Alicia Cervantes 112 17 129 2017–present C.D. Guadalajara (108), C.F. Monterrey (12), Atlas (9)
4 Mexico Alison González 94 16 110 2018–present Club América (27), Atlas (72), Tigres UANL (11)
5 Mexico Lizbeth Ovalle 70 24 94 2017–present Tigres UANL (94)
6 Mexico Daniela Espinosa 82 10 92 2017–present Club Tijuana (17), Club América (75)
7 Mexico Stephany Mayor 70 21 91 2020–present Tigres UANL (91)
8 Mexico Viridiana Salazar 76 11 87 2017–present C.F. Pachuca (87)
9 Mexico Renae Cuéllar 76 0 76 2019–2023 Club Tijuana (76)
8 Mexico Christina Burkenroad 66 9 75 2020–present C.F. Monterrey (75)

Competition format[edit]

Liga MX Femenil trophy
Liga MX Femenil trophy.

Each Liga MX Femenil season has two tournaments: an Apertura tournament, which takes place from July to December, and a Clausura tournament, which 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.

Regular phase[edit]

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 for the semi-finals of the liguilla.[74] 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 for the quarter-finals of the liguilla.[20] 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 team plays against the other 17 teams. After 17 matchdays, The top eight teams advance to the quarter-finals of the liguilla.[75]

Playoffs (liguilla) phase[edit]

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 will advance to the next stage. In case of draw in the aggregate score of the final after 180 minutes, the teams will go directly to penalties to decide the champion. [1]

Promotion and relegation[edit]

Liga MX Femenil currently does not have a Promotion and relegation system.

Summer Cup qualification[edit]

On 20 March 2024, Liga MX Femenil and the NWSL announced the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup.[44] 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 the Summer Cup.[76]

Champions[edit]

Liga MX Femenil[edit]

Each Liga MX Femenil season crowns two champions, one for the Apertura tournament and another one for the Clausura tournament.

Finals by tournament[edit]

Tournament Champions Result Runners-up
Apertura 2017 Guadalajara 0–2, 3–0 Pachuca
Clausura 2018 UANL 2–2, 2–2 (4–2 pen) Monterrey
Apertura 2018 América 2–2, 1–1 (3–1 pen) UANL
Clausura 2019 UANL 1–1, 2–1 Monterrey
Apertura 2019 Monterrey 1–1, 1–0 UANL
Clausura 2020 No title awarded[g]
Guardianes 2020 UANL 1–0, 0–1 (3–2 pen) Monterrey
Guardianes 2021 UANL 2–1, 5–3 Guadalajara
Grita México 2021 Monterrey 2–2, 0–0 (3–1 pen) UANL
Clausura 2022 Guadalajara 4–2, 0–1 Pachuca
Apertura 2022 UANL 1–0, 2–0 América
Clausura 2023 América 2–1, 2–1 Pachuca
Apertura 2023 UANL 3–0, 0–0 América

Titles per club[edit]

Club Winners Runners-up Winning years
Tigres UANL 6 3 Clausura 2018, Clausura 2019, Guardianes 2020, Guardianes 2021, Apertura 2022, Apertura 2023
Monterrey 2 3 Apertura 2019, Grita México 2021
América 2 2 Apertura 2018, Clausura 2023
Guadalajara 2 1 Apertura 2017, Clausura 2022
Pachuca 0 3

Campeón de Campeones[edit]

The Campeón de Campeones 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.[22][78]

Titles per club[edit]

Club Winners Runner-Up Winning Seasons
UANL 2 0 2020–21, 2022–23
Guadalajara 1 0 2021–22
América 0 1
Monterrey 0 1

Broadcasting[edit]

Each club in the league negotiates directly the selling of their TV rights with TV networks or streaming platforms. As of March 2024, 16 of the 18 clubs in the league have an official broadcaster or streaming partner in Mexico, with Santos and Atlas being the exception after cutting ties on February 2024 with Fox Sports Mexico over the lack of payments from the TV network.[79] Many clubs also offer their games in the U.S. either through TV broadcast or streaming.

