Liga MX, officially named Liga BBVA MX for sponsorship reasons,[6] is a professional association football league in Mexico and the highest level of the Mexican football league system. Formerly named Liga Mayor (1943–1949) and Primera División de México (1949–2012). The league has 18 participating clubs. The season is divided into two short tournaments, according to FIFA world football calendar: Apertura (from July to December) and Clausura (from January to May). The champions of each tournament are decided by a final knockout phase, commonly known as liguilla. Since 2020, promotion and relegation has been suspended until the 2026–27 season.
 | |
| Organising body | Federación Mexicana de Fútbol (FMF) |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1943 (Professional era as Liga Mayor) |
| Country | Mexico |
| Confederation | CONCACAF |
| Number of clubs | 18 |
| Level on pyramid | 1 |
| Relegation to | Liga de Expansión MX (suspended) |
| Domestic cup | Campeón de Campeones |
| International cup(s) | Continental CONCACAF Champions Cup Subregional Leagues Cup Campeones Cup |
| Current champions | Cruz Azul (10th title) |
| Most championships | América (16 titles) |
| Most appearances | Óscar Pérez (745) |
| Top scorer | Cabinho (312) |
| Broadcaster(s) | Domestic Claro[1] ESPN[2] Fox[3] Televisa[4] TV Azteca[5] International OneFootball (Selected matches in selected markets outside of Mexico) |
| Website | ligamx.net |
| Current: Clausura 2026 Liga MX season | |
The inaugural edition as a professional and national league was the 1943–44 season, with Asturias as the first champions in history. In all, 114 editions of the league have been held.
Liga MX currently ranks first in CONCACAF's league ranking index.[7] According to the IFFHS, it was ranked as the 10th strongest league in the first decade of the 21st century.[8] According to CONCACAF, the league with an average attendance of 25,557 during the 2014–15 season, draws the largest crowds on average of any football league in the Americas and the third largest crowds of any professional sports league in North America.[9] The league ranks second in terms of television viewership in the United States, behind the English Premier League.[10]
América is the most successful club with sixteen titles, followed by Guadalajara and Toluca with twelve titles each, Cruz Azul with ten titles, Tigres and León with eight titles each.[11] In all, twenty-four clubs have won the league at least once.[11]
History
editAmateur era (1902–1943)
editPrior to the Liga Mayor, there was no national and professional league in Mexico, and all football competitions were held within relatively small geographical regions. The Liga Mexicana de Football Amateur Association was created in 1902, a local league consisting of clubs near and around Mexico City, it was the first amateur football league played in Mexico. Later, other regional leagues were also created: Liga Amateur de Veracruz, Liga Amateur de Puebla, Liga Occidental De Jalisco and the Liga Amateur del Bajío.
In 1922, after the founding of the first governing body of football in Mexico, the Campeonato de Primera Fuerza was also created as the first amateur league organized by a Mexican football federation. It was held from 1922 to 1943, although most of the participating clubs were from Mexico City and the first matches held outside the country's capital were played until the 1940–41 season.
Many club owners were keen to remain amateur although they paid players under the table. The increasing interest in football would not thwart a unified professional football system in the country. The first true national and professional league in Mexico was officially established in 1943 as Liga Mayor.[12]
Liga Mayor (1943–1949)
editThe Federación Mexicana de Fútbol announcement of the nation's first professional league brought interest from many clubs to join. The FMF announced that ten clubs would form the Liga Mayor, six clubs from the Liga Mexicana de Football Amateur Association, two clubs from the Liga Occidental, and two clubs from the Liga Veracruzana.
The inaugural season had ten founding clubs: ADO, América, Asturias, Atlante, Atlas, Guadalajara, Veracruz Sporting, Necaxa, Marte and Moctezuma.
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Primera División de México (1949–2012)
editThroughout the late 1950s and early 1960s, many small clubs faced many economic difficulties which were attributed to the lack of international competition by Mexico's clubs and an unrewarding league format. Consequently, clubs from Mexico that placed high in the league standings could not afford to participate in the overarching continental competitions, such as the Copa Libertadores.
The 1970 World Cup held in Mexico was the first World Cup televised on a grand scale. The season following the FIFA World Cup, the FMF changed the league format and established a final knockout phase to determine the champions. This was done to regenerate interest and reward clubs that placed fairly high in the standings.
The final phase, known as liguilla, was played using various formats to determine the champions. The most common format was a straight knockout between the top eight clubs in the table. At other times the league was divided into groups with the top two in each group, often as well as the best 3rd placed clubs, qualifying for the liguilla and in some seasons the playoff matches themselves involved clubs playing in groups with the group winners playing off for the title. The format was changed from season to season to accommodate international club commitments and the schedule of the Mexico national team.
The change in the rules affected clubs that traditionally dominated the table, as talented clubs that had not performed well in the regular season were able to perform successfully in the final phase (Cruz Azul in the 1970s, América in the 1980s, and Toluca in the 2000s).
Liga MX (2012–present)
editPrior to the start of the 2012–13 season, the organization Liga MX-Ascenso MX was created to replace the FMF as the main organizing body of the competition. The league also announced a rebranding, with the introduction of a new name and a new logo.[13]
In August 2018, it was announced that Liga MX would begin testing the use of VAR technology.[14] The initial test run was conducted during U-20 matches played inside senior league stadiums, with live testing across senior Liga MX matches taking place during weeks 13 and 14 of the Apertura tournament. The league needed final approval from FIFA to fully implement the technology.[15]
Competition format
edit
Regular phase
editLiga MX uses a single table of 18 clubs that play two short tournaments (Apertura and Clausura) resulting in two champions per season. The season opens with the Apertura from July to December, followed by the Clausura from January to May. This format matches other Latin American schedules and corresponds with FIFA world football calendar, which "opens" in July/August and "closes" in April/May of the next year. The top 10 clubs advance to the final phase for each tournament, with the top 6 clubs in the table at the end of the regular phase of the tournament qualifying directly to the Liguilla, and the next 4 clubs qualifying for the play-in round that determines the next 2 Liguilla spots. If one club is in last place in the league's relegation table (see below), that club is replaced by the one that finished 11th in the regular phase.
