Liga MX Femenil

Previous to the establishment of Liga MX Femenil, there were attempts by the Mexican Football Federation, Liga MX clubs, and women's football advocates to professionalized women's football in Mexico, but none of these attempts were successful.

In 2007, there was an attempt to professionalize women's football in Mexico via the Liga Mexicana de Fútbol Femenil. While the league did foster some success, it did not have major sponsorships and lacked media coverage as well as fan support. Therefore, major clubs participating in the league such as Chivas, pulled their support.{{Cite web |last=Gomez |first=Eric |date=13 December 2016 |title=Women's soccer league takes shape in Mexico with backing of Liga MX |url=https://www.espn.com/blog/onenacion/post/_/id/6358/womens-soccer-league-takes-shape-in-mexico-with-backing-of-liga-mx |access-date=12 August 2023 |website=ESPN |language=en}}

File:Osborne-dominguez fishlock fuss mcdonald 072513.jpg (second from left) playing for the Chicago Red Stars during the inaugural season of the NWSL.]]

In November 2012, the United States Soccer Federation announced the establishment of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) in a push to professionalized women's soccer in the United States.{{Cite web |last=Whiteside |first=Kelly |date=21 November 2012 |title=Women's pro soccer league to debut in U.S. next year |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/soccer/2012/11/21/new-womens-soccer-league-to-debut-next-year/1720343/ |access-date=19 March 2024 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}} In an arrangement with the U.S. Soccer Federation to develop Mexican talent in the United States, the Mexican Football Federation pledged to allocate Mexican players to NWSL clubs while also covering the salaries of such players. Well-known Mexican players such as Maribel Domínguez and Mónica Ocampo were among the first players to be allocated to the NWSL as part of this arrangement, which was in effect from 2013 until early 2016, when the Mexican Football Federation announced that it would no longer continue allocating players to the NWSL due to the limited playing time these players were receiving, foreshadowing the creation of Liga MX Femenil.{{Cite web |last=Kassouf |first=Jeff |date=11 January 2016 |title=Mexico no longer allocating players to NWSL |url=https://equalizersoccer.com/2016/01/11/mexico-stops-allocating-nwsl-player-salaries/ |access-date=16 November 2022 |website=Equalizer Soccer |language=en}}

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.{{Cite news |last=Lakhani |first=Nina |date=21 October 2018 |title=Pioneer of women's football in Mexico is latest victim of Tijuana violence |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/oct/21/mexico-marbella-ibarra-murder-women-football |access-date=1 June 2020 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}{{Cite web |last=Marshall |first=Tom |date=27 August 2014 |title=Bridging the divide: Club Tijuana's women's team set to play in American league starting in May |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/bridging-divide-club-tijuanas-womens-team-set-play-american-league-starting-may |url-status= |access-date=28 March 2024 |website=MLS Soccer}}

File:Chivas Femenil Campeón.jpg

On 5 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.{{Cite web |title=México tendrá Liga MX femenil a partir de 2017 |url=https://www.elfinanciero.com.mx/after-office/mexico-tendra-liga-mx-femenil-a-partir-de-2017/ |access-date=2022-11-16 |website=El Financiero |date=6 December 2016 |language=es}} 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.{{cite web |date=5 December 2016 |title=México tendrá Liga MX femenil a partir de 2017 |url=http://www.elfinanciero.com.mx/after-office/mexico-tendra-liga-mx-femenil-a-partir-de-2017.html |access-date=28 March 2024 |website=El Financiero |publisher= |language=es}}

Before the inaugural season, the teams participated in a warm-up tournament called Copa MX Femenil.{{cite web |date=24 April 2017 |title=Realizarán sorteo para Copa MX Femenil |url=http://espndeportes.espn.com/futbol/mexico/nota/_/id/3102732/realizaran-sorteo-para-copa-mx-femenil |access-date=28 March 2024 |website=ESPN Deportes |language=es}} 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.{{cite web |date=26 April 2017 |title=Clubes faltantes no estaban listos para la Copa Femenil: Bonilla |url=http://www.mediotiempo.com/futbol/2017/04/26/clubes-faltantes-no-estaban-listos-para-la-copa-femenil-bonilla |access-date=3 May 2017 |work=Mediotiempo |language=es}} Pachuca won this tournament by winning the final 9–1 against Club Tijuana.{{Cite web |date=6 May 2017 |title=Pachuca, primer Campeón del futbol Femenil |url=https://www.record.com.mx/futbol-futbol-nacional-liga-mx-pachuca/pachuca-primer-campeon-del-futbol-femenil |access-date=26 May 2020 |website=Record |language=es}}

