Liga MX facts for kids
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| Organising body | Federación Mexicana de Fútbol (FMF) |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1943 (as Liga Mayor) |
| Country | Mexico |
| Confederation | CONCACAF |
| Number of teams | 18 |
| Level on pyramid | 1 |
| Relegation to | Liga de Expansión MX (suspended) |
| Domestic cup(s) | Campeón de Campeones |
| League cup(s) | Leagues Cup |
| International cup(s) | CONCACAF Champions Cup |
| Current champions | Toluca (11th title) |
| Most championships | América (16 titles) |
| Most appearances | Óscar Pérez (745) |
| Top goalscorer | Evanivaldo Castro (312) |
| TV partners | Domestic Claro ESPN Fox Deportes Televisa TV Azteca International OneFootball (Selected matches in selected markets outside of Mexico) |
Liga MX, also known as Liga BBVA MX, is Mexico's top professional association football league. It's like the main league for soccer in Mexico! It used to be called Liga Mayor and Primera División de México.
There are 18 teams in Liga MX. Each year, the season is split into two short tournaments: the Apertura (from July to December) and the Clausura (from January to May). The winner of each tournament is decided by a special playoff round called the "liguilla". Since 2020, teams haven't been moved up or down between leagues, but this rule is set to change in 2026.
Liga MX is very popular! It's ranked as the best league in North and Central America (CONCACAF). It also has some of the biggest crowds at games in all of North America, right after the NFL and MLB. It's even one of the most-watched football leagues in the world on TV.
América is the most successful team with 16 titles. Other top teams include Guadalajara (12 titles) and Toluca (11 titles). Many different clubs have won the championship at least once.
Contents
History of Mexican Football
How Football Started in Mexico
Before Liga MX, there wasn't one big national football league in Mexico. Teams played in smaller local leagues. The first amateur (non-professional) league was the Liga Mexicana de Football Amateur Association around Mexico City. Other regional leagues also existed, like in Veracruz and Jalisco.
In 1922, the first national football federation in Mexico was created. They started the Campeonato de Primera Fuerza, which was the first amateur league organized by a national group. Most teams were from Mexico City at first.
Many club owners wanted to keep football amateur, even though some players were secretly paid. But people loved football so much that a professional league was needed. The first true national professional league in Mexico began in 1943.
The Professional Era Begins
When the Federación Mexicana de Fútbol (FMF) announced the new professional league, many clubs wanted to join. The FMF chose 10 clubs to start the Liga Mayor. These teams came from the old amateur leagues.
First Teams in the League
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The first 10 teams that formed the Liga Mayor were:
- From the Liga Mexicana de Football Amateur Association: América, Asturias, Atlante, Veracruz Sporting, Necaxa, and Marte.
- From the Liga Occidental de Jalisco: Atlas and Guadalajara.
- From the Liga Amateur de Veracruz: ADO and Moctezuma.
Big Changes in the League
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, many smaller clubs had money problems. Mexican clubs weren't playing in big international tournaments, and the league format wasn't very exciting. This meant that even good teams couldn't afford to play in international cups like the Copa Libertadores.
The 1970 FIFA World Cup was held in Mexico and was shown on TV all over the world. After this, the FMF changed the league rules. They added a final playoff phase called the Liguilla to decide the champion. This made the league more exciting and helped teams earn more money.
The Liguilla used different formats over the years. Usually, the top eight teams would play in a knockout style tournament. This new format meant that even teams that didn't do perfectly in the regular season could still win the championship if they played well in the playoffs.
Liga MX Today
Before the 2012–13 Liga MX season, the league changed its name to Liga MX and got a new logo. A new organization was created to manage the league.
In 2018, Liga MX started testing VAR technology. This helps referees make more accurate calls during games. FIFA approved the technology, and it is now fully used in the league.
How the Competition Works
Regular Season Tournaments
Liga MX has 18 teams that play in two short tournaments each season: the Apertura and the Clausura. This means there are two champions every year! The Apertura runs from July to December, and the Clausura runs from January to May. This schedule helps the league fit in with international football calendars.
At the end of each tournament's regular phase, the top 10 teams move on to the final playoff stage. The top 6 teams go straight to the liguilla quarterfinals. Teams ranked 7th through 10th play a special "play-in" round to decide the last two spots in the liguilla.