From 1996 to 2002, the league followed a schedule consisting of two short tournaments in the season, Invierno and Verano tournaments. From 2002 to 2011, the 18 clubs were divided into three groups of six, with the top two from each group and the two best third-place clubs qualifying for the Liguilla. The clubs played in the same group for each tournament. The qualification phase of the tournament lasted 17 weeks, with all clubs playing each other once per tournament in a home and away series over both tournaments.
Final phase
editThe final phase of each tournament, commonly known as Liguilla, consisting of 10 clubs that qualify for the tournament based on regular phase point totals — the six highest-placed advance to the quarterfinals while clubs seven through ten compete in the play-in round.[16][17] The clubs ranked 7–10 play a single match hosted by the higher seed; the winner of the match between 7th and 8th-placed advances to the quarterfinals as the 7th seed. The losing club then faces the winners of the match between 9th and 10th-placed; the winner of that match advances and is seeded 8th in the quarterfinals. For the remaining rounds, the clubs are paired according to seeding, with the highest-seeded club playing the lowest-seeded and so on. Each tie is played over two legs with the winner on aggregate score progressing.
The champions are awarded the Liga MX trophy, and the runners-up is awarded a smaller version of the trophy. The start of Liguilla in 1970 modernized the league despite the disagreements between the traditionalists and the modernists. Clubs that were near bankruptcy were now better able to compete and generate profits.
Tie-breaking criteria
editIf at least two clubs finish the regular season with an equal number of points, the following criteria are used to break the tie:[18]
- Goal difference
- Number of goals scored
- Number of away goals scored
- Head-to-head matchup
- Best placed in the general quotient table
- Fair play points in all group matches (only one deduction could be applied to a player in a single match)
- Yellow card: −1 points
- Indirect red card by second yellow card: −3 points
- Direct red card: −3 points
- Yellow card and direct red card: −5 points
- Drawing of lots.
Relegation
editOriginally at the end of a season, after the Apertura and Clausura tournaments, one club is relegated to the next lower division, Ascenso MX, and one club from that division is promoted and takes the place left open by the relegated team. Currently, the relegated club is determined by computing the points-per-game-played ratio for each club, considering all the games played by the club during the last three seasons (six short tournaments). The club with the lowest ratio is relegated; if the club that is in last place in the relegation table is among the 12 clubs qualifying for the Liguilla at the end of the Clausura tournament, the 13th place team qualifies for the Liguilla instead. For clubs recently promoted, only the games played since their promotion are considered (two or four tournaments). The club promoted from Ascenso MX is the winner of the Campeón de Ascenso, the division's super cup between the Apertura and Clausura champions. If a club becomes the champions in both tournaments, it is automatically promoted.
Prior to the start of the 2017–18 season, the rules for relegation and promotion changed: if a club wins promotion but does not meet certain Liga MX requirements (e.g. stadium infrastructure and a youth team) the relegated Liga MX club of that season will be obligated to pay the prize money to the Ascenso MX club (MXN$120 million) for winning the promotion playoff, which should be utilized to fulfill necessary requirements for promotion within the next season, and remain in Ascenso MX,[19] and the relegated Liga MX club will remain in the top division. However, if the relegated Liga MX club cannot distribute the prize money to the promoted Ascenso MX club, both clubs will lose their right to play in Liga MX and must play in Ascenso MX the following season.[20]
As of the 2018–19 season, only six clubs met the full requirements to be promoted to Liga MX, those clubs being Atlético San Luis, Atlante, Celaya, Juárez, Sinaloa, and UdeG.[21]
On 16 April 2020, the Ascenso MX was folded due to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the lack of financial resources. Liga MX President Enrique Bonilla later announced during a video meeting with the club owners of the league that promotion and relegation would be suspended for six years.[22][23] During the suspension, the Ascenso MX was replaced with the Liga de Expansión MX although no club from that league will be promoted to Liga MX nor any Liga MX team that performs poorly will be relegated from the Liga MX for the time being.[24]
In May 2025, a group of ten league member clubs from the Liga de Expansión MX filed a lawsuit before the Court of Arbitration for Sport seeking the reinstatement of promotion and relegation between the Liga de Expansión MX and Liga MX;[25] four clubs subsequently dropped the lawsuit, the six remaining clubs formed an opposing bloc within the league, which was formed with the aim of combating some of the measures that had occurred previously,[26] their first triumph was the rejection of the relocation of Celaya F.C. to Veracruz and the sale of the affiliation certificate between Cimarrones de Sonora and Club Jaiba Brava.[27]
On 4 September 2025, the Court of Arbitration for Sport issued its verdict on the dispute filed by the six Liga de Expansión MX clubs seeking to reinstate promotion to Liga MX. The ruling established the return of relegation on the Liga MX starting with the 2026–27 season;[28] however, the CAS allowed the Mexican Football Federation to retain the authority to establish the requirements for clubs to be promoted to the top flight of Mexican football, returning to a situation similar to that in place before the creation of the Liga de Expansión MX in 2020.[29]
CONCACAF Champions Cup qualification
editEach year, at least six clubs from Liga MX qualify for the CONCACAF Champions Cup, the North American premier club competition; Liga MX itself is guaranteed six spots while teams from the league can earn three more spots via the Leagues Cup with MLS for a maximum of nine spots. Generally, the Apertura and Clausura champions and runners-up, as well as the next best two clubs in the aggregate table, qualify, with the higher ranking champion from the Apertura and Clausura tournaments earning a bye to the Round of 16. Liga MX would implement a formula for ensuring that the Apertura and Clausura had two qualifying clubs should one or more clubs reach the finals of both tournaments, devised when Liga MX sent 4 clubs to North America premier club competition:[30]
- If the same two clubs qualify for the finals of both tournaments, those two clubs will qualify along with the non-finalists with the best record in both the Apertura and Clausura.