The first Apertura 2017 matches were played on 28 July 2017.{{Cite web |last=Giraudi |first=Matias |date=28 July 2020 |title=Fiesta pa' ellas |url=https://www.oncediario.com/notas/24994-liga-mx-femenil-tres-anos-apertura-2017-partido-pachuca-pumas-tigres-femenil-rayadas-titulos-dominio-jugadoras |access-date=2 January 2023 |website=Once Diario |language=es}} 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.{{Cite web |date=20 November 2017 |title=Pachuca Tomó Ventaja en la Gran Final |url=http://www.ligafemenil.mx/cancha/detallenoticia/23008 |access-date=27 May 2020 |website=Liga MX Femenil |language=es}}{{Cite web |date=24 November 2017 |title=El Club Guadalajara es Campeón de la LIGA MX Femenil |url=http://www.ligafemenil.mx/cancha/detallenoticia/23054/el-club-guadalajara-es-campeon-de-la-liga-mx-femenil |access-date=27 May 2020 |website=Liga MX Femenil |language=es}}

Commentator Glenn Moore declared Liga MX Femenil to have concluded a "very successful debut campaign."Moore, Glenn (Dec 29, 2017), "Kansas Move to Utah", World Soccer Magazine.

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.{{Cite web |date=5 June 2018 |title=Liga MX Femenil removerá regla de mayores en tres años |url=https://www.espn.com.mx/futbol/mexico/nota/_/id/4377872/liga-mx-femenil-removera-regla-de-mayores-en-tres-anos |access-date=4 September 2023 |website=ESPN |language=es}} 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.{{Cite web |last=González |first=Jorge |date=2018-07-13 |title=¿Cuál es el formato de competencia de la Liga MX Femenil? |url=https://mexico.as.com/mexico/2018/07/13/futbol/1531458876_590624.html |access-date=2022-07-27 |website=Diario AS |language=es-mx}}

For the third season, the age limit was raised to 25, but each team was allowed to field up to 6 overage players at a time. In addition, the groups were undone, so each team would play each other at least once during the season. Foreign-born Mexican players were also allowed to play, with up to six allowed per team. This decision brought in more players to the league from the NCAA, as well as from the NWSL and Spain's Primera División.

For the fourth season, the overage limit was removed, nonetheless the teams are still being required to allocate 1,000 minutes of play time per tournament to U-20 players to satisfy the league's minors rule.{{Cite web |last=Univision |date=2020-06-10 |title=Liga MX Femenil elimina límite de edad |url=https://www.tudn.com/futbol-femenino/liga-mx-femenil/liga-mx-femenil-elimina-limite-de-edad |access-date=2022-12-29 |website=TUDN |language=spanish}} The Campeón de Campeonas championship was also introduced to the league for the first time, with Tigres winning the first edition automatically after winning the league title of both tournaments of the 2021–22 season.{{Cite web |last1=Demos |first1=Editorial |last2=Redacción |title=La Jornada - Habrá campeón de campeones en Liga Mx Femenil |url=https://www.jornada.com.mx/notas/2021/05/30/deportes/habra-campeon-de-campeones-en-liga-mx-femenil/ |access-date=2023-02-21 |website=www.jornada.com.mx |language=es}}{{Cite web |last=OnceDiario |title=Ahora sí se arma |url=https://www.oncediario.com/notas/38856-liga-mx-femenil-campeon-de-campeones-rayadas-chivas-pachuca |access-date=2023-02-21 |website=www.oncediario.com |language=es-ES}}

For the fifth season, the league began to allow teams to have two non-Mexican players on their rosters.{{Cite web |date=2021-06-04 |title=Liga MX Femenil. Llegada de extranjeras podría ser benéfico: Mónica Vergara |url=https://www.eluniversal.com.mx/universal-deportes/futbol/liga-mx-femenil-llegada-de-extranjeras-podria-ser-benefico-monica-vergara |access-date=2022-10-26 |website=El Universal |language=es}} On 25 June 2021, Tigres became the first club to make use of this option by signing Brazilian player Stefany Ferrer.{{Cite web |title=Angel City Football Club Signs Tigres UANL Femenil Midfielder Stefany Ferrer Van Ginkel |url=https://www.angelcity.com/news/article/angel-city-football-club-signs-tigres-uanl-femenil-midfielder-stefany-ferrer |access-date=2022-10-26 |website=Angel City}} The league also inaugurated its youth division; Club América won the initial tournament.{{Cite web |last=Aguilar |first=David |date=28 May 2022 |title=América Sub 17 Femenil: Primer Campeón de la categoría al vencer a Santos en penaltis |url=https://www.record.com.mx/futbol-futbol-nacional-liga-femenil-mx/america-sub-17-femenil-primer-campeon-de-la-categoria-al |access-date=26 October 2022 |website=Record |language=es}}