The Final Playoff: Liguilla
The liguilla is the exciting playoff round where the champion is decided. Ten teams qualify based on their points from the regular season. The top six teams go directly to the quarter-finals. Teams ranked 7th to 10th play a single match to get into the quarter-finals. The winners of these play-in matches join the top six.
In the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and final, teams play two matches against each other (one home, one away). The team with the most goals combined from both matches wins and moves on.
The team that wins the liguilla gets the Liga MX trophy! The liguilla was a big change that made the league more modern and helped clubs earn more money.
How Ties are Broken
If teams have the same number of points at the end of the regular season, here's how they figure out who ranks higher:
- The team with a better goal difference (goals scored minus goals against).
- The team that scored more goals.
- The team that scored more goals in away games.
- How the teams played against each other during the season.
- Fair play points (teams get points deducted for yellow and red cards).
- If all else fails, they draw lots!
Moving Up and Down (Relegation)
Normally, at the end of the season, one team from Liga MX would move down to the lower division (Ascenso MX), and one team from that division would move up to Liga MX. This is called promotion and relegation. The team that moves down is usually the one with the lowest points-per-game ratio over the last three seasons.
However, since April 2020, promotion and relegation have been paused for six years. This means no teams are currently moving up or down between Liga MX and the Liga de Expansión MX (which replaced Ascenso MX).
Qualifying for International Cups
Each year, at least six Liga MX teams get to play in the CONCACAF Champions Cup. This is the biggest club competition for teams in North and Central America. Liga MX teams can also earn more spots through the Leagues Cup, which is a tournament with teams from MLS (the US league).
Usually, the winners and runners-up of both the Apertura and Clausura tournaments qualify. The champion with the best overall record gets a direct spot in the Round of 16. If a team wins both the Apertura and Clausura tournaments, they automatically get a spot in the Round of 16 of the Champions Cup.
Teams in Liga MX
2025–26 Season Teams
The following 18 clubs are playing in the Liga MX during the 2025–26 Liga MX season.
| Club | Position in Clausura 2025 | First season in Liga MX | Total seasons | First season of current spell in Liga MX | Consecutive seasons | Titles | Last title |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| América | 2nd | 1943–44 | 112 | 1943–44 | 112 | 16 | Apertura 2024 |
| Atlas | 14th | 1943–44 | 109 | 1979–80 | 75 | 3 | Clausura 2022 |
| Atlético San Luis | 15th | 2019–20 | 11 | 2019–20 | 11 | 0 | – |
| Cruz Azul | 3rd | 1964–65 | 91 | 1964–65 | 91 | 9 | Guardianes 2021 |
| Guadalajara | 11th | 1943–44 | 112 | 1943–44 | 112 | 12 | Clausura 2017 |
| Juárez | 9th | 2019–20 | 11 | 2019–20 | 11 | 0 | – |
| León | 6th | 1944–45 | 88 | 2012–13 | 25 | 8 | Guardianes 2020 |
| Mazatlán | 16th | 2020–21 | 9 | 2020–21 | 9 | 0 | – |
| Monterrey | 7th | 1945–46 | 97 | 1960–61 | 95 | 5 | Apertura 2019 |
| Necaxa | 5th | 1951–52 | 82 | 2016–17 | 17 | 3 | Invierno 1998 |
| Pachuca | 8th | 1967–68 | 63 | 1998–99 | 53 | 7 | Apertura 2022 |
| Puebla | 17th | 1944–45 | 92 | 2007–08 | 35 | 2 | 1989–90 |
| Querétaro | 12th | 1990–91 | 41 | 2009–10 | 31 | 0 | – |
| Santos Laguna | 18th | 1988–89 | 65 | 1988–89 | 65 | 6 | Clausura 2018 |
| Tijuana | 13th | 2011–12 | 27 | 2011–12 | 27 | 1 | Apertura 2012 |
| Toluca | 1st | 1953–54 | 102 | 1953–54 | 102 | 11 | Clausura 2025 |
| UANL | 4th | 1974–75 | 78 | 1997–98 | 55 | 8 | Clausura 2023 |
| UNAM | 10th | 1962–63 | 93 | 1962–63 | 93 | 7 | Clausura 2011 |
Team Achievements
This table shows how many titles and runner-up finishes each club has in Liga MX.
