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Copa MX
Copa MX.svg
Founded 1907; 117 years ago (1907)
Abolished 2020
Region Mexico
Number of teams 24
Domestic cup(s) Supercopa MX
Last champions Monterrey (3rd title)
Most successful club(s) Amateur era:
Asturias
(8 titles)
Professional era:
América
(6 titles)
Total: Necaxa & Asturias (8 titles)
Television broadcasters Claro
ESPN
Fox Sports
Grupo Imagen
Televisa
TV Azteca
TVC Deportes
Website Copa MX

The Copa MX (formerly called Copa Tower Monterrey, Copa Eliminatoria, Copa México and Copa Corona MX (for sponsorship reasons)) was a Mexican football cup competition that was established in 1907. After a lengthy hiatus that began in 1997, it was restored in 2012.

On early editions of the cup, it consisted of both professional and amateur stages. It was the first official tournament that included teams from different parts of Mexico and was considered a prestigious tournament, especially during its earlier years of existence. The original purpose of the competition was to determine a national champion, thus distinguishing it from the local league championship. Its format was different from the local leagues as well, as it employed direct elimination and culminated in a final that received much more fanfare than the local leagues.

The cup has twice been placed on hiatus by the Mexican Football Federation – between 1976 and 1988 and between 1992 and 1994 – with the 1997 edition of the tournament being the last time the Copa México was held before it was placed on an indefinite hiatus. In May 2012, Liga MX president Decio de María announced the return and rebranding of the tournament. It is currently -once again- on indefinite hiatus after the 2019-20 edition, due to a busy calendar.

History

Copa Tower (1907–1919)

The Copa México began in 1907 with the donation of the trophy by Reginald Tower, who was at the time the British ambassador to Mexico. For this reason, it was originally called the Copa Tower. At first, the tournament only included clubs from Mexico City and the surrounding areas. Pachuca won the inaugural tournament, in 1908, by defeating Reforma AC in the final. In 1919, Real España won the cup for the third year straight and were allowed to keep the trophy permanently. In all, the Copa Tower was contested 11 times, with Real España winning it four times in all, the best performance of the period.

Copa Eliminatoria (1919–1932)

In 1920, the tournament took place for the first time with a new trophy, the Copa Eliminatoria. It was contested six times between the years 1920 and 1926. Asturias F.C. won it three times during this period (consecutively from 1922 to 1924), the highest total of any team during this period.

Copa México (1932–1997)

Amateur Period (1932–1943)

After the foundation of the Federación Mexicana de Fútbol in 1927, a new trophy, named the Copa México, was donated in 1932. Following a six-year hiatus, the cup was contested again during the 1932–33 season. This time, the competition also received official support of President Lázaro Cárdenas. The first Copa México was won by Necaxa in a tournament of historical importance due to the adoption of new rules. This marked the beginning of an 11-year period that is referred to in retrospect as the Amateur Period. Once again, Asturias F.C. dominated the championship, winning it a record 5 times during this period.

Professional Period (1943–1997)

In 1943 the Professional Period of the Copa México began, a period that would last until the competition's termination in 1997. At first, it was played among teams from the then-Liga Mayor, the present-day Primera Division de Mexico. Beginning in 1950 the teams of the Segunda División de México were also included into the competition with the exception of the 1956–57, 1963–64, 1994–95 and 1995–96 seasons.

Copa MX (2012–2020)

Semi-annual format (2012–2016)

Upon its return in 2012, the newly rebranded Copa MX was played twice a year, concurrent with the two league tournaments. In the Fall tournament, 14 of the Liga MX teams not involved in the CONCACAF Champions League, play alongside 14 of the Ascenso MX teams. The 14 Ascenso MX teams were the 13 top point-earners from the season prior, plus the newly relegated team. The teams were placed into 7 groups of 4. The 7 group winners, plus the group runner-up with the highest point total, moved on to the quarterfinals.

Teams played 6 games in the group stage. Groups and home field advantage were determined by a blind draw. For the group draw, 1st division teams were placed in Pot A, while 2nd division teams were placed in Pot B. In the home field advantage draw, no team can have more than 2 home games in the group stage. A blind draw determined home field advantage in the knockout rounds.

In the Spring tournament, the 11 Liga MX teams not involved in international tournaments, played alongside the 13 Ascenso MX teams with the highest point total from the previous short tournament. Both tournaments will have the same draw format and number of group games. KO rounds for both tournaments will be single-elimination.

Revised semi-annual format (2016–2019)

The new format was played twice a year, concurrent with the two league tournaments. In the Fall tournament, all Liga MX clubs will play alongside 12 of the Ascenso MX teams. The 12 Ascenso MX teams will be the 11 top point-earners from the season prior, plus the newly relegated team. The teams will be placed into 8 groups of 3. The 8 group winners, plus the 8 group runners-up, move on to the new round (round of 16).

