Mexican Championship. Liga Premier. Serie A
Liga MX Serie A, the top tier of Mexican football, features 18 clubs battling for supremacy in a league known for its passionate crowds and thrilling matches, captivating fans across Mexico and the diaspora.
History and foundation
Founded in 1943 as the Professional League, it evolved with the introduction of playoffs in the 1970s and the Apertura-Clausura split in 1996. Club América leads with 15 titles, Guadalajara (Chivas) has 12. Iconic moments include América's 2013 Clausura final penalty shootout win over Cruz Azul after a 2-2 draw. The league weathered scandals like the 2013 match-fixing crisis but rebounded with strong investments and global appeal.
Tournament format
The season splits into Apertura (July-December) and Clausura (January-May). Eighteen teams play a 17-game round-robin. Top 12 advance to Liguilla playoffs: quarterfinals, semifinals, and final. Tournament winners contest the Campeón de Campeones Supercup. Relegation uses a coefficient system based on multi-year performance against Liga de Expansión teams.
Interesting facts
Matches average 2.6 goals, favoring fast breaks and flair. Top scorer: José Maximiliano López with 40 goals for Puebla in Clausura 2015. Legends include Hugo Sánchez (over 200 goals for Pumas and América), Claudio Suárez (appearance record), and stars like Rogelio Funes Mori (Monterrey) and Henry Martín (América). It launched careers of Andrea Pirlo and Rafael Márquez.