- If the same club wins both the Apertura and Clausura (facing two different clubs in the finals of each tournament), then the berth reserved for the Clausura champions is passed to the Clausura runners-up and the berth reserved for the Clausura runners-up is passed to the non-finalists with the best record in the Clausura. This occurred most recently in the 2021–22 season (2023 CONCACAF Champions League) when Atlas (2021 Apertura and Clausura 2022 champions), Pachuca (Clausura 2022 runners-up) and León (Apertura 2022 runners-up) were placed in Pot 1, while Tigres (non-finalists with the best record in the Clausura 2022) were placed in Pot 2 (at the time, the pot placings were determined via the CONCACAF Club Index, which ranked the performance of certain spots within the last 5 years). As of the 2022–23 season, the team that wins both the Apertura and Clausura also automatically qualifies for the Round of 16.
- If the Apertura runners-up win the Clausura (facing two different clubs in the finals of each tournament), then the berth reserved for the Apertura runners-up is passed to the non-finalists with the best record in the Apertura. This occurred most recently in the 2011–12 season (2012–13 CONCACAF Champions League) when Tigres (Apertura 2011 champions) and Santos Laguna (Apertura 2011 runners-up and Clausura 2012 champions) were placed in Pot A, while Guadalajara (non-finalists with the best record in the Apertura 2011) and Monterrey (Clausura 2012 runners-up) were placed in Pot B (at the time, the champions and runners-up were placed in different pots).
- If the Apertura champions are runners-up in the Clausura (facing two different clubs in the finals of each tournament), then the berth reserved for the Clausura runners-up is passed to the non-finalists with the best record in the Clausura. This has not happened since Liga MX began using this qualification procedure.
With Liga MX sending a minimum of six clubs to the Champions Cup (Liga MX can send a maximum of nine clubs if three Liga MX clubs all hold the top three spots in the Leagues Cup), these rules still generally apply, although if a club qualifies for the Champions Cup via Liga MX and the Leagues Cup, the spot is given to the next best club in the aggregate table. If a club is the highest-ranked tournament champion or the champion of both Apertura and Clausura tournaments and also wins the Leagues Cup for that same cycle, both the Apertura and Clausura champions qualify for the round of 16.
Qualification for previous international competitions
edit- Campeonato Centroamericano (1959)
- Copa Interamericana (1969–1992)
- CONCACAF Cup Winners Cup (1991–1995)
- Copa Libertadores (1998–2016)
- Copa Merconorte (2000–2001)
- CONCACAF Giants Cup (2001)
- Copa Sudamericana (2005–2008)
Participating clubs
edit2026–27 season
editThe 2026–27 Liga MX season has the following 18 participating clubs.
| Club | Position in Clausura 2026 | First season | Total seasons | First season of current spell | Consecutive seasons | Titles | Last title |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| América | 8th | 1943–44 | 114 | 1943–44 | 114 | 16 | Apertura 2024 |
| Atlante | — | 1943–44 | 89 | 2026–27 | — | 3 | Apertura 2007 |
| Atlas | 6th | 1943–44 | 111 | 1979–80 | 77 | 3 | Clausura 2022 |
| Atlético San Luis | 14th | 2019–20 | 13 | 2019–20 | 13 | 0 | — |
| Cruz Azul | 3rd | 1964–65 | 93 | 1964–65 | 93 | 10 | Clausura 2026 |
| Guadalajara | 2nd | 1943–44 | 114 | 1943–44 | 114 | 12 | Clausura 2017 |
| Juárez | 12th | 2019–20 | 13 | 2019–20 | 13 | 0 | — |
| León | 10th | 1944–45 | 90 | 2012–13 | 27 | 8 | Guard1anes 2020 |
| Monterrey | 13th | 1945–46 | 99 | 1960–61 | 97 | 5 | Apertura 2019 |
| Necaxa | 15th | 1951–52 | 84 | 2016–17 | 19 | 3 | Invierno 1998 |
| Pachuca | 4th | 1967–68 | 65 | 1998–99 | 55 | 7 | Apertura 2022 |
| Puebla | 17th | 1944–45 | 94 | 2007–08 | 37 | 2 | 1989–90 |
| Querétaro | 11th | 1990–91 | 43 | 2009–10 | 33 | 0 | — |
| Santos Laguna | 18th | 1988–89 | 67 | 1988–89 | 67 | 6 | Clausura 2018 |
| Tijuana | 9th | 2011–12 | 29 | 2011–12 | 29 | 1 | Apertura 2012 |
| Toluca | 5th | 1953–54 | 104 | 1953–54 | 104 | 12 | Apertura 2025 |
| Tigres | 7th | 1974–75 | 80 | 1997–98 | 57 | 8 | Clausura 2023 |
| Pumas | 1st | 1962–63 | 95 | 1962–63 | 95 | 7 | Clausura 2011 |
Stadiums and locations
edit
| Club | City | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| América | Mexico City | Azteca | 87,523 |
| Atlante | Mexico City | Azteca | 87,523 |
| Atlas | Guadalajara | Jalisco | 56,713[31] |
| Atlético San Luis | San Luis Potosí | Libertad Financiera | 25,111 |
| Cruz Azul | Mexico City | Azteca | 87,523 |
| Guadalajara | Zapopan | Akron | 45,364[32] |
| Juárez | Ciudad Juárez | Olímpico Benito Juárez | 19,703[33] |
| León | León | León | 31,297[34] |
| Monterrey | Guadalupe | BBVA | 53,500[35] |
| Necaxa | Aguascalientes | Victoria | 25,500[36] |
| Pachuca | Pachuca | Hidalgo | 25,922[37] |
| Puebla | Puebla | Cuauhtémoc | 51,726[38] |
| Querétaro | Querétaro | Corregidora | 33,162[39] |
| Santos Laguna | Torreón | Corona | 30,000[40] |
| Tijuana | Tijuana | Caliente | 27,333[41] |
| Toluca | Toluca | Nemesio Díez | 30,000[42] |
| Tigres | San Nicolás de los Garza | Universitario de la UANL | 42,000[43] |
| Pumas | Mexico City | Olímpico Universitario | 72,000[44][45] |
Performances
edit- Notes
- Clubs currently in Liga de Expansión MX.