Beginning with the sixth season, the league began implementing VAR in the Liguilla phase of the tournament. Non-Mexican players spots also increased from two to four per team.{{Cite web |last=Kriger |first=Rachael |date=23 May 2022 |title=History repeated: Chivas wins Liga MX Femenil Clausura over Pachuca, 4–3 |url=https://equalizersoccer.com/2022/05/23/history-repeated-chivas-wins-liga-mx-femenil-clausura-over-pachuca-4-3/ |access-date=29 May 2022 |website=Equalizer Soccer |language=en-US}}

During the eight season, the league introduced an additional spot for non-Mexican players, thus allowing each team to have up to five non-Mexican players in their squad.{{Cite web |date=2024-07-04 |title=Liga MX Femenil tendrá aumento de extranjeras y regla de menores |url=https://espndeportes.espn.com/futbol/mexico/nota/_/id/13866396/liga-mx-femenil-cambios-aumento-extranjeros-regla-menores |access-date=2024-07-14 |website=ESPNdeportes.com |language=es}} Additionally, the league made changes to the minors rule to not longer take into account U-20 players play time with the youth national teams (U-20 and U-17) unless the players receive a specific number of minutes during the current active tournament (90 minutes for U-17 players and 180 for U-20 players).

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.{{Cite web |date=2018-05-07 |title=Fútbol Femenil: Las cinco cosas que dejó el Clausura 2018 de la Liga MX Femenil |url=https://www.marca.com/claro-mx/futbol/futbol-femenil/2018/05/07/5af079e7ca47414b3b8b45e3.html |access-date=2022-11-16 |website=MARCA Claro México |language=es-MX}} This record has been broken multiple times since then,{{Cite web |last=Roche |first=Calum |date=2022-03-30 |title=What's the women's football attendance world record? |url=https://en.as.com/en/2022/03/30/soccer/1648666520_075565.html |access-date=2022-11-18 |website=Diario AS |language=en}} 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.{{Cite news |date=2018-12-07 |title=Mexico 1971: When women's football hit the big time |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-46149887 |access-date=2022-11-16}}

On 5 October 2019, a Liga MX Femenil team obtained for the first time a victory against an NWSL team when Tigres defeated Houston Dash 2–1 at the Estadio Universitario.{{Cite web |last=Lloyd-Hughes |first=Theo |date=2021-08-26 |title=Houston Dash to host Tigres Femenil at BBVA Stadium |url=https://www.thestriker.com/2021/08/26/houston-dash-tigres-femenil-tickets-friendly-annoucement |access-date=2022-11-16 |website=TheStriker.com |language=en}} 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.{{Cite web |date=2018-04-07 |title=Rayadas cierran gira de pesadilla por Texas |url=https://www.mediotiempo.com/futbol/liga-mx/rayadas-cierran-gira-de-pesadilla-por-texas |access-date=2023-07-02 |website=Mediotiempo |language=es}}

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.{{Cite web |last=Ochoa López |first=Ximena |title=El golazo de Janelly Farías que le dio el histórico triunfo al América Femenil sobre Bayer Leverkusen |url=https://www.infobae.com/america/deportes/2022/07/16/el-golazo-de-janelly-farias-que-le-dio-el-historico-triunfo-al-america-femenil-sobre-bayer-leverkusen/ |access-date=2022-11-18 |website=infobae |date=16 July 2022 |language=es-ES}}

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.{{Cite web |last=de 2022 |first=12 de Noviembre |title=Con triunfo de Tigres sobre América, final de ida logró nuevo récord de asistencia en la Liga MX Femenil |url=https://www.infobae.com/america/deportes/2022/11/12/con-triunfo-de-tigres-sobre-america-final-de-ida-logro-nuevo-record-de-asistencia-en-la-liga-mx-femenil/ |access-date=2022-11-16 |website=infobae |date=12 November 2022 |language=es-ES}} This final also broke TV viewership records as it was viewed by more than 5.3 million people, therefore becoming the most-viewed Liga MX Femenil final in history.{{Cite web |last=Fernanda González |date=2022-11-16 |title=Apertura 2022, el torneo de los récords en la Liga MX Femenil |url=https://www.sopitas.com/deportes/apertura-2022-liga-mx-femenil-records-asistencia-transmisiones-goles/ |access-date=2022-11-16 |website=Sopitas.com |language=es-MX}}{{Cite web |last=TelevisaUnivision Prensa |title=La final de fútbol femenil entre America Femenil Y Tigres Femenil de la Liga BBVA Femenil alcanzó audiencia histórica en TV abierta por El Nueve |url=https://twitter.com/tuprensa/status/1592580531598024704 |access-date=2022-11-16 |website=Twitter |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Club América Femenil |title=Historico apoyo a América Femenil en Apertura 2022 |url=https://twitter.com/americafemenil/status/1592641062476349440 |access-date=2022-11-16 |website=Twitter |language=en}} As a whole, the Apertura 2022 tournament was until that point the most viewed tournament in Liga MX Femenil history.

During the Clausura 2023 tournament, Club América accepted to transfer Mexican forward Scarlett Camberos to Angel City FC in the fifth most expensive transfer in women's football of 2023, therefore becoming the largest transfer in league history for an outgoing player, larger than the transfers of Nigerian forward Uchenna Kanu to Racing Louisville for a $150,000 fee plus incentives, and Mia Fishel to Chelsea for a reported $250,000 fee, both by Tigres and in 2023 as well.{{cite web |last1=Hruby |first1=Emma |date=4 August 2023 |title='Elite' USWNT prospect Mia Fishel signs with Chelsea |url=https://justwomenssports.com/reads/mia-fishel-chelsea-wsl-signing-soccer-uswnt-2023/ |access-date=5 August 2023 |website=Just Women Sports}}{{Cite web |title=Racing signs star forward Uchenna Kanu, loans Riley Parker |url=https://www.racingloufc.com/news/2023/02/02/racing-signs-star-forward-uchenna-kanu-loans-riley-parker/ |access-date=2023-02-04 |website=Racing Louisville FC |language=en-US}}{{cite web |date=2023-03-22 |title=Camberos joins Angel City after online threats |url=https://www.espn.com/soccer/mexico-mexw/story/4907500/scarlett-camberos-leaves-america-due-to-safety-concerns-from-online-threatsjoins-angel-city-fc |access-date=2023-03-22 |website=ESPN}}{{Cite web |date=30 January 2024 |title=Club spending on international transfer fees reaches all-time record in 2023 |url=https://digitalhub.fifa.com/m/114622e4e17cf6a8/original/FIFA-Global-Transfer-Report-2023.pdf |website=FIFA |page=27}} Additionally, the previous attendance record of the league that was set during the Apertura 2022 final was broken once again during the Clausura 2023 tournament final, as approximately 58,156 fans attended the second leg of this final at Estadio Azteca to watch Club América win its second title in history.{{Cite web |date=2023-06-06 |title=América defeat Pachuca to win Women's Liga MX |url=https://en.as.com/soccer/america-defeat-pachuca-to-win-womens-liga-mx-n/ |access-date=2023-07-02 |website=Diario AS |language=en-us}} 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.{{Cite web |last=Gutiérrez |first=Mariana |date=2023-07-19 |title="Es una promesa: esta Liga trae una nueva era" |url=https://www.milenio.com/opinion/mariana-gutierrez/columna-mariana-gutierrez/es-una-promesa-esta-liga-trae-una-nueva-era |access-date=2023-08-12 |website=Grupo Milenio |language=es-MX}}

During the Apertura 2023 tournament, 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.{{Cite web |last=López |first=Arturo |date=2023-08-03 |title=El fichaje de Miah Zuazua al América fue histórico |url=https://www.excelsior.com.mx/adrenalina/el-fichaje-de-miah-zuazua-al-america-fue-historico/1601313 |access-date=2023-09-04 |website=Excélsior |language=es-MX}}

On 20 March 2024, the league in collaboration with the NWSL announced a new international competition named Summer Cup. This competition features six teams from Liga MX Femenil that compete against teams from the NWSL. The inaugural edition began on 19 July 2024.{{Cite web |last=Herrera |first=Sandra |date=20 March 2024 |title=NWSL and Liga MX Femenil partner for inaugural Summer Cup, set to take place during Paris Olympics |url=https://www.cbssports.com/soccer/news/nwsl-and-liga-mx-femenil-partner-for-inagural-summer-cup-set-to-take-place-during-paris-olympics/ |access-date=21 March 2024 |website=CBS Sports |language=en}}

The league largest transfer in history for an incoming player came on 12 September 2024, when América reached an agreement with SC Internacional to transfer 20-years old Brazilian international forward Priscila to its ranks in exchange of a $497,403 fee plus incentives, making this transaction the largest one between Latin-American women's football clubs, and one of the largest in women's football.{{Cite web |title=Priscila Flor da Silva, la brasileña que llega al América Femenil |url=https://www.sopitas.com/deportes/priscila-flor-da-silva-brasilena-refuerzo-fichaje-mas-caro-america-femenil-quien-es/ |access-date=2024-09-15 |website=www.sopitas.com}}

For the inaugural season, only 16 of the 18 Liga MX clubs had a Liga MX Femenil team as Chiapas and Puebla were allowed to not have a team due to financial problems. However, by the second season, all 18 clubs had an active Liga MX Femenil side. 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 sides 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 promotion to Liga MX while no team was relegated.{{Cite web |last=Arnold |first=Jon |title=Diego Maradona's Dorados fall short of promotion to Liga MX as Atletico San Luis wins Ascenso MX {{!}} Goal.com |url=https://www.goal.com/en-us/news/diego-maradonas-dorados-fall-short-of-promotion-as-atletico-san-luis-wins-ascenso-mx/1o1ocgd6idojg1rq3pmv760mlc |access-date=2022-11-18 |website=www.goal.com}} 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.{{Cite web |date=2019-06-11 |title=Bravos de Juárez es nuevo equipo de la Liga MX tras la compra de Lobos BUAP |url=https://www.marca.com/claro-mx/futbol/liga-mx/2019/06/11/5cfed682ca4741045c8b4617.html |access-date=2022-11-18 |website=MARCA Claro México |language=es-MX}} 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.{{Cite web |date=2019-12-05 |title='World's worst club' Veracruz gets Liga MX boot |url=https://www.espn.com/soccer/veracruz/story/4006415/worst-club-veracruz-gets-liga-mx-boot-amid-struggles |access-date=2022-11-18 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=FMF hace oficial la desaparición del Veracruz |url=https://futbol.radioformula.com.mx/futbol/2019/12/6/fmf-hace-oficial-la-desaparicion-del-veracruz-20263.html |access-date=2022-11-18 |website=Fútbol en Fórmula |date=6 December 2019 |language=es-AR}} 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.{{Cite web |last=González |first=Fernanda |date=2022-03-07 |title=3 equipos de la Liga MX Femenil que desaparecieron en menos de 5 años |url=https://www.sopitas.com/deportes/equipos-liga-mx-femenil-desaparicion-desafiliacion-fmf/ |access-date=2024-03-22 |website=www.sopitas.com}}

Prior to the third season, BBVA México announced that it would sponsor Liga MX Femenil in addition to Liga MX and Ascenso MX. With the sponsorship, which is slated for at least three years, the league's name was changed to Liga BBVA MX Femenil in June 2019.{{Cite web |last=México |first=Yael Rueda {{!}} El Sol de |title=BBVA patrocinador de la liga mx femenil |url=https://www.elsoldemexico.com.mx/deportes/futbol/bbva-patrocinador-de-la-liga-mx-femenil-3856842.html |access-date=2022-11-18 |website=El Sol de México {{!}} Noticias, Deportes, Gossip, Columnas |language=es}} Each club also have their own sponsors.

On 29 March 2023, Liga MX Femenil announced that Nike would become an official sponsor of the league. Unlike other sponsorships the league has, this one is exclusively for Liga MX Femenil. With this sponsorship, the official match ball of the league will be provided by Nike. Nike will also be providing equípment to all league players including players of the league's youth division, product innovation, and investment in development programs. The sponsorship went into full effect beginning with the 2023–24 season and is set to last for three years.{{Cite web |title=¿Cómo es el acuerdo de Nike con la Liga MX Femenil? Mariana Gutiérrez lo explicó: "es mucho más que balones" |url=https://esto.com.mx/717574-como-es-el-acuerdo-de-nike-con-la-liga-mx-femenil-mariana-gutierrez-lo-explico-es-mucho-mas-que-balones/ |access-date=2023-03-31 |website=Esto |date=30 March 2023 |language=es}}{{Cite web |date=2023-04-03 |title=Nike is Partnering with Liga BBVA MX Femenil to Grow the Future of Women's Football in Mexico |url=https://about.nike.com/en/newsroom/releases/nike-liga-bbva-mx-femenil |access-date=2023-07-02 |website=Nike Newsroom}}

In addition to the Liga Mexicana de Fútbol Femenil, Mexico is also home to the [https://www.facebook.com/LigaMayorFemenil/ 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.

On 25 September 2024, Liga TDP Femenil was announced to the public with the support of the Mexican Football Federation, Liga TDP, and Liga Premier clubs with the goal of developing players that can be integrated into Liga MX Femenil clubs. Although the league is not professional, it is considered to be by the Mexican Football Federation as the third division of women’s football in Mexico.{{Cite web |last=Federacion Mexicana de Futbol |title=Se presentó oficialmente la Liga TDP Femenil |url=https://fmf.mx/noticia/se-presento-oficialmente-la-liga-tdp-femenil_2116 |access-date=2025-02-09 |website=www.fmf.mx |language=es}} The league first season officially began on 8 October 2024.{{Cite web |last=OnceDiario |title=Liga MX Femenil: La FMF anunció la creación de la Liga TDP Femenil |url=https://www.oncediario.com/notas/51901-fmfligatdpfemenilligamxfemenilmarianagutierrezjoseescobedocorroguadalajaratoluca |access-date=2025-02-09 |website=www.oncediario.com |language=es-ES}}

Since 2022, Liga MX Femenil has had a youth division to develop telent in which all clubs are required to participate.{{Cite web |title=La primera liguilla en la historia de la Sub-17 Liga MX Femenil está definida |url=https://www.proceso.com.mx/deportes/2022/5/11/la-primera-liguilla-en-la-historia-de-la-sub-17-liga-mx-femenil-esta-definida-285748.html |access-date=2023-06-20 |website=www.proceso.com.mx |language=spanish}} This division began as a U-17 division, but it gradually incremented the allowed age of the players that could participate in it after each season until it became a U-19 division during 2023-24 season.{{Cite web |last=OnceDiario |title=El siguiente paso |url=https://www.oncediario.com/notas/44661-liga-mx-femenil-sub-19-mariana-gutierrez-cantera-fuerzas-basicas |access-date=2023-06-20 |website=www.oncediario.com |language=es-ES}} There are future plans for the league to expand this division by including unique categories for ages 15–20.

File:Liga MX Femenil trophy.pngEach Liga MX Femenil season is divided into two tournaments: an Apertura tournament, which usually takes place from July to December, and a Clausura tournament, which usually takes place from January to May, with each tournament crowning a champion. Each tournament consist of a regular phase, and a Liguilla (Liga MX Femenil version of the playoffs) phase. The league does not have a promotion and relegation system.

Depending on their performance during the season or calendar year, teams may qualify to the either the CONCACAF W Champions Cup, the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup, or both.

For the inaugural 2017–18 season, the regular phase competition format consisted of 16 teams divided into two groups of eight from which the top two teams from each group at the end of the regular phase qualified to the semi-finals of the Liguilla.{{Cite web |date=2017-06-16 |title=Fútbol Femenil: Listo el calendario del primer torneo de Liga MX Femenil |url=https://www.marca.com/claro-mx/futbol/futbol-femenil/2017/06/16/59430c7fca4741897f8b45be.html |access-date=2022-07-27 |website=MARCA Claro México |language=es-MX}} For the 2018–19 season, the regular phase format was changed along with the addition of two more teams to the league. With the new format, 18 teams were divided into two groups of nine, from which the top four teams from each group at the end of the regular phase of the tournament qualified to the quarter-finals of the Liguilla. For the 2019–20 season, the format was changed once more and the current regular phase format was implemented. The current format consists of a single table of 18 teams, in which each side plays against the other 17 teams. After 17 matchdays, The top eight teams advance to the quarter-finals of the liguilla.{{Cite web |title=Liga MX Femenil: ¿Cómo es el nuevo formato para el Apertura 2019? |url=https://www.milenio.com/deportes/futbol/liga-mx-femenil-como-es-el-nuevo-formato |access-date=2022-07-27 |website=Grupo Milenio |language=es-MX}}

The liguilla (spanish for little league) is the final phase of the tournament. This phase begins with the quarterfinals, for which the top eight teams at the end of the regular phase qualify. Each knockout stage of the Liguilla is play 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 semifinals stage, the team that finished higher in the table during the regular phase of the tournament advances to the next stage. In case of draw in the aggregate score of the final after 180 minutes, the teams go directly to penalties to decide the champion. [https://s3.amazonaws.com/lmxwebsite/docs/Reglamentos/Competencia/8_LIGA_MX_FEMENIL/12_LIGA_MX_FEMENIL_1_20220708153541.pdf]

On 12 March 2024, CONCACAF announced the CONCACAF W Champions Cup, its annual continental women's football club competition.{{Cite web |last=Linehan |first=Meg |date=12 March 2024 |title=Concacaf to launch women's tournament offering route to Club World Cup |url=https://theathletic.com/5336649/2024/03/12/concacaf-womens-tournament-club-world-cup/ |access-date=13 May 2024 |website=The Athletic |language=en}} Liga MX Femenil is allocated three spots into the group stage of the competition. Teams qualify to this tournament based on the following criteria:{{Cite web |date=3 May 2024 |title=Concacaf announces qualification criteria for Confederation's 2024/25 Concacaf W Champions Cup |url=https://www.concacaf.com/w-champions-cup/news/concacaf-announces-qualification-criteria-for-confederation-s-2024-25-concacaf-w-champions-cup/ |access-date=13 May 2024 |website=Concacaf |language=en}}

• Champion of the Apertura tournament
• Champion of the Clausura tournament
• Best runner-up of the season based on total accumulated points across the regular phase of both Apertura and Clausura tournaments

On 20 March 2024, Liga MX Femenil and the NWSL announced the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup. For the inaugural 2024 edition, the six teams that accumulated the most number of points across the Clausura and Apertura tournaments of the previous calendar year qualify to this competition.{{Cite web |last=Ramirez |first=Jose Adolfo |date=2024-03-20 |title=LIGA MX FEMENIL Y NWSL ANUNCIAN "SUMMER CUP", SU HISTÓRICA PRIMERA COLABORACIÓN |url=https://www.ligafemenil.mx/cancha/detallenoticia/44269/liga-mx-femenil-y-nwsl-anuncian-summer-cup-su-historica-primera-colaboracion |access-date=2024-03-22 |website=www.ligafemenil.mx}}

Due to Liga MX regulations, every club that wants to participate in the men’s first division must field a respective women’s side in Liga MX Femenil. Temporary exceptions to this rule were granted in the initial years of the league to financially unstable clubs, nevertheless, as of 2025 every Liga MX side has a respective women’s side.{{Cite news |title=Liga MX Femenil, obligatoria para los 18 equipos: Enrique Bonilla |url=https://www.mediotiempo.com/futbol/liga-mx-femenil/liga-mx-femenil-seguira-obligatoria-18-equipos-bonilla |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20230827231944/https://www.mediotiempo.com/futbol/liga-mx-femenil/liga-mx-femenil-seguira-obligatoria-18-equipos-bonilla |archive-date=2023-08-27 |access-date=2025-02-17 |work=Mediotiempo |language=es}}

The following 18 clubs are competing in Liga MX Femenil during the 2024–25 season:

{{Location map+ |Mexico |width=500 |float=right |caption=Location of the 2024–25 Liga MX Femenil teams.|places=

{{Location map~ |Mexico |lat=20.666667 |long=-103.35 |label=Guadalajara
Atlas |position=left}}

{{Location map~ |Mexico |lat=22.15111 |long= -100.842778 |label=Atl. San Luis |position=right}}

{{Location map~ |Mexico |lat=21.116667 |long=-101.683333 |label=León |position=right}}

{{Location map~ |Mexico |lat=25.666667 |long=-100.3 |label=UANL
Monterrey |position=right}}

{{Location map~ |Mexico |lat=23.2494 |long=-106.4111 |label=Mazatlán |position=bottom}}

{{Location map~ |Mexico |lat=21.876 |long= -102.296 |label=Necaxa |position=top}}

{{Location map~ |Mexico |lat=20.121667 |long= -98.735833 |label=Pachuca |position=right}}

{{Location map~ |Mexico |lat=19.051389 |long= -98.217778 |label=Puebla |position=bottom}}

{{Location map~ |Mexico |lat=20.5875 |long=-100.392778 |label=Querétaro |position=right}}

{{Location map~ |Mexico |lat=31.752456 |long=-106.469965 |label=Juárez |position=bottom}}

{{Location map~ |Mexico |lat=25.53935 |long=-103.448633 |label=Santos Laguna |position=top}}

{{Location map~ |Mexico |lat=32.525 |long=-117.033333 |label=Tijuana |position=bottom}}

{{Location map~ |Mexico |lat=19.2925 |long= -99.656944 |label=Toluca |position=right}}

}}

{{Location map+ |Greater Mexico City |width=225 |float=right |caption=Location of the 2024–25 Liga MX Femenil teams in Greater Mexico City.|places=

{{Location map~ |Greater Mexico City |lat=19.383598 |long= -99.178487 |label=América |position=right}}

{{Location map~ |Greater Mexico City |lat=19.3313 |long= -99.1925 |label=UNAM |position=top}}

{{Location map~ |Greater Mexico City |lat=19.2625 |long= -99.1251 |label=Cruz Azul |position=left}}

}}

{{For|a list of all former and current Liga MX Femenil managers with a Wikipedia article|Category: Liga MX Femenil managers}}

The current managers in Liga MX Femenil are:

Source: [https://www.ligafemenil.mx/cancha/directorestecnicos#dt_activos Liga MX Femenil]