Broadcast rights
Team Mexico Broadcaster U.S. Broadcaster
América Televisa / Club América Femenil digital platforms[Note 2] TelevisaUnivision / Club América Femenil digital platforms[Note 2]
Atlas Atlas Femenil digital platform[Note 11] Fox Deportes[Note 7]
Atlético San Luis ESPN[Note 8]
Cruz Azul Televisa[Note 1] TelevisaUnivision[Note 1]
Guadalajara Fox Sports / Chivas TV NBCUniversal[Note 3]
Juárez Fox Sports Fox Deportes[Note 7]
León Fox Sports
Mazatlán Fox Sports / TV Azteca[Note 6]
Monterrey Televisa[Note 10] TelevisaUnivision[Note 1]
Necaxa Televisa[Note 1] TelevisaUnivision[Note 1]
Pachuca Fox Sports
Puebla Fox Sports / TV Azteca[Note 6]
Querétaro Fox Sports
Santos Laguna Santos Laguna digital platform[Note 12] Fox Deportes[Note 7]
Tijuana Fox Sports
Toluca Televisa[Note 1] TelevisaUnivision[Note 1]
UANL Televisa / Tigres Femenil digital platform[Note 5] TelevisaUnivision / Tigres Femenil digital platform[Note 5]
UNAM Televisa[Note 1] TelevisaUnivision[Note 1]
  1. ^
    All home matches are streamed on ViX.
  2. ^
    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.
  3. ^
    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.
  4. ^
    Selected matches are streamed on ESPN+ and may air on ESPN Deportes either live or via tape-delay. Rights sublicensed from Fox Deportes.
  5. ^
    All home matches are streamed on ViX and Tigres Femenil digital platform (Facebook), and are also broadcast in Mexico on pay TV network Afizzionados. Selected matches may air on free-to-air channel El Nueve in Mexico.
  6. ^
    All home matches are shown on TV Azteca digital platforms and Fox Sports Mexico simultaneously.
  7. ^
    All home matches are shown on Fox Deportes either live or via tape-delay or on Fox Sports streaming platforms (Fox Sports App and foxsports.com).
  8. ^
    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.
  9. ^
    All home matches are streamed via the TVP account on Facebook.
  10. ^
    All home matches are streamed on ViX. Selected matches may air on free-to-air channel El Nueve.
  11. ^
    All home matches are streamed on Atlas Femenil digital platform (Facebook).
  12. ^
    All home matches are streamed on Santos Laguna Femenil digital platform (Facebook).

Attendance[edit]

The attendance for the first regular season for the 16 teams was 307,202 for 112 matches, an average of 2,743 per match. The attendance for the 6 post-season matches was 104,804. The total attendance for 118 matches was 412,006, an average of 3,492 per match.[80]

The league has set various attendance records for women's club soccer. The Tigres vs. Monterrey final in May 2018 saw over 51,000 attendees; this occupied the top spot in the world for nearly a year. Prior to this match, Mexico's other finals and rivalry games had also set new records or made it into the top 10 attendance records.[81]

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 was attended by approximately 52,654 fans.[34] The attendance record was once more broken during the second leg of the Clausura 2023 final between Club América and Pachuca after approximately 58,156 fans attended the match.[40]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ includes ESPN 2, ESPN 3, ESPN+, and Star+.
  2. ^ includes Fox Sports 2.
  3. ^ includes Vix, El Nueve, and Affizionados.
  4. ^ Includes Azteca Digital.
  5. ^ Club América play some of its home games during the regular phase at an alternative field located at their training grounds.
  6. ^ Cruz Azul plays all of its regular phase home games at a field located at their training grounds. In the case of Cruz Azul advacing to the liguilla, they must play their home games at an stadium due to league regulations.
  7. ^ 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.[77]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c "Sin Puebla ni Jaguares, Liga Femenil alista Copa como ensayo". Mediotiempo (in Spanish). 16 February 2017. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
  2. ^ "La Liga MX anuncia el sorteo para el Torneo de Copa Femenil". MARCA Claro. 24 April 2017.
  3. ^ a b "México tendrá Liga MX femenil a partir de 2017". El Financiero (in Spanish). 5 December 2016. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
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  6. ^ Gomez, Eric (13 December 2016). "Women's soccer league takes shape in Mexico with backing of Liga MX". ESPN. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  7. ^ Whiteside, Kelly (21 November 2012). "Women's pro soccer league to debut in U.S. next year". USA TODAY. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  8. ^ Kassouf, Jeff (11 January 2016). "Mexico no longer allocating players to NWSL". Equalizer Soccer. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
  9. ^ Lakhani, Nina (21 October 2018). "Pioneer of women's football in Mexico is latest victim of Tijuana violence". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  10. ^ Marshall, Tom (27 August 2014). "Bridging the divide: Club Tijuana's women's team set to play in American league starting in May". MLS Soccer. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
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