- Clubs currently in Liga Premier.
- Clubs currently in Liga TDP.
- Defunct clubs.
Media coverage
editAll Liga MX clubs have the right to sell their own broadcast rights. Televisa, TV Azteca, Imagen Televisión, Claro Sports, Fox Sports, and ESPN have broadcasting rights in México, while ESPN Deportes, Fox Deportes, Univision, and Telemundo have the rights in the United States, with FS1/FS2 airing select matches with English commentary.
In previous years, when a team was relegated, the team that was promoted could only negotiate with the company holding the television rights of the relegated team. This agreement was canceled by Liga MX in 2012 when the promotion of Club León caused a television rights dispute with Televisa.[46] Currently, Club León matches are broadcast in Mexico by Fox Sports and other online media sites, and in the United States by Univision (Telemundo from 2013 to 2016).[47]
Telelatino and Fox Sports World formerly hold broadcasting rights in Canada. From 2019–20 until 2021–22, OneSoccer broadcast the league for Canada viewers.[48][49]
Fox Sports is the only network that holds rights to broadcast selected matches in United States and South America.
Additionally, Televisa-owned networks Sky Sports and TUDN hold exclusive broadcasting rights over selected matches throughout the regular season, although the majority of the most important ones are broadcast live on the national networks. The coverage also available for Central America viewers.
Most of the Saturday afternoon and evening matches broadcast by Televisa are shown primarily on Gala TV, though Saturday games played by Televisa's club America, are broadcast on Televisa's flagship network, Canal de las Estrellas. However, a blackout policy is usually applied in selected markets where affiliates are forced to air alternate programming during the matches, Sunday noon and afternoon games broadcast by Televisa are shown on Canal de las Estrellas. All of the games broadcast by TV Azteca on Saturday and Sunday are shown on Azteca 13; Friday's matches however are shown on Azteca 7. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday (known in Mexico as Fecha Doble or Double Date) matches picked by the national networks are shown on Canal 5 and Azteca 7 and the rest of the matches air on Sky Sports and TDN.
A recent rule, in effect since 2011, requires teams to play the final game of every season on Sunday during prime time, regardless of whether the team used to play local games in another timeslot, in order to capture more television audience during the game. This also prevents most playoff collusion, where one or both teams already in the liguilla put in lesser effort to lose or draw, in order to draw a more favorable opponent.
For the Apertura 2016, and the majority of the Clausura 2017, Guadalajara home matches in Mexico were not shown on over-the-air television or cable and satellite operators. Instead, they were exclusively shown on an internet streaming service called Chivas TV. As of 8 April 2017, the matches are shown on both Televisa's Televisa Deportes Network (TDN) and Chivas TV.
On 13 February 2017, it was announced Univision Deportes would live stream 46 games in English on Facebook in the United States.[50]
After the Clausura 2017 season, Azteca América sold the rights of the Atlas, Morelia, Tijuana, and Veracruz matches to Univision. The network then held the rights of 17 of the 18 clubs, only missing recently promoted Lobos BUAP. In September 2017, Univision began airing Lobos BUAP's home matches, thus holding the rights to all 18 Liga MX teams through the end of the Clausura 2018 season.
In July 2017, Televisión Nacional de Chile (TVN) announced it would show Liga MX matches involving Chilean players in Chile.[51]
In October 2017, Fox Sports announced that it acquired the long-term exclusive Spanish-language rights to Tijuana and Santos Laguna home matches in the United States, Mexico, and the rest of Latin America starting in the Apertura 2018 and Apertura 2019 respectively, thus ending Univision's monopoly.[52] The matches air on Fox Sports in the United States (via Fox Deportes) and the rest of Latin America (including Mexico and excluding Brazil).[52]
On 26 May 2018, Fox Sports announced it acquired the rights of C.F. Monterrey's home matches in the United States and Latin America.[53] The network announced the matches would be shown in the United States on Fox Deportes in Spanish as well as the Fox Sports family of networks in English.[53]
As of the Apertura 2019 season, via a sublicense agreement with Univision, ESPN Deportes airs the majority of León, Necaxa, Pachuca, Querétaro, and Tigres regular season home matches in the United States. The network also airs at least one home match of nine other clubs.[54] Televisa also sublicenses one match per week to ESPN in Mexico and Central America.[55]
In Brazil, DAZN broadcast the league for two seasons 2019–20 and 2020–21.[56]
On 15 July 2021, OneFootball announced it would broadcast between two and five live matches as part of a deal covering the 2021/22 Liga MX season in selected international markets.[57]
On 16 August 2021, Eleven Sports announced it would broadcast the home Liga MX matches of C.D. Guadalajara for the 2021–22 season in more than 100 countries.[58]
Broadcast rights
edit| Club | Television | Streaming | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mexico[59] | United States [60][61][62][63][64][65][66] |
Mexico | United States | |||
| América | Televisa | Univision CBS Sports[Note 7] | Vix | |||
| Atlas | ||||||
| Atlético San Luis | ESPN | Univision | Disney+ Vix | Vix | ||
| Cruz Azul | Televisa | Univision CBS Sports[Note 7] | Vix | |||
| Guadalajara | None[Note 1] | Fox Sports[Note 6] NBCUniversal[Note 3] | Chivas TV Prime Video[Note 1] | Peacock | ||
| Juárez | Fox TV Azteca | Estrella TV Fox Sports[Note 2] LATV NBCUniversal[Note 3] | Fox One Tubi | Estrella TV[Note 4] Fox One | ||
| León | Fox | Univision CBS Sports | Fox One Tubi | Vix | ||
| Monterrey | Televisa | Vix | ||||
| Necaxa | Claro Fox Televisa TV Azteca | Claro Vix | Vix | |||
| Pachuca | Fox | Fox One Tubi | Vix | |||
| Puebla | Fox TV Azteca | TV Azteca Digital Fox One Tubi | Vix | |||
| Querétaro | Fox | Fox One Tubi | Vix | |||
| Santos Laguna | ESPN Televisa | Disney+ Vix | Vix | |||
| Tijuana | Fox | Fox One Tubi | Vix | |||
| Toluca | Televisa TV Azteca Fox | Fox One Tubi Vix | Vix | |||
| Tigres | Fox TV Azteca | Estrella TV Fox Sports LATV NBCUniversal[Note 2] | Fox One Tubi | Estrella TV[Note 4] Fox One | ||
| Pumas | Televisa | Univision CBS Sports | Vix | |||
- ^ Guadalajara home matches in Mexico are not shown on over-the-air television or cable and satellite operators, instead they exclusively are shown on an internet streaming service called Chivas TV. The service is also available on Prime Video as a Prime Video channel.
- ^ Matches are shown on Fox Deportes in Spanish as well as the Fox Sports family of networks (FS1, FS2, Fox Soccer Plus) in English.
- ^
- ^ Estrella TV is available for streaming through various platforms, including Pluto TV, The Roku Channel, Tubi and the network's app.
- ^ Select number of matches air on TV Azteca and Televisa's over-the-air networks.
- ^ Matches only air on tape delay.
- ^ Select matches air in English on CBS Sports Network or CBS Sports Golazo Network.
Sponsorship
edit
BBVA México has been the official main sponsor of the league since its rebranding in 2012, hence it is officially known as Liga BBVA MX. In July 2013, the league president Decio De María stated that the money generated from the sponsorship would be divided among the 18 clubs and to be invested in each club's youth teams.[67][68][69][70] Since 1986, the official ball of the league is manufactured by Voit.[71]
Managers
editCurrent managers of Liga MX clubs:
| Manager | Club | Appointed | Time as manager |
|---|---|---|---|
 Antonio Mohamed | Toluca | 11 December 2024 | 1 year, 184 days |
| Guido Pizarro | Tigres UANL | 2 March 2025 | 1 year, 103 days |
 Sebastián Abreu | Tijuana | 30 April 2025 | 1 year, 44 days |
| Gabriel Milito | Guadalajara | 26 May 2025 | 1 year, 18 days |
| Diego Cocca | Atlas | 12 August 2025 | 305 days |
 Pedro Caixinha | Juárez | 4 December 2025 | 191 days |
 Esteban González | Querétaro | 6 December 2025 | 189 days |
| Martín Varini | Necaxa | 8 December 2025 | 187 days |
| Javier Gandolfi | León | 20 March 2026 | 85 days |
 Joel Huiqui | Cruz Azul | 22 April 2026 | 52 days |
| Miguel Herrera | Atlante | 28 April 2026 | 46 days |
| Gerardo Espinoza | Puebla | 19 May 2026 | 25 days |
| Renato Paiva | Santos Laguna | 19 May 2026 | 25 days |
| Matías Almeyda | Monterrey | 21 May 2026 | 23 days |
| Diego Mejía | Atlético San Luis | 31 May 2026 | 13 days |
| Guillermo Almada | América | 7 June 2026 | 6 days |
| Benjamín Mora | Pachuca | 10 June 2026 | 3 days |
| Vacant | Pumas UNAM |
Player records
editTop appearances
edit| Rank | Player | Years | Apps |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Óscar Pérez | 1993–2019 | 741 |
| 2 | Oswaldo Sánchez | 1993–2014 | 725 |
| 3 | Benjamín Galindo | 1979–2001 | 700 |
| 4 | Juan Pablo Rodríguez | 1997–2018 | 685 |
| 5 | Jesús Corona | 2002–2025 | 682 |
| 6 | Rodrigo Ruiz | 1994–2013 | 638 |
| 7 | Adolfo Ríos | 1985–2004 | 635 |
| 8 | Miguel España | 1983–2003 | 631 |
| 9 | Julio César Domínguez | 2006–present | 627 |
| 10 | Alfonso Sosa | 1985–2004 | 610 |
- Notes
- Italic — players still playing professional football.
- Bold — players still playing in Liga MX.
Top goalscorers
edit| Rank | Player | Years | Goals | Apps | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Evanivaldo Castro | 1974–1987 | 312 | 427 | 0.73 |
| 2 | Carlos Hermosillo | 1984–2001 | 294 | 534 | 0.55 |
| 3 | Jared Borgetti | 1994–2010 | 252 | 475 | 0.63 |
| 4 |  José Cardozo | 1994–2005 | 249 | 332 | 0.75 |
| 5 | Horacio Casarín | 1936–1957 | 238 | 326 | 0.73 |
| 6 | Osvaldo Castro | 1971–1984 | 214 | 398 | 0.54 |
| 7 | Luís Roberto Alves | 1986–2003 | 209 | 577 | 0.36 |
| 8 | Adalberto López | 1942–1955 | 201 | 231 | 0.87 |
| 9 | Carlos Eloir Perucci | 1972–1984 | 199 | 398 | 0.5 |
| 10 |  André-Pierre Gignac | 2015–present | 192 | 355 | 0.54 |
- Notes
- Italic — players still playing professional football.
- Bold — players still playing in Liga MX.
Promotion and relegation
edit| Club | Promoted | Relegated |
|---|---|---|
| Zacatepec | 5 (1950–51, 1962–63, 1969–70, 1977–78, 1983–84) | 5 (1961–62, 1965–66, 1976–77, 1982–83, 1984–85) |
| Pachuca | 4 (1966–67, 1991–92, 1995–96, 1997–98) | 3 (1972–73, 1992–93, 1996–97) |
| Irapuato | 4 (1953–54, 1984–85, 1999–00, 2002–03) | 2 (1971–72, 1990–91) |
| San Luis1 | 4 (1970–71, 1975–76, 2001–02, 2004–05) | 2 (1973–74, 2003–04) |
| Atlas | 3 (1954–55, 1971–72, 1978–79) | 3 (1953–54, 1970–71, 1977–78) |
| Unión de Curtidores1 | 3 (1974–75, 1982–83, 1998–992) | 2 (1980–81, 1983–84) |
| La Piedad | 3 (1951–52, 2000–01, 2012–133) | 1 (1952–53) |
| Veracruz1 | 2 (1963–64, 2001–02) | 5 (1951–52, 1978–79, 1997–98, 2007–08, 2018–194) |
| Atlante | 2 (1976–77, 1990–91) | 3 (1975–76, 1989–90, 2013–14) |
| Querétaro | 2 (2005–06, 2008–09) | 3 (1993–94, 2006–07, 2012–135) |
| Zamora | 2 (1954–55, 1956–57) | 2 (1955–56, 1959–60) |
| Ciudad Madero/Refinería Madero1 | 2 (1964–65, 1972–73) | 2 (1966–67, 1974–75) |
| Cobras de Juárez/Cobras de Querétaro1 | 2 (1985–86, 1987–88) | 2 (1986–87, 1991–92) |
| León | 2 (1989–90, 2011–12) | 2 (1986–87, 2001–02) |
| Sinaloa | 2 (2003–04, 2014–15) | 2 (2005–06, 2015–16) |
| Necaxa | 2 (2009–10, 2015–16) | 2 (2008–09, 2010–11) |
| Monterrey | 2 (1955–56,1959–60) | 1 (1956–57) |
| Morelia | 2 (1956–57, 1980–81) | 1 (1967–68) |
| Celaya | 2 (1957–58, 1994–95) | 1 (1960–61) |
| Tigres | 2 (1973–74, 1996–97) | 1 (1995–96) |
| Tampico1 | 1 (1958–59) | 3 (1957–58, 1962–63, 1981–82) |
| UAT | 1 (1986–87) | 2 (1987–88, 1994–95) |
| Puebla | 1 (2006–07) | 2 (1998–992, 2004–05) |
| Cuautla1 | 1 (1954–55) | 1 (1958–59) |
| Nacional | 1 (1960–61) | 1 (1964–65) |
| Nuevo León1 | 1 (1965–66) | 1 (1968–69) |
| Atlético Potosino1 | 1 (1973–74) | 1 (1988–89) |
| UAG/Estudiantes Tecos | 1 (1974–75) | 1 (2011–12) |
| UTN/Toros Neza | 1 (1992–93) | 1 (1999–00) |
| Tampico Madero/TM Gallos Blancos | 1 (1993–94) | 1 (1994–95) |
| Indios de Ciudad Juárez1 | 1 (2007–08) | 1 (2009–10) |
| UdeG | 1 (2013–14) | 1 (2014–15) |
| BUAP1 | 1 (2016–17) | 1 (2017–184) |
| Toluca | 1 (1952–53) | — |
| Pumas | 1 (1961–62) | — |
| Cruz Azul | 1 (1963–64) | — |
| Laguna1 | 1 (1967–68) | — |
| Torreón1 | 1 (1968–69) | — |
| Atletas Campesinos1 | 1 (1979–80) | — |
| Oaxtepec1 | 1 (1981–82) | — |
| Potros Neza1 | 1 (1988–896) | — |
| Tijuana | 1 (2010–11) | — |
| Atlético San Luis | 1 (2018–19) | — |
| Cafetaleros de Tapachula1 | 1 (2017–187) | — |
| San Sebastián1 | — | 1 (1950–51) |
| Marte1 | — | 1 (1954–55) |
| Jalisco | — | 1 (1979–80) |
| Cuernavaca1 | — | 1 (2002–03) |
| Chiapas | — | 1 (2016–17) |
- Notes
- Defunct clubs.
- Unión de Curtidores was bought by Puebla to remain in top division.
- La Piedad was bought by Veracruz, taking its spot in top division.
- Veracruz and Lobos BUAP remained in top division by paying a fine of 120 million pesos.
- Querétaro remained in top division by acquiring the Chiapas franchise.
- Potros Neza was bought by Veracruz, taking its spot in top division.
- Cafetaleros de Tapachula did not obtain certification for promotion.
See also
editReferences
edit- ↑ includes Claro Sports
- ↑ includes ESPN 2, ESPN 3, ESPN+, and Disney+.
- ↑ Games are produced and streamed by Fox Deportes through Tubi
- ↑ Includes Canal 5, Nueve, Las Estrellas, Sky Sports, Vix, TUDN and Izzi Telecom.
- ↑ includes Azteca 7 and Azteca Uno
- ↑ "Liga MX hace oficial su cambio de nombre y logo". MedioTiempo (in Spanish). 18 June 2019. Archived from the original on 21 June 2019. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
- ↑ "CONCACAF League Ranking Index". CONCACAF. 4 May 2023.
- ↑ "The strongest Leagues in the World in the first Decade of 21st Century". IFFHS. Archived from the original on 26 October 2017. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
- ↑ "Best attended domestic sports leagues in the world". Sporting Intelligence. Archived from the original on 22 August 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2017.
- ↑ Shea, Bill (9 February 2023). "What could top the Super Bowl on U.S. TV? Soccer, aliens and not much else". The Athletic. Archived from the original on 18 March 2023. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
Major League Soccer ranks third in U.S. soccer viewership after the Premier League and Mexico's top-flight Liga MX, leagues that have much longer histories.
- 1 2 "Tigres campeón: ¿Cuántos campeonatos tiene cada equipo de la Liga MX?". TUDN (in Spanish). 30 October 2022. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
- ↑ "Historia del futbol en México". Femexfut. Archived from the original on 11 October 2018. Retrieved 29 July 2009.
- ↑ "Corporativo" (in Spanish). Liga MX. Archived from the original on 19 March 2016.
- ↑ "Liga MX to run VAR test at U-20 matches, senior matches starting Week 13". SBNation. 20 August 2018. Archived from the original on 21 August 2018. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
- ↑ "Liga MX tendrá VAR en jornadas 13 y 14 del Apertura 2018" [Liga MX will have VAR during weeks 13 and 14 of the Apertura 2018]. La Afición (in Spanish). Milenio. 20 August 2018. Archived from the original on 21 August 2018. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
- ↑ "Por unanimidad, la Asamblea de Clubes designa a Juan Carlos Rodríguez". Liga MX. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
- ↑ "Liga MX: Repechaje continuará en Apertura 2023 con nuevo formato". ESPN Deportes. 9 October 2023. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
- ↑ "Liga MX regulations" (PDF). Retrieved 27 November 2023.
- ↑ "Ascenso Bancomer MX Informa". Ascensomx.net (in Spanish). 20 July 2017. Archived from the original on 3 August 2017. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
- ↑ "Reglamento de Competencia 2017–18" [Competition Regulation 2017–18] (PDF). ascensomx.net (in Spanish). Ascenso MX. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 July 2017. Retrieved 29 July 2017.
- ↑ "Seis equipos, con derecho al Ascenso" [Six teams, entitled to promotion] (in Spanish). 21 July 2017. Archived from the original on 2 August 2017. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
- ↑ "Liga MX suspends pro/Rel for next five years". 17 April 2020. Archived from the original on 10 May 2021. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
- ↑ "Ascenso MX da por terminado el C2020 por falta de recursos ante el coronavirus". Mediotiempo (in Spanish). 13 April 2020. Archived from the original on 18 December 2021. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
- ↑ Enrique Martínez Villar (24 April 2020). "¡Se confirma! No habrá ascenso ni descenso en 6 años; aprueban Liga de Desarrollo". Mediotiempo (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 25 April 2020. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
- ↑ "TAS confirma recurso de clubes de Expansión contra FMF por ascenso/descenso". RÉCORD (in Spanish). 21 May 2025. Retrieved 11 July 2025.
- ↑ "¡No hay unión! Un cuarto club de la Liga de Expansión se baja del barco tras demandar a la FMF ante el TAS para exigir el regreso del ascenso". LatinUS (in Spanish). 10 June 2025. Retrieved 11 July 2025.
- ↑ "Liga de Expansión MX niega mudanzas de Celaya y Cimarrones a Veracruz y Tampico". TUDN (in Spanish). 9 July 2025. Retrieved 11 July 2025.
- ↑ "TAS confirma regreso del ascenso y descenso en la Liga MX a partir de 2026–27". TUDN (in Spanish). 4 September 2025. Retrieved 4 September 2025.
- ↑ "TAS rechaza apelación de clubes de la Liga de Expansión, pero ascenso y descenso en Liga MX ya tiene fecha de REGRESO". Mediotiempo.com (in Spanish). 4 September 2025. Retrieved 4 September 2025.
- ↑ "América, Monterrey y Chivas podrían ir a la ConcaChampions sin llegar a la final". vavel.com. 5 March 2012. Archived from the original on 4 May 2012.
- ↑ "Estadio Jalisco". atlasfc.com.mx. Archived from the original on 15 March 2019. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
- ↑ "Liga MX – Página Oficial de la Liga del Fútbol Profesional en México .: Bienvenido". Liga MX / Ascenso MX. Archived from the original on 14 April 2019. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
- ↑ "Liga MX – Página Oficial de la Liga del Fútbol Profesional en México .: Bienvenido". Liga MX / Ascenso MX. Archived from the original on 11 April 2019. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
- ↑ "Liga MX – Página Oficial de la Liga del Fútbol Profesional en México .: Bienvenido". Liga MX / Ascenso MX. Archived from the original on 14 April 2019. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
- ↑ "Historia". estadiobbvabancomer.com. Archived from the original on 30 May 2019. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
- ↑ Click It – clubnecaxa.mx. "Estadio Victoria". Archived from the original on 26 June 2016.
