Liga MX—formerly known as Liga Mayor and later as the Primera División de México—is the top division of Mexican soccer and one of the most-watched leagues in the world.
Today, the league consists of 18 teams spread across the country, from the historically dominant Club América on the East Coast to the newly formed Mazatlán F.C. on the West.
The league is also home to some of the sport's most-talented young players, including Luka Romero and Iker Fimbres, as well as a host of former European superstars such as James Rodríguez, Paulinho, and Sergio Ramos.
However, Liga MX didn’t always boast the global appeal and star power it has today. Like most professional soccer leagues, it emerged from humble beginnings.
The Origins of Professional Soccer in Mexico
Similar to much of Latin America, soccer was first brought to Mexico in the late 19th century by English immigrants.
Many of them arrived as part of the British government's investment in the country’s mining and railway industries, introducing the sport that would eventually become Mexico’s most beloved pastime.
C.F. Pachuca is widely credited with being Mexico's first-ever soccer team, having been founded in 1892 by a group of Cornish miners led by Francis Rule. Similar clubs quickly emerged, paving the way for the formation of amateur leagues across the country.
In the years that followed, other recognizable teams, such as Club América and C.D. Guadalajara, were established. However, the sport remained strictly amateur until 1943, when the Federación Mexicana de Fútbol Asociación (FMF) founded the country's first professional league, Liga Mayor.
The Founding Clubs of Liga MX
Liga Mayor initially consisted of 10 teams: Club América, Asturias, Atlante, Real España, Marte, Atlas, Guadalajara, Orizaba, Veracruz, and Moctezuma.
Pachuca had been dissolved by that point and would not be fully reestablished until 1960.
Of Liga Mayor’s 10 founding members, only Atlas, Club América, Guadalajara, and Necaxa still compete in Liga MX today. Atlante and Veracruz now play in Mexico’s lower divisions, while the remaining four clubs no longer exist.
The First Liga MX Season & Early Years
The first-ever Liga Mayor season was won by Asturias, who, after finishing second in the regular league, defeated Real España 4-1 in a championship playoff match. Real España's Spanish forward Isidro Lángara finished as the season's top scorer with 27 goals.
Following this season, Unión-León, Oro, and Puebla joined the league, bringing the total number of teams to 13.
In 1949, Liga Mayor was rebranded as the Primera División de México, and for the next two decades, C.D. Guadalajara, then better known as Chivas, would be the most dominant team, winning no less than eight titles.
Hampered by economic difficulties and fluctuating popularity, however, the league struggled to gain consistent momentum and attract substantial investment, hindering the its growth. That was until the 1970 World Cup in Mexico, which would change everything forever.
In light of the tournament, which was won by Brazil, who were led by the legendary Pelé, Mexico experienced a massive surge in soccer interest. The FMF responded by restructuring the league and adding a final phase to determine the champion, known as the Liguilla.
After some initial experimentation with a smaller, four-team knockout playoff and a four-team group phase, the Liguilla eventually settled on an eight-team knockout format, which remains in place today, with the addition of an extra play-in tournament.
Not only did the Liguilla add excitement and interest to the league, but the changes were also crucial in generating additional revenue for the clubs and levelling the competition, giving teams that didn’t typically dominate the table during the season a chance to still compete for a trophy.
How Liga MX Looks Today
The Primera División de México underwent two major changes in the decades following the 1970 World Cup, shaping the league into what fans know and love today.
The first change came in 1996, when the season was split into two tournaments. Initially known as Invierno and Verano, these competitions are now called Apertura and Clausura, with each tournament culminating in its own Liguilla to determine its own champion.
The format, which added further excitement by making each match more important and competitive, has since become the norm in leagues across much of North and South America.
The second change came in 2012, when the league was rebranded, complete with a sleek new logo and a massive marketing push, to become Liga MX. This shift coincided with a spending boom from many of the league’s clubs, who began tapping into the South American market to acquire talent, bringing with it a surge of new fans.
Now, not only are Liga MX clubs attracting top talent from across Latin America and beyond, but the league has also solidified its place as one of the most competitive, valuable, and entertaining soccer leagues in the world, drawing millions of fans both locally and internationally.
The Lasting Impact of Liga MX’s Founders
Atlas, Club América, Guadalajara, and Necaxa—the four founding members of Liga MX that remain in the division today—as well as Pachuca, the country’s first-ever club, continue to carry the legacy of the league’s early days.
All five continue to play an integral role in the division’s success, often making deep runs in the Liguilla, Copa MX, and Concacaf Champions League, where they represent Mexican soccer on the international stage.
Chivas and América, in particular, have become global symbols, with both clubs drawing attention from fans across the world, especially when they meet in El Súper Clásico—one of the most fiercely contested and highly regarded derbies in world soccer.
Though Liga MX continues to grow year after year, its founding clubs very much remain at the heart of the league’s identity and success.