| Club | Titles | Runners-up | Winning editions |
|---|---|---|---|
| América | 16 | 11 | 1965–66, 1970–71, 1975–76, 1983–84, 1984–85, Prode 1985, 1987–88, 1988–89, Verano 2002, Clausura 2005, Clausura 2013, Apertura 2014, Apertura 2018, Apertura 2023, Clausura 2024, Apertura 2024 |
| Guadalajara | 12 | 10 | 1956–57, 1958–59, 1959–60, 1960–61, 1961–62, 1963–64, 1964–65, 1969–70, 1986–87, Verano 1997, Apertura 2006, Clausura 2017 |
| Toluca | 11 | 8 | 1966–67, 1967–68, 1974–75, Verano 1998, Verano 1999, Verano 2000, Apertura 2002, Apertura 2005, Apertura 2008, Bicentenario 2010, Clausura 2025 |
| Cruz Azul | 9 | 12 | 1968–69, México 1970, 1971–72, 1972–73, 1973–74, 1978–79, 1979-80, Invierno 1997, Guardianes 2021 |
| León | 8 | 7 | 1947–48, 1948–49, 1951–52, 1955–56, 1991–92, Apertura 2013, Clausura 2014, Guardianes 2020 |
| UANL | 8 | 6 | 1977–78, 1981–82, Apertura 2011, Apertura 2015, Apertura 2016, Apertura 2017, Clausura 2019, Clausura 2023 |
| UNAM | 7 | 8 | 1976–77, 1980–81, 1990–91, Clausura 2004, Apertura 2004, Clausura 2009, Clausura 2011 |
| Pachuca | 7 | 4 | Invierno 1999, Invierno 2001, Apertura 2003, Clausura 2006, Clausura 2007, Clausura 2016, Apertura 2022 |
| Santos Laguna | 6 | 6 | Invierno 1996, Verano 2001, Clausura 2008, Clausura 2012, Clausura 2015, Clausura 2018 |
| Monterrey | 5 | 7 | México 1986, Clausura 2003, Apertura 2009, Apertura 2010, Apertura 2019 |
| Atlante1 | 3 | 4 | 1946–47, 1992-93, Apertura 2007 |
| Atlas | 3 | 3 | 1950–51, Apertura 2021, Clausura 2022 |
| Necaxa | 3 | 3 | 1994–95, 1995–96, Invierno 1998 |
| Puebla | 2 | 2 | 1982–83, 1989–90 |
| Zacatepec2 | 2 | 1 | 1954–55, 1957–58 |
| Veracruz4 | 2 | 0 | 1945–46, 1949–50 |
| Oro3 | 1 | 5 | 1962–63 |
| Morelia1 | 1 | 3 | Invierno 2000 |
| RC España4 | 1 | 1 | 1944–45 |
| Tecos2 | 1 | 1 | 1993–94 |
| Asturias4 | 1 | 0 | 1943–44 |
| Tampico4 | 1 | 0 | 1952–53 |
| Marte4 | 1 | 0 | 1953–54 |
| Tijuana | 1 | 0 | Apertura 2012 |
| UdeG1 | 0 | 3 | – |
| Tampico Madero1 | 0 | 2 | – |
| Atlético Español4 | 0 | 1 | – |
| Celaya1 | 0 | 1 | – |
| Toros Neza4 | 0 | 1 | – |
| San Luis4 | 0 | 1 | – |
| Querétaro | 0 | 1 | – |
- Notes
- Clubs currently in Liga de Expansión MX.
- Clubs currently in Liga Premier.
- Clubs currently in Liga TDP.
- Defunct clubs.
Stadiums and Team Locations
| Club | Location | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| América | Mexico City | Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes
(temporary) |
87,523 |
| Atlas | Guadalajara | Estadio Jalisco | 56,713 |
| Atlético San Luis | San Luis Potosí | Estadio Alfonso Lastras Ramírez | 25,111 |
| Cruz Azul | Mexico City | Estadio Olímpico Universitario
(temporary) |
72,000 |
| Guadalajara | Zapopan | Estadio Akron | 45,364 |
| Juárez | Ciudad Juárez | Estadio Olímpico Benito Juárez | 19,703 |
| León | León | Estadio León | 31,297 |
| Mazatlán | Mazatlán | Estadio El Encanto | 25,000 |
| Monterrey | Guadalupe | Estadio BBVA | 53,500 |
| Necaxa | Aguascalientes | Estadio Victoria de Aguascalientes | 25,500 |
| Pachuca | Pachuca | Estadio Hidalgo | 25,922 |
| Puebla | Puebla | Estadio Cuauhtémoc | 51,726 |
| Querétaro | Querétaro | Estadio Corregidora | 33,162 |
| Santos Laguna | Torreón | Estadio Corona | 30,000 |
| Tijuana | Tijuana | Estadio Caliente | 27,333 |
| Toluca | Toluca | Estadio Nemesio Díez | 30,000 |
| UANL | San Nicolás de los Garza | Estadio Universitario de la UANL | 42,000 |
| UNAM | Mexico City | Estadio Olímpico Universitario | 72,000 |
Watching Liga MX: Media Coverage
Many TV channels and streaming services show Liga MX games. In Mexico, you can watch on Televisa, TV Azteca, Fox Sports, and ESPN. In the United States, games are shown on Univision, Telemundo, and Fox Deportes. Some matches are even available with English commentary on FS1/FS2.