Teams will play 4 games in the group stage. Groups and home field advantage will be determined the draw by public at their annual draft. For the group draw, 1st division teams top 4 point-earners and 2nd division teams top 4 point-earners will be placed in Pot A, while 1st division teams mid 4 point-earners and 2nd division teams mid 4 point-earners will be placed in Pot B and 1st division teams last 4 point-earners and 2nd division teams last 4 point-earners will be placed in Pot C. In the home field advantage draw, teams can have 2 home games in the group stage. A blind draw will determine home field advantage in the KO rounds.

Annual format (2019–2020)

From the 2019–20 season, the Copa MX will be played as a single tournament throughout the season. It will have the participation of 27 teams (15 of Liga MX and 12 of Ascenso MX) place into 9 groups of 3. Respect to the development of the tournament, this maintains most of he 2016 format, except the division in 2 tournaments per year. The group stage will be played between July and December, and the final stage will be played between January and April.

However, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 final was postponed until November, and beforehand, it suspended play due to busy calendar issues, with the Mexican Football Federation giving preference to matches of the Mexico national football team in preparation for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, resulting in the cancellation of the 2020–21 season and the competition entering a new indefinite hiatus.

List of finals

Amateur era (1907–1943)

Copa Tower

Year Champion Score Runner-up
1907–08 Pachuca
4–0
Reforma
1908–09 Reforma
3–2
Mexico Cricket
1909–10 Reforma
2–1
British Club
1910–11 British Club
1–0
Reforma
1911–12 Pachuca
3–1
British Club
1912–13 Rovers
1–0
Reforma
1913–14 México FC
3–1
Rovers
1914–15 Club España
2–0
Pachuca
1915–16 Rovers
1–0
Club España
1916–17 Club España
2–1
Pachuca
1917–18 Club España
1–0
Tigres México
1918–19 Germania
3–1
Pachuca

Copa Eliminatoria

Year Champion Score Runner-up
1919–20 Not held
1920–21 México FC
4–2
Germania
1921–22 Asturias
4–1
Club España
1922–23 Asturias
3–0
Club España
1923–24 Asturias
5–3
Reforma
1924–25 Necaxa
3–2
Asturias
1925–26 Necaxa
4–2
Club España
1926–32 Not held

Copa Mexico

Year Champion Score Runner-up
1932–33 Necaxa
3–1
Germania
1933–34 Asturias
3–0
Necaxa
1934–35 Not held
1935–36 Necaxa
2–1
(aet)
Asturias
1936–37 Asturias
5–3
América
1937–38 América
3–1
Club España
1938–39 Asturias
4–1
Club España
1939–40 Asturias
1–0
Necaxa
1940–41 Asturias
2–2
Club España didn't play replay
Club España
1941–42 Atlante
5–3
5-0
Necaxa

Professional era (1943–1997)

Year Champion Score Runner-up Manager
1942–43 Moctezuma
5–3
(aet)
Atlante Spain Eduardo Morilla
1943–44 Club España
6–2
Atlante Costa Rica Rodolfo Muñoz
1944–45 Puebla
6–4
América Spain Eduardo Morilla
1945-46 Atlas
5–4
(aet)
Atlante Argentina Eduardo Valdatti
1946–47 Moctezuma
4–3
Oro Argentina Julio Kaiser
1947–48 Veracruz
3–1
Guadalajara Spain Joaquin Urquiaga
1948–49 León
3–0
Atlante Argentina Jose Maria Casullo
1949–50 Atlas
3–1
Veracruz Argentina Eduardo Valdatti
1950–51 Atlante
1–0
Guadalajara Mexico Octavio Vial
1951–52 Atlante
Final Stage
Guadalajara Spain Gregorio Blasco
1952–53 Puebla
4–1
León Spain Isidro Langara
1953–54 América
1 (3) – 1 (2)
Penalties
Guadalajara Mexico Octavio Vial
1954-55 América
1–0
Guadalajara Mexico Octavio Vial
1955–56 Toluca
2–1
Irapuato Mexico Fernando Marcos
1956–57 Zacatepec
2–1
León Mexico Ignacio Trellez
1957–58 León
5–2
(aet)
Zacatepec Spain Antonio López Herranz
1958–59 Zacatepec
2–1
León Mexico Ignacio Trellez
1959–60 Necaxa
4–1
Tampico Madero Uruguay Donald Ross
1960–61 Tampico Madero
1–0
Toluca Mexico Nicolas Palma
1961–62 Atlas
3–3
Replay
1–0
Tampico Madero Argentina Jose Carlos Bauer
1962–63 Guadalajara
2–1
Atlante Mexico Javier De la Torre
1963–64 América
1 (5)–1 (4)
Penalties
Monterrey Argentina Alejandro Scopelli
1964–65 América
4–0
Morelia Argentina Alejandro Scopelli
1965–66 Necaxa
3–3
Replay
1–0
León Argentina Miguel Marin
1966–67 León
2–1
Guadalajara ArgentinaLuis Grill
1967–68 Atlas
2–1
Veracruz Argentina Javier Novello
1968–69 Cruz Azul
2–1
(aet)
Monterrey Mexico Raúl Cardenas
1969–70 Guadalajara
3–2
2–1
Torreón Mexico Javier de la Torre
1970–71 León
0 (10) – 0 (9)
Penalties
Zacatepec Mexico Antonio Carbajal
1971–72 León
Final Stage
Puebla Mexico Antonio Carbajal
1972–73
Not held
1973–74 América
2–1
1–1
Cruz Azul Mexico José Antonio Roca
1974–75 UNAM
Final Stage
UdeG Hungary Árpád Fekete
1975–76 UANL
2–0
1–2
América Peru Claudio Lostanau
1976–87
Not held
1987–88 Puebla
0–0
1–11
Cruz Azul Uruguay Hugo Fernández
1988–89 Toluca
2–1 (aet)
1–1
UdeG Mexico Héctor Sanabria
1989–90 Puebla
4–1
0–2
UANL Mexico Manuel Lapuente
1990–91 UdeG
1–0
0–0
América Mexico Alberto Guerra
1991–92 Monterrey
4–2
Cobras Mexico Miguel Mejía Barón
1992–94
Not held
1994–95 Necaxa
2–0
Veracruz Mexico Manuel Lapuente
1995–96 UANL
1–1
1–0
Atlas Mexico Victor Manuel Vucetich
1996–97 Cruz Azul
2–0
Toros Neza Mexico Victor Manuel Vucetich
1996–2012
Not held

