History of Club América in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: July 19, 2026

Club América is a professional soccer club based in Mexico City, Mexico, and competes in Liga MX. Founded in 1916, it is widely considered the most successful and popular club in Mexican football history. Owned by the media conglomerate Televisa, the club plays its home matches at the iconic Estadio Azteca. Club América holds the record for the most league titles in the professional era, as well as numerous domestic cups and CONCACAF Champions Cup trophies. Known for its ambitious recruitment of top-tier talent and its intense, high-profile rivalries—most notably with Guadalajara, known as the 'Clásico Nacional'—the team maintains a polarizing but undeniably significant status in Latin American sports culture, frequently referred to as 'Las Águilas' (The Eagles).

October 1916: Founding of Club América

On October 12, 1916, football teams Récord and Colón consolidated to form a new competitive squad. Pedro Quintanilla suggested naming the team América to commemorate Columbus Day, leading to the official birth of Club América. The founders also established the team's initial crest and the iconic navy blue and yellow kit.

1916: Club América Joins the Primera Fuerza League

In 1916, Club América, which was notable for being the only club in Mexico City consisting entirely of Mexican-born players, successfully secured entry into the Primera Fuerza league by winning two and tying one of their three required qualifying matches.

1916: Founding of Club América

In 1916, Club de Fútbol América S.A. de C.V., a Mexican professional football club, was officially founded in Mexico City.

1918: Renaming to Club Centro Unión

In 1918, the football club underwent a branding change, officially adopting the name Club Centro Unión, a title it would hold for only two years before reverting back to América.

1924: First Primera Fuerza Championship

In the 1924–25 season, Club América secured their inaugural Primera Fuerza title by defeating Asturias 1–0 in a decisive match.

1926: First International Match

In 1926, Club América became the first Mexican football club to compete in matches outside of Mexico, expanding their influence internationally.

1928: Formation of the Mexican Football Federation

Following the creation of the Mexican Football Federation in 1928, Club América player Rafael Garza was appointed as the head coach of the Mexico national team.

1930: 1930 World Cup Participation

For the 1930 World Cup, the Mexico national team roster was heavily composed of Club América players, reflecting the club's dominance in the domestic talent pool.

1942: Establishment of the Liga Mayor

In 1942, the first professional National League in Mexico, known as the Liga Mayor, was established, marking a transition period where Club América faced significant challenges as a bottom-tier team due to aging personnel and financial issues.

1945: Birth of the Rivalry with Guadalajara

During the 1945 season, a historic rivalry between Club América and Guadalajara intensified, marked by high-scoring losses for América.

1946: Guadalajara Dominance in 1946

In 1946, as part of the 1945–1946 season, Club América suffered significant defeats against Guadalajara with scores of 6–4 and 4–2.

1951: América's 1951 Performance

During the 1951–1952 season, Club América struggled in the league standings, finishing in 11th place out of 12 teams.

1952: Avoiding Relegation in 1952

In 1952, Club América managed to avoid relegation by finishing with a 3-point advantage over Veracruz, who ultimately descended.

1954: National Cup Title Win

In 1954, Club América secured a victory in the National Cup against Guadalajara, marking a significant milestone in the club's early history.

1954: First Copa México Victory

In 1954, Club América won their first league cup by defeating their rivals Guadalajara on penalties following a 0–0 draw in the Copa México final.

1955: National Cup Title Win and Campeón de Campeones Victory

During the 1955 period, the club achieved a repeat victory in the National Cup against Guadalajara and also won their first Campeón de Campeones championship by defeating Zacatepec 3–2 during the 1954–55 season.

1956: Acquisition by Jarritos

In 1956, the club underwent a change in ownership when it was purchased by the soft drink manufacturer Jarritos, aiming to capitalize on the team's recent successes.

July 1959: Acquisition by Emilio Azcárraga Milmo

On 22 July 1959, Emilio Azcárraga Milmo, owner of Telesistema Mexicano, purchased Club América from Isaac Bessudo, famously declaring his intention to turn the club into a major business venture.

1959: 1959-1960 Season Commencement

During the 1959-1960 season, Club América demonstrated significant competitive improvement by achieving a second-place finish in the league standings, positioning themselves directly behind rivals Guadalajara.

1959: Acquisition by Televisa

In 1959, the mass media company Televisa became the owner of Club América, a position they have held since that year.

1960: 1959-1960 Season Conclusion

At the conclusion of the 1959-1960 season in 1960, Club América maintained its high-level performance, ultimately finishing as the league runners-up behind Guadalajara.

April 1964: Copa México Championship Victory

On 21 April 1964, Club América, under the guidance of coach Alejandro Scopelli, secured a dramatic 6–5 victory against Monterrey in the Copa México final at the Estadio Olímpico Universitario, with Alfonso Portugal scoring five goals and José González scoring the decisive sixth goal.

May 1965: Club América wins the Mexican Cup

On 7 May 1965, Club América reclaimed the Mexican Copa championship following a decisive 4-0 victory against Morelia at the Estadio Olímpico Universitario, with Javier Fragoso and Vavá each scoring two goals.

