History of Liga MX in Timeline

Liga MX is the top-tier professional football league in Mexico, currently featuring 18 clubs. The league year is split into two tournaments: the Apertura (July-December) and the Clausura (January-May), each crowning a champion. The champions are determined through a playoff system called 'liguilla'. Promotion and relegation have been suspended since 2020 and are planned to resume in 2026.

1922: First football federation in Mexico

In 1922, after the foundation of the first football federation in Mexico, they created the Campeonato de Primera Fuerza.

1940: First matches held outside the country's capital

In the 1940–41 season, the first matches held outside the country's capital were played.

1943: Campeonato de Primera Fuerza ended

In 1943, the Campeonato de Primera Fuerza ended.

1943: Liga Mayor Established

In 1943, the Liga Mayor (later known as Primera División de México and now Liga MX) was established as the first major league in Mexican football.

1943: Establishment of the first professional league

In 1943, the first true national and professional league in Mexico was established.

1949: Liga Mayor renamed to Primera División

In 1949, the Liga Mayor was renamed to Primera División de México.

1970: World Cup Televised and League Format Change

The 1970 FIFA World Cup held in Mexico was the first to be televised on a grand scale, and the FMF changed the league format and established a final phase to determine the national champion.

1970: La liguilla start

The start of La liguilla in 1970 modernized the league despite the disagreements between the traditionalists and the modernists.

1986: Voit as Official Match Ball Manufacturer

Since 1986, Voit has been the official match ball manufacturer for Liga MX.

1996: Two Short Tournaments Schedule

From 1996 to 2002, Liga MX followed a two short tournaments in the season, schedule with Invierno and Verano tournaments.

2002: Three Groups of Six

From 2002 to 2011 the 18 teams of Liga MX were divided into three groups of six with the top two teams from each group and the two best third place teams qualified for the liguilla.

2011: Three Groups of Six

From 2002 to 2011 the 18 teams of Liga MX were divided into three groups of six with the top two teams from each group and the two best third place teams qualified for the liguilla.

2011: Rule Implemented for Final Game Broadcasts

Since 2011, Liga MX requires teams to play the final game of every season on Sunday during prime time to increase television audience and prevent playoff collusion.

2012: Cancellation of agreement with relegated team

In 2012 Liga MX canceled the agreement where promoted team could only negotiate with the company holding the television rights of the relegated team.

2012: Liga MX name change

In 2012, Primera División de México was renamed to Liga MX.

2012: Liga MX/Ascenso MX Organization Created and Rebranding

Prior to the start of the 2012-13 season, the Liga MX/Ascenso MX organization was created, replacing the FMF as the organizing body, and the league announced a rebranding with a new logo.

2012: Liga MX without title sponsor

Up until its rebranding in 2012, Liga MX did not have a title sponsor.

July 2013: BBVA Bancomer Announced as Official Sponsor

In July 2013, BBVA Bancomer was announced as the official sponsor of Liga MX, with the goal of modernizing the league's image.

2013: Telemundo Broadcast

From 2013–16, Univision used Telemundo to broadcast Club León matches in the United States.

2014: High Attendance Numbers

During the 2014-15 season, Liga MX averaged 25,557 in attendance, the highest in the Americas.

2014: Contract Extended with Voit

In 2014, Liga MX extended the contract with Voit for four years, keeping them as the official match ball manufacturer.

September 2015: Sponsorship Deal Extended with BBVA Bancomer

On 18 September 2015, the sponsorship deal between Liga MX and BBVA Bancomer was extended until 2019.

2016: Chivas TV Exclusive Broadcast

For the Apertura 2016, Guadalajara home matches in Mexico were exclusively shown on the Chivas TV internet streaming service, not on over-the-air television or cable and satellite operators.

February 13, 2017: Univision Deportes Live Stream on Facebook

On February 13, 2017, Univision Deportes announced it would live stream 46 games in English on Facebook in the United States.

April 8, 2017: Matches on TDN and Chivas TV

As of April 8, 2017, Guadalajara matches were shown on both Televisa's Televisa Deportes Network (TDN) and Chivas TV.

July 2017: TVN Showing Liga MX Matches in Chile

In July 2017, Televisión Nacional de Chile (TVN) announced it would show Liga MX matches involving Chilean players in Chile.

September 2017: Univision Airing Lobos BUAP's Home Matches

In September 2017, Univision began airing Lobos BUAP's home matches, thus holding the rights to all 18 Liga MX teams through the end of the Clausura 2018 season.

October 2017: Fox Sports Acquires Rights to Tijuana and Santos Laguna Matches

In October 2017, Fox Sports acquired the long-term exclusive Spanish-language rights to Tijuana and Santos Laguna home matches in the United States, Mexico, and Latin America.

2017: Relegation and Promotion Rules Changed

Prior to the start of the 2017-18 season, the rules for relegation and promotion changed: if a team wins promotion but does not meet certain Liga MX requirements (e.g. stadium infrastructure and a youth team) the relegated Liga MX team of that season will be obligated to pay the prize money to the Ascenso MX team (MXN$120 million) for winning the promotion playoff.

May 26, 2018: Fox Sports Acquires Rights to Monterrey's Home Matches

On May 26, 2018, Fox Sports announced it acquired the rights of C.F. Monterrey's home matches in the United States and Latin America, airing on Fox Deportes in Spanish and the Fox Sports family of networks in English.

August 2018: Liga MX to begin testing VAR technology

On August 20, 2018, Liga MX announced that it would begin testing the use of VAR technology, initially in under-20 matches, with live testing during weeks 13 and 14 of the Apertura tournament, pending FIFA approval.

2018: Teams Meeting Requirements for Promotion

As of the 2018–19 season, only six teams met the full requirements to be promoted to Liga MX: Atlético San Luis, Atlante, