Liga MX
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (December 2010) |
| Founded | 1943 |
|---|---|
| Country |  Mexico |
| Confederation | CONCACAF |
| Number of teams | 18 |
| Level on pyramid | 1 |
| Relegation to | Ascenso MX |
| Domestic cup(s) | Copa México |
| International cup(s) | CONCACAF Champions League, Copa Libertadores |
| Current champions | Santos Laguna (2012 Clausura) |
| Most championships | Guadalajara (11 titles) |
| TV partners | Televisa TV Azteca Sky Sports Mexico ESPN Mexico  UnivisionTelemundo Fox Deportes ESPN Deportes Azteca America TeleFutura Univision Deportes  Telelatino |
| Website | www |
| Current: 2012-13 Mexican Primera Division season | |
The Primera División Profesional (Professional First Division), known simply as the La Liga MX, is the top level of the Mexican football league system and is administered by the Mexican Football Federation. It was established in 1943 and as of 2011 has 18 clubs. Up to June 2011, it was divided into three groups competing for league titles. However, in July 2011, groups were removed. Each season the league holds two tournaments, the Apertura in the winter and the Clausura in the summer. The league is currently ranked number 12 in the world and number 10 in the last decade (2001–2010) by the IFFHS.[1][2]
History
Amateur era
Prior to the Liga Mayor, there was no national football league in Mexico, and football competitions were held within relatively small geographical regions. The winners of the Primera Fuerza, a local league consisting of teams near and around Mexican Federal District, was considered the national competition. There were other regional leagues such as the Liga Veracruzana, Liga Occidental of Jalisco and Liga del Bajío that also had notable clubs. Many club owners were not keen on the idea of establishing a professional league, despite paying players under the table. With the increasing demand of football, there was a sense of urgency to unite all the local amateur leagues in Mexico to progress as a football nation. The professional national league was finally established in 1943.[3]
Professional era
When the F.M.F. announced the formation of the nation's first professional league, many clubs petitioned to join the newly formed league. The F.M.F. announced that ten clubs would form the Liga Mayor (Major League). The first members of the league were founded by six clubs of the Primera Fuerza of Mexico City, two clubs from the Liga Occidental and two members from the Liga Veracruzana.
Founding members
- Primera Fuerza: América, Asturias, Atlante, Real España, and Marte.
- Liga Occidental De Jalisco: Atlas and Guadalajara.
- Liga Amateur de Veracruz : Orizaba, Veracruz and Moctezuma.
Reformation
Throughout the late 1950s and early 1960s, many small clubs faced economic difficulties which were attributed to the lack of international competition by Mexican clubs and an unrewarding league format. As a result of the difficulties suffered by smaller teams, financially affluent Guadalajara was able to capture 8 championships within a relatively short time span. Mexican clubs that placed high in the league standings could not afford to participate in prestigious international tournaments such as the Copa Libertadores as did many South American and European clubs.
The Mexican League boom
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 F.M.F. changed the league format and established a playoff phase to determine the national champion. This was done to regenerate interest and reward teams that placed fairly high in the standings.
The playoff, called in Mexico "liguilla", was played in different ways to get two finalists and play two games to define the champion. The regular way was by direct elimination rounds using the top 8 teams of the table or, when groups existed, the top 2 teams of each group. During some sessions, the best third placed teams were allowed to play a match against the lowest 2 second places in a repechaje in a chance to be promoted to the playoffs. This was eliminated as long as the calendar were modified to fit with the internacional compromises of both teams and Mexican National Team members.
Other way practiced to define finalists was by doing two groups of 4 teams and making them play round robin games in home/away stadiums so they can complete 6 games and then the top team in the group passed to the Finals. This was used very few as long as the teams found out that teams that had not much to fight after 3 or 4 plays began to lost support for the last games.
The change in the rules affected teams that traditionally dominated the table as happen with Chivas del Guadalajara and favored other teams that, even not being so regular in the regular seasons, were able to perform well in the play-offs winning several championships due to that, as happens with Cruz Azul in the 70s, America in the 80s and Toluca in the 2000s.
Season
Regular season tournaments
In 1996, the league decided to split the season into two championships. This measure was done to generate additional revenues to finance the F.M.F.'s lower divisions. The league holds two tournaments per year, originally called invierno (winter) and verano (summer), now changed to apertura (opening - running from August to December) and clausura (closing - running from January to May). The change was done to correspond with FIFA's world footballing calendar, which "opens" in July/August and "closes" in April/May of the next year. So throughout the footballing world, the action lasts about ten months. In Europe, where tournaments are played as one single championship throughout the year, there is only one champion per year. In the case of Mexico, Argentina and other countries in South America, a new champion is crowned about every five months, or two per year.
Every season, The 18 teams are split into three groups of six, either group one, group two, or group three. They remain in their respective groups throughout the two tournaments played that season. The qualification phase of the tournament lasts 17 weeks, as all teams play each other once per tournament in a home and home series over both tournaments. The qualifying teams reach the liguilla phase of the respective tournament. As of June 7, 2011 the League has decided to do away with the 3 groups and allow the top 8 to directly qualify to the "Liguilla" phase of the tournament, thus eliminating the 'Repechaje' match when a 4th place team from one group had more points than the third place team from a different group, along with that, they also changed who the qualifiers from the Apertura would be for the 2012 Edition of the Copa Libertadores, which would be the top 3 team who are not qualified for the Concacaf champions league or Conca-champions as the tournament is called.
La Liguilla (The Playoffs)
La liguilla is the playoff phase of the tournament. This phase starts with eight qualifying teams and is played in the "tie" format in two-leg aggregate-score, similar to the quarterfinals and semifinals of the UEFA Champions League. The first six qualifying teams are the two best clubs from each of the three groups. The best two clubs on the General Classification Table who are not among the top two in their respective group round up the eight qualifiers. The Elimination bracket goes from an 8 team quarterfinal, to a 4 team semifinal, and a final. The Champion team is awarded the First division trophy, and the runner up is awarded a smaller version of the trophy as well. Each player receives a medal respective to their team's placement. The birth of la 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.
Relegation
At the end of a season, after the Apertura and Clausura tournaments, one team is relegated to the next lower division, Liga de Ascenso, and one team from that division is promoted and takes the place left open by the relegated team. Currently, the relegated team is determined by computing the points-per-game-played ratio for each team, considering all the games played by the team during the last two seasons (four tournaments). The team with the lowest ratio is relegated. For teams recently promoted, only the games played since their promotion are considered (two or four tournaments). The team promoted from Liga de Ascenso is the winner of a two-leg match between the champions of the Apertura and Clausura tournaments of that division. If a team becomes the champion in both tournaments, it is automatically promoted.
Current teams
| Currently Promoted To (The Primera Division) |
| Club León |
| Currently Relegated From (The Primera Division) |
| Estudiantes Tecos |
| Currently Promoted To (Liga de Ascenso) |
| Titanes Tulancingo |
| Primera División | |||||||
| Name | Manager | City | Stadium | Capacity | First Season In
First Division |
First Season of
Current Spell In 1st Division |
Nickname |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| América | Miguel Herrera
|
Mexico City | Azteca | 114,000 | 1943–44 | 1943–44 | Las Águilas (The Eagles) |
| Atlante |  Ricardo La Volpe
|
Cancún | Andrés Quintana Roo | 20,000 | 1943–44 | 1991–92 | Los Potros de Hierro (The Iron Colts) |
| Atlas | Juan Carlos Chávez
|
Guadalajara | Jalisco | 60,713 | 1943–44 | 1979-80 | Los Zorros (The Foxes) |
| Guadalajara |  John van 't Schip
|
Guadalajara | Omnilife | 49,850 | 1943–44 | 1943–44 | Las Chivas (The Goats), El Rebaño Sagrado (The Sacred Herd) |
| Cruz Azul | Guillermo Vázquez
|
Mexico City | Azul | 35,161 | 1964–65 | 1964–65 | La Máquina Azul (The Blue Machine) |
| Chiapas | José Guadalupe Cruz
|
Tuxtla Gutiérrez | Víctor Manuel Reyna | 25,222 | 2002–03 | 2002–03 | Los Jaguares (The Jaguars) |
| Leon |  Gustavo Matosas
|
León | Nou Camp | 33,943 | 1944-45 | 2012-13 | Panzas Verdes (Green Bellies), Los Esmeraldas (The Emeralds), La Fiera (The Ferocious) |
| Morelia | Rubén Omar Romano
|
Morelia | Morelos | 41,056 | 1957–58 | 1981–82 | Monarcas (Monarchs) |
| Monterrey | Víctor Manuel Vucetich
|
Monterrey | Tecnológico | 32,662 | 1945–46 | 1960–61 | Los Rayados (The Striped Ones) |
| Pachuca | Hugo Sánchez
|
Pachuca | Hidalgo | 25,000 | 1967–68 | 1998–99 | Los Tuzos (The Gophers) |
| Puebla | Daniel Bartolotta
|
Puebla | Cuauhtémoc | 48,648 | 1944-45 | 2007–08 | Los Camoteros (The Sweet Potato Growers), La Franja (The Sash) |
| Querétaro | Carlos De Los Cobos
|
Querétaro | Corregidora | 34,130 | 1990–91 | 2009–10 | Los Gallos Blancos (The White Roosters) |
| San Luis | José Luis Trejo
|
San Luis Potosì | Alfonso Lastras | 28,000 | 1971–72 | 2005-06 | Los Gladiadores (The Gladiators) |
| Santos Laguna | Benjamín Galindo
|
Torreón | Corona | 30,000 | 1988–89 | 1988–89 | Los Guerreros (The Warriors), Los Santos (The Saints) |
| Tijuana | Antonio Mohamed
|
Tijuana | Estadio Caliente | 33,340 | 2011-12 | 2011-12 | Xoloitzcuintles, Los Perros Aztecas (The Aztec Dogs) |
| Toluca | Enrique Meza
|
Toluca | Nemesio Díez | 27,000 | 1953–54 | 1953–54 | Los Diablos Rojos (Red Devils) |
| Tigres U.A.N.L. |  Ricardo Ferretti
|
San Nicolás de los Garza | Universitario | 45,000 | 1974–75 | 1997–98 | Los Tigres (The Tigers) |
| Pumas U.N.A.M | Joaquín del Olmo
|
Mexico City | Olímpico Universitario | 68,954 | 1962–63 | 1962–63 | Los Pumas (The Cougars) |
Uniform Kit and sponsorship
Each team must have a kit of 3 distinct uniforms; local, visitor, and an optional alternate, as well as assigning the goalkeeper a distinct kit in any number of variations from that of the field players.[4]
Uniform
The basic mandatory uniform for a player will be: 1. Game jersey, shorts, socks, shinguards and footwear. If using pants and / or thermal shirt, they must be the same color as the shorts or sleeve. As an exception to the above, if the supplier of uniforms for a club not provide thermal shirts the same color, then any color may be used if it is not confused with the color of opposing club, and the same color is used uniformly by all the players of the same club. 2. Goalkeeper: Each goalkeeper wears colors that distinguish him from other players, the referee and assistant referee. 3. Players are prohibited from using belts, hats, wristbands, shorts and / or thermal shirt commercial advertising not authorized by the Club. 4. Security: Players will not use or carry objects that are dangerous to themselves or other players (including any kind of jewelry).[5]
Number
Players are to use a number of two (sometimes 3) consecutive digits on the back of the game shirt, and front of the shorts.[6]
Sponsors
Clubs may carry commercial advertising on their uniforms, provided that the colors of the Club, player number, the official emblem of the Club and the FMF can be clearly identified.[7]
Television
In Theory, all of the First Division club have the right to sell their own broadcast rights. What this means in practice is that the league is effectively divided between teams broadcast on Televisa, TV Azteca and ESPN Dos (ESPN Dos only broadcast Cruz Azul and Santos local games) in México and Azteca America, TeleFutura Telemundo & Univision in United States and Telelatino and Fox Sports World hold broadcasting rights in Canada; 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 TDN hold exclusive broadcasting rights over selected matches throughout the regular season, although the majority of the most important ones are broadcasted live on the national networks.
Most of the Saturday afternoon and evening matches broadcasted by Televisa are shown primarily on Galavision (though there's rare occasions where a Saturday game is played on Televisa's flagship network, Canal de las Estrellas), However, a blackout policy is usually applied, so Galavision affiliates are forced to air alternative programming during the matches. Sunday noon and afternoon games broadcasted by Televisa are shown on Canal de las Estrellas. All of the games broadcasted by TV Azteca on Saturday and Sunday are shown on Azteca 13, Friday's matches however are shown on Azteca 7. The Wednesday and Thursday 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 input in 2011, obligated teams to play the final game of every season at Sunday in a primetime hour, regardless if the team used to play local games in another timeslot, in order to catch more television audience during the game.
Primera División – League System Champions (1943–1970)
Primera División – Liguilla System Champions (1970–1996)
- **Decided on goal difference
Primera División – Short Tournament Champions (1996–present)
- *Not official/recognized title
Titles by club
| Club | Winners | Winning Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| Guadalajara | 11 | 1956-57, 1958–59, 1959–60, 1960–61, 1961–62, 1963–64, 1964–65, 1969–70, 1986–87, Verano 1997, Apertura 2006 |
| Toluca | 10 | 1966-67, 1967–68, 1974–75, Verano 1998, Verano 1999, Verano 2000, Apertura 2002, Apertura 2005, Apertura 2008, Bicentenario 2010 |
| América | 10 | 1965-66, 1970–71, 1975–76, 1983–84, 1984–85, PRODE 85, 1987–88, 1988–89, Verano 2002, Clausura 2005 |
| Cruz Azul | 8 | 1968-69, Mexico 70, 1971–72, 1972–73, 1973–74, 1978–79, 1979–80, Invierno 1997 |
| UNAM | 7 | 1976-77, 1980–81, 1990–91, Clausura 2004, Apertura 2004, Clausura 2009, Clausura 2011 |
| Pachuca | 5 | Invierno 1999, Invierno 2001, Apertura 2003, Clausura 2006, Clausura 2007 |
| León | 5 | 1947-48, 1948–49, 1951–52, 1955–56, 1991–92 |
| Monterrey | 4 | Mexico 86, Clausura 2003, Apertura 2009, Apertura 2010 |
| Santos Laguna | 4 | Invierno 1996, Verano 2001, Clausura 2008, Clausura 2012 |
| Tigres UANL | 3 | 1977-78, 1981–82, Apertura 2011 |
| Atlante | 3 | 1946-47, 1992–93, Apertura 2007 |
| Necaxa† | 3 | 1994-95, 1995–96, Invierno 1998 |
| Puebla | 2 | 1982-83, 1989–90 |
| Zacatepec† | 2 | 1954-55, 1957–58 |
| Veracruz† | 2 | 1945-46, 1949–50 |
| Morelia | 1 | Invierno 2000 |
| Estudiantes UAG† | 1 | 1993-94 |
| Oro† | 1 | 1962-63 |
| Marte† | 1 | 1953-54 |
| Tampico Madero† | 1 | 1952-53 |
| Atlas | 1 | 1950-51 |
| Real Club España† | 1 | 1944-45 |
| Asturias† | 1 | 1943-44 |
† Teams no longer in the First Division.
Promotion and Relegation
|
Relegation and Promotion by Club
|
Notes
- 1976-77: Tampico bought San Luis's spot in first division
- 1977-78: Deportivo Neza is bought Club de Fútbol Laguna and took its spot.
- 1981-82: Tampico bought Atletas Campesinos and took over its spot
- 1983-84: Ángeles de Puebla bought Oaxtepec and took over its spot
- 1988-89: Veracruz bought Neza and took over its spot
- 1992-93: U.T. Neza changes its name to Toros Neza
- Ver. 99: Puebla bought U.D Curtidores and took over its spot
Champions
List of Mexican football champions
See also
- Primera Fuerza
- Liga de Ascenso
- Segunda División de México
- Tercera División de México
- Campeón de Campeones
- Copa México
- Football in Mexico
- Mexican Football Federation
References
- ^ http://www.iffhs.de/?b6e28fa3002f71504e52d17f7370eff3702bb1c2bb11
- ^ http://www.iffhs.de/?20fa3002f76857a72e00fa2d17f7370eff3702bb1c2bbb6e0d
- ^ "Historia del futbol en México". Femexfut. Retrieved 2009-07-29.
- ^ Reglamento De Competencia Primera División Profesional 2010-2011, pg. 33 articulo 63, http://femexfut.org.mx/portalv2/webservices/ws_fmfdocumento.aspx?TipoDocumento=reglamentos&Division=6&Temporada=61, retrieved 2010-11-14
- ^ Reglamento De Competencia Primera División Profesional 2010-2011, pg. 34 articulo 65, http://femexfut.org.mx/portalv2/webservices/ws_fmfdocumento.aspx?TipoDocumento=reglamentos&Division=6&Temporada=61, retrieved 2010-11-14
- ^ Reglamento De Competencia Primera División Profesional 2010-2011, pg. 35 articulo 66, http://femexfut.org.mx/portalv2/webservices/ws_fmfdocumento.aspx?TipoDocumento=reglamentos&Division=6&Temporada=61, retrieved 2010-11-14
- ^ Reglamento De Competencia Primera División Profesional 2010-2011, pg. 35 articulo 67, http://femexfut.org.mx/portalv2/webservices/ws_fmfdocumento.aspx?TipoDocumento=reglamentos&Division=6&Temporada=61, retrieved 2010-11-14
External links
- Map of all Mexican clubs
- Official League Website Template:Es icon
- Results, Games, Standings Template:Es icon Template:En icon
- MedioTiempo Website Template:Es icon
- Mexican League Top Goalscorers, Season by Season Template:Es icon
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