- ↑ "Estadio Hidalgo". ligamx.net.
- ↑ "Estadio Cuauhtémoc". The Stadium Guide. Retrieved 9 January 2026.
- ↑ "Liga MX – Página Oficial de la Liga del Fútbol Profesional en México .: Bienvenido". Liga MX / Ascenso MX. Archived from the original on 24 March 2019. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
- ↑ "ESTADIO CORONA". clubsantos.mx. Archived from the original on 30 July 2018. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
- ↑ "Estrenará "Caliente" capacidad el viernes". el-mexicano.com.mx. Archived from the original on 16 June 2018. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
- ↑ "Estrenará "Caliente" capacidad el viernes". Liga MX / Ascenso MX. Archived from the original on 23 March 2019. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
- ↑ "Estadio Universitario". tigres.com.mx. Archived from the original on 16 June 2018. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
- ↑ "Estadio Olímpico Universitario". pumas.mx. Archived from the original on 12 May 2016. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
- ↑ "Liga MX – Página Oficial de la Liga del Fútbol Profesional en México .: Bienvenido". Liga MX / Ascenso MX. Archived from the original on 23 March 2019. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
- ↑ "Carlos Slim And Multi-Ownership In Mexico". businessofsoccer.com. Archived from the original on 10 November 2013. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
- ↑ "Fox Sports adquiere los derechos de transmisión del Club Mexicano León F.C." Revista Merca2.0. 7 September 2012. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
- ↑ "Mediapro Canada extends LigaMX rights". Mediapro. Archived from the original on 13 April 2021. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
- ↑ "OneSoccer To Stream LigaMX". Northern Tribune. 11 July 2019. Archived from the original on 7 February 2023. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
- ↑ "Liga MX to air live on Facebook in English". ESPN.com. 13 February 2017. Archived from the original on 10 October 2021. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
- ↑ "Liga MX se verá por televisión abierta chilena". Archived from the original on 15 January 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
- 1 2 "FOX Deportes Adds Liga MX to Soccer Lineup". Foxsports.com. 24 October 2017. Archived from the original on 10 October 2021. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
- 1 2 "FOX Sports Latin America adquiere derechos de Rayados de Monterrey". Archived from the original on 27 May 2018. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
- ↑ Gabriela Nuñez (20 October 2016). "Liga MX Returns to ESPN Deportes TV". espnpressroom.com. Archived from the original on 1 August 2019. Retrieved 1 August 2019.
- ↑ Sutcliffe, John [@espnsutcliffe] (28 July 2019). "@SergioChecko @PumasMX @ClubNecaxa @Televisa nos está dando un ju3go x semana" (Tweet) (in Spanish). Retrieved 31 December 2020 – via Twitter.
- ↑ "DAZN FECHA ACORDO E TRANSMITIRÁ A LIGA MEXICANA DE FUTEBOL". DAZN Media Centre (in Brazilian Portuguese). 3 October 2019. Archived from the original on 30 November 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
- ↑ "Liga MX gets OneFootball global streaming deal". sportspro.com. 15 July 2021. Archived from the original on 17 July 2021. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
- ↑ Martin Ross (16 August 2021). "Eleven secures multi-territory streaming rights to Chivas matches". Sportbusiness.com. Archived from the original on 16 August 2021. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
- ↑ "CALENDARIO DE PARTIDOS" (PDF). S3.amazonaws.com. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 December 2020. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
- ↑ "Univision's TUDN Announces Unparalleled Multi-Platform Coverage for Liga MX's 2021 Apertura". Corporate.uinivision.com. 21 July 2021. Archived from the original on 1 August 2021. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
- ↑ "Cómo ver la Liga MX en ESPN+ a partir de este sábado". ESPNdeportes.com. 30 July 2021. Archived from the original on 1 August 2021. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
- ↑ "Chivas vs Atlas: How to watch live, stream link, TV channel". Soccer.nbcsports.com. 2 October 2021. Archived from the original on 10 October 2021. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
- ↑ "Monterrey-Puebla and Tijuana-Tigres Open Torneo Apertura on FOX Deportes on Sunday". Foxsports.com. 23 July 2021. Archived from the original on 1 August 2021. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
- ↑ "CBS Sports and TelevisaUnivision Announce English-Language Liga MX Matches to Air Across CBS Sports Platforms". CBS Sports. 15 August 2025. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
- ↑ "FOX Deportes presenta su calendario para el Torneo Apertura 2025". Fox Deportes. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
- ↑ "Atlético San Luis vs. Tigres UANL se transmitirá por Telemundo Deportes Ahora". Telemundo.com. 10 January 2026. Retrieved 7 June 2026.
- ↑ "La Liga MX consiguió patrocinador". Fox Deportes (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 9 December 2018. Retrieved 15 July 2013.
- ↑ "Bancomer renueva patrocinio con la Liga MX" (in Spanish). Noticias MVS. Retrieved 18 September 2015.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ↑ "Liga MX hace oficial su cambio de nombre y logo". Mediotiempo (in Spanish). 18 June 2019. Archived from the original on 21 June 2019. Retrieved 23 June 2019.
- ↑ Collazo, Jonathan (4 July 2019). "Liga MX y BBVA firman por 3 años más e integran a la Liga Femenil". Mediotiempo (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 5 July 2019. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
- ↑ "Renueva Voit patrocinio con Liga MX". Radio Fórmula. Grupo Fórmula. Archived from the original on 18 August 2016. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
External links
edit
Media related to Liga MX at Wikimedia Commons- Official website (in Spanish)