Clubs have the right to sell their own broadcast rights. This means different teams might have their games shown on different channels. For example, Club León's matches are broadcast by Fox Sports in Mexico and Univision in the United States.
Some games are shown on national TV networks, especially the most important ones. Other games might be on special sports channels like Sky Sports or TUDN. There's a rule that the final game of every season must be played on a Sunday during prime time to get more viewers.
In the past, some teams tried showing their games only on their own streaming services, like "Chivas TV" for Guadalajara. But now, many games are available on multiple platforms.
Sponsors of the League
For a long time, Liga MX didn't have a main sponsor. But in 2013, BBVA Bancomer became the official sponsor. This helped modernize the league and the money from the sponsorship is shared among the 18 clubs. It's also used to help develop young players in each team. The league is now called Liga BBVA MX because of this sponsorship.
Since 1986, Voit has been the company that makes the official match balls for Liga MX games.
Team Managers
Here are the current managers for the Liga MX teams:
| Nat. | Name | Team | Appointed | Time as manager |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
André Jardine | América | 16 June 2023 | 2 years, 57 days |
 |
Eduardo Berizzo | León | 7 September 2024 | 339 days |
 |
Martín Varini | Juárez | 29 November 2024 | 256 days |
|
Pablo Guede | Puebla | 2 December 2024 | 253 days |
 |
Benjamín Mora | Querétaro | 7 December 2024 | 248 days |
|
Antonio Mohamed | Toluca | 11 December 2024 | 244 days |
|
Gonzalo Pineda | Atlas | 12 December 2024 | 243 days |
|
Guido Pizarro | UANL | 2 March 2025 | 163 days |
|
Efraín Juárez | UNAM | 2 March 2025 | 163 days |
|
Sebastián Abreu | Tijuana | 30 April 2025 | 104 days |
 |
Francisco Rodríguez | Santos Laguna | 10 May 2025 | 94 days |
|
Robert Siboldi | Mazatlán | 20 May 2025 | 84 days |
|
Domènec Torrent | Monterrey | 21 May 2025 | 83 days |
|
Gabriel Milito | Guadalajara | 26 May 2025 | 78 days |
|
Jaime Lozano | Pachuca | 29 May 2025 | 75 days |
|
Guillermo Abascal | Atlético San Luis | 30 May 2025 | 74 days |
|
Fernando Gago | Necaxa | 12 June 2025 | 61 days |
|
Nicolás Larcamón | Cruz Azul | 16 June 2025 | 57 days |
Player Records
Most Games Played
| Rank | Player | Appearances |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Óscar Pérez |
741 |
| 2 | Oswaldo Sánchez |
725 |
| 3 | Benjamín Galindo |
700 |
| 4 | Juan Pablo Rodríguez |
685 |
| 5 | Jesús Corona |
682 |
| 6 |  Rodrigo Ruiz |
638 |
| 7 | Adolfo Ríos |
635 |
| 8 | Miguel España |
631 |
| 9 | Julio César Domínguez |
616 |
| 10 | Alfonso Sosa |
610 |
| Italics means players are still playing professional football. Bold means players are still playing in Liga MX. |
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Most Goals Scored
| Rank | Nat | Name | 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 | |
Sergio Lira | 1972–1984 | 191 | 564 | 0.34 |
| Italics means players are still playing professional football. Bold means players are still playing in the Liga MX. |
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See also
In Spanish: Primera División de México para niños
- Sport in Mexico
- Football in Mexico
- Mexican football league system
- Mexican Football Federation
- Liga de Expansión MX
- Ascenso MX
- Liga Premier
- Liga TDP
- Copa MX
- Campeón de Campeones
- Primera Fuerza
- Liga MX Femenil
- List of foreign Liga MX players