Campeón de Campeonas serves as the domestic super cup between the Liga MX Femenil champions of the Apertura and Clausura tournaments. It was introduced to the league during the 2020–21 season. For the inaugural edition, the trophy was awarded to Tigres UANL automatically after winning both tournaments of the season (Apertura and Clausura).{{Cite web |date=2021-05-31 |title=¿Por qué Tigres recibió doble medalla tras ganar la final de la Liga MX Femenil? |url=https://www.milenio.com/futbol/club-tigres/campeon-campeones-femenil-tigres-recibio-doble-medalla |website=Milenio - La Aficion}}

{{Hatnote|All records are current as of the end of the Clausura 2025 tournament. Source: Liga MX Femenil.}}

Each club in the league negotiates their own TV rights contracts with TV networks or streaming platforms. Most clubs have at least one official broadcaster in Mexico, and a number of them also offer their games in the U.S. either through TV broadcast or streaming.

Beginning with the Clausura 2025 tournament, Liga MX Femenil began to produce the TV broadcast of the home games of América, Cruz Azul, Monterrey, Necaxa, Pumas, and Toluca as well as streaming these games through YouTube, Facebook, and TikTok as part of a new initiative called “FutFem Donde Sea (women’s football everywhere)”, with the goal of reaching a wider audience and centralizing the TV rights of the league. The league streaming does not affect the broadcasts of the TV network or streaming platform that holds the TV rights of a team; The league broadcast can even be utilized or leverage by such partners if they wish to do so. The expectation is that the remaining teams will join this initiative at a later date.{{Cite web |last=LW |date=2025-01-04 |title=Liga MX Femenil anuncia FutFem Donde Sea, su innovación para el Clausura 2025 |url=https://www.marca.com/mx/futbol/liga-mx-femenil/2025/01/04/6778973446163f4e278b4574.html |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=Marca México |language=es-MX}}

• Source: [https://s3.amazonaws.com/lmxwebsite/docs/Calendarios/9_LIGA_MX_FEMENIL/173_LIGA_MX_FEMENIL_1_20230623205847.pdf Liga MX Femenil]

{{Cnote2 Begin|liststyle=none}}

{{Cnote2|Note 1|All home matches are streamed on ViX.}}

{{Cnote2|Note 2|All home matches are streamed on ViX. Selected matches may air on free-to-air channel El Nueve in Mexico.}}

{{Cnote2|Note 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.}}

{{Cnote2|Note 4|Selected matches are streamed on ESPN+ and may air on ESPN Deportes either live or via tape-delay. Rights sublicensed from Fox Deportes.}}

{{Cnote2|Note 6|All home matches are shown on TV Azteca digital platforms and Fox Sports Mexico simultaneously. }}

{{Cnote2|Note 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).}}

{{Cnote2|Note 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.}}

{{Cnote2|Note 9|All home matches are streamed via the TVP account on Facebook.}}

{{Cnote2|Note 10|All home matches are streamed on ViX. Selected matches may air on free-to-air channel El Nueve.}}

{{Cnote2|Note 11|All home matches are streamed through Caliente TV digital platforms (www.caliente.tv, Facebook, Twitch, X, and Youtube) as well as being broadcast through Caliente TV own television channel.}}

{{Cnote2|Note 12|All home matches are streamed through Liga MX Femenil digital platforms (YouTube, Facebook, and TikTok).}}

{{Cnote2|Note 14|Games are produce and streamed by Fox Deportes through Tubi.}}

{{Cnote2|Note 15|All home matches are broadcast through TVCuatro TV channels in the state of Guanajuato. Matches are also stream for free on any region in the world through TVCuatro’s website.}}

{{Cnote2 End}}

{{Notelist}}

• Category: Liga MX Femenil players
• Category: Liga MX Femenil managers
• Category: Liga MX Femenil seasons
• Liga Mexicana de Fútbol Femenil
• Women's football in Mexico
• Mexican football league system
• Liga MX
• Mexican Football Federation
• Sport in Mexico

{{reflist}}

• {{Official website|1=http://www.ligafemenil.mx/}}
• {{facebook|LIGABBVAMXFemenil}}
• {{Twitter|LigaBBVAFemenil}}
• [https://www.tiktok.com/@ligabbvamxfemenil Liga MX Femenil] at TikTok
• [https://youtube.com/@ligabbvamxfemenil?si=EcsnyIwSr5FSVbst Liga MX Femenil] at Youtube

{{Liga MX Femenil}}

{{Football in Mexico}}

{{CONCACAF women's leagues}}

{{Top level women's association football leagues around the world}}

Category:Top-level women's association football leagues in North America

Category:Women's football leagues in Mexico

Category:Sports leagues established in 2016

Category:2016 establishments in Mexico

Category:Professional sports leagues in Mexico

Category:Women's sports leagues in Mexico