1970: Implementation of Liguilla Format

Following the 1970 FIFA World Cup hosted in Mexico, the national league structure was reformed to introduce the Liguilla playoff system to determine champions.

1971: First Liguilla Championship Victory

In 1971, Club América secured their second league title by defeating Toluca 2-0 in the second leg of the inaugural playoff final at Estadio Azteca.

1972: Historical 1972 League Final

The year 1972 marks a significant historical point in Mexican football as it was the last time Club América and Cruz Azul met in a league final before their renewed championship battle in the 1988-89 season.

1973: Copa México Title Win

During 1973, Club América successfully defeated Cruz Azul in the final of the Copa México tournament.

1975: 1975–1976 Season Excellence

During the 1975-1976 campaign, Club América finished in first place of the regular season league standings.

1976: Double Title Victory

In 1976, Club América won the league championship by defeating Universidad de Guadalajara and also secured the Campeón de Campeones title against Tigres UANL.

1977: CONCACAF Champions' Cup Title

In 1977, Club América secured the CONCACAF Champions' Cup title, a victory that contributed to the club achieving a historic "double" when combined with their 1978 international success.

1978: Copa Interamericana Victory

In 1978, Club América made history by becoming the first Mexican and CONCACAF team to win the Copa Interamericana after defeating Boca Juniors in a playoff match 2–1 following a decisive free-kick goal by Carlos Reinoso.

1983: 1983 Playoff Elimination

During the 1983 season, Guadalajara eliminated Club América during the semi-finals, setting the stage for their rivalry in the subsequent league final.

1983: 1983–84 League Title Triumph

During the 1983-84 season, Club América secured a league title, marking the beginning of a dominant era that solidified the 1980s as the club's golden decade.

1984: Final del Siglo Championship

In 1984, Club América defeated their arch-rivals Guadalajara with a 5-3 aggregate score to win the title in what is now referred to as the Final del Siglo.

1984: 1984–85 League Title Victory

In the 1984-85 season, Club América continued their successful run by clinching another league title as part of their historic streak during the 1980s.

1985: 1985 League Final Matchup

In 1985, Club América faced UNAM in a high-stakes league final, a match that would later serve as a historical benchmark for their 1987 encounter.

1986: Club América wins the Prode-85 championship

During the split tournament format held in 1986 due to Mexico's hosting of the World Cup, Club América overcame a 4-1 first-leg deficit against Jaibos Tampico Madero by winning 4-0 at the Azteca Stadium to secure the Prode-85 title.

1987: 1987-88 Season Championship Victory

During the 1987-88 season, Club América secured the league title by defeating UNAM with an aggregate score of 4-2 in the final.

1987: CONCACAF Champions' Cup and 1987-88 Titles

In 1987, Club América achieved international success by winning the 1987 CONCACAF Champions' Cup, while also initiating their 1987-88 double-title campaign, winning both the league and the Mexican Super Cup.

1987: Victory in CONCACAF Champions' Cup

In 1987, Club América secured their victory in the CONCACAF Champions' Cup, which earned them the right to compete for the Copa Interamericana.

1988: 1988–89 League and Super Cup Titles

Building on their previous success, Club América claimed both the league title and the Mexican Super Cup during the 1988-89 season, concluding their highly successful decade.

1988: Controversial Copa Confraternidad Victory

On 21 April 1988, Club América defeated Peñarol to win the match dubbed the Copa Confraternidad after the original Copa Interamericana plans collapsed due to disputes; the club was later sanctioned for this unauthorized participation.

1989: CONCACAF Suspension

Due to the events of 1988, Club América was issued a two-year suspension by CONCACAF in 1989, preventing them from competing in that year's Champions' Cup despite their Mexican league title.

1990: CONCACAF Champions' Cup and Copa Interamericana Victories

In 1990, Club América achieved significant international success by winning both the CONCACAF Champions' Cup and the Copa Interamericana.

1991: 1990-1991 Season Finalist Finish

During the 1991 conclusion of the 1990-1991 season, Club América demonstrated strong performance by reaching the final, ultimately losing the championship title to UNAM after defeating Universidad de Guadalajara and Guadalajara in the playoffs.

1992: CONCACAF Champions' Cup Victory

Club América secured another international title in 1992 by winning the CONCACAF Champions' Cup.

2001: Start of the IFFHS Evaluated Decade

The year 2001 marked the beginning of the decade-long period (2001–2011) during which Club América's performance was evaluated by the IFFHS to eventually name them the best North American club.

2011: Conclusion of the IFFHS Evaluated Decade

The year 2011 marked the conclusion of the ten-year span (2001–2011) that led the IFFHS to distinguish Club América as the top North American club of that era.

2021: IFFHS Best North American Club Award

In 2021, the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) officially named Club América as the best North American club for the first decade of the 21st century.

2024: Club América goes public on the Mexican Stock Exchange

In 2024, Club América made history by becoming the first football organization to be publicly listed on the Bolsa Mexicana de Valores (Mexican Stock Exchange).

May 2025: Club América valuation update by Sportico

As of May 2025, Sportico reported that Club América reached a market valuation of US$770 million, establishing the team as one of the most valuable football clubs in North America.