1: On away goals

Copa MX

Year Champion Score Runner-up Manager
Apertura 2012 Sinaloa 2 (5) – 2 (4)
Penalties
UAT Mexico Francisco Javier Ramírez
Clausura 2013 Cruz Azul 0(4) – 0 (2)
Penalties
Atlante Mexico Guillermo Vázquez
Apertura 2013 Morelia 3 (3) – 3 (1)
Penalties
Atlas Argentina Carlos Bustos
Clausura 2014 UANL 3–0 Oaxaca Brazil Ricardo Ferretti
Apertura 2014 Santos Laguna 2 (4) – 2(2)
Penalties
Puebla Portugal Pedro Caixinha
Clausura 2015 Puebla 4–2 Guadalajara Mexico José Guadalupe Cruz
Apertura 2015 Guadalajara 1–0 León Argentina Matías Almeyda
Clausura 2016 Veracruz 4–1 Necaxa Chile Carlos Reinoso
Apertura 2016 Querétaro 0 (3)–0 (2)
Penalties
Guadalajara Mexico Víctor Manuel Vucetich
Clausura 2017 Guadalajara 0 (3)–0 (1)
Penalties
Morelia Argentina Matías Almeyda
Apertura 2017 Monterrey 1–0 Pachuca Argentina Antonio Mohamed
Clausura 2018 Necaxa 1–0 Toluca Mexico Ignacio Ambríz
Apertura 2018 Cruz Azul 2–0 Monterrey Portugal Pedro Caixinha
Clausura 2019 América 1–0 Juárez Mexico Miguel Herrera
2019–20 Monterrey 2–1 Tijuana Argentina Antonio Mohamed

Performance by club

Amateur era

Club Champion Runner-up
Asturias 8 6
Real España 4 6
Necaxa 4 2
Pachuca 2 2
Reforma 2 3
México 2 2
América 1 1
British Club 1 0
Rovers 1 0
Atlante 1 0
Moctezuma 1 0

Professional era

Club Champion Runner-up
América 6 3
León 5 4
Puebla 5 3
Guadalajara 4 8
Cruz Azul 4 2
Necaxa 4 1
Atlas 4 1
Monterrey 3 2
UANL 3 1
Atlante 2 4
Veracruz 2 3
Zacatepec 2 2
Toluca 2 2
Tampico Madero 1 2
UdeG 1 2
Morelia 1 2
Querétaro 1 0
Santos Laguna 1 0
Sinaloa 1 0
Real España 1 0
Moctezuma 1 0
UNAM 1 0
Oro 0 1
Irapuato 0 1
Torreón 0 1
Cobras 0 1
Toros Neza 0 1
UAT 0 1
Oaxaca 0 1
Pachuca 0 1
Juárez 0 1

Performance by Club

Club Champion Runner-up
Asturias 8 6
Necaxa 8 3
América 7 4
Real España 5 6
León 5 4
Puebla 5 3
Guadalajara 4 8
Atlas 4 1
Cruz Azul 4 2
UANL 3 1
Atlante 3 4
Veracruz 2 3
Monterrey 3 2
Zacatepec 2 2
Toluca 2 2
Tampico Madero 1 2
UdeG 1 2
Morelia 1 2
Querétaro 1 0
Santos Laguna 1 0
Sinaloa 1 0
Moctezuma 2 0
UNAM 1 0
Oro 0 1
Irapuato 0 1
Torreón 0 1
Cobras 0 1
Toros Neza 0 1
UAT 0 1
Oaxaca 0 1
Pachuca 2 3
Reforma 2 3
México 2 2
British Club 1 0
Rovers 1 0

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Copa México para niños

  • SuperCopa MX
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Copa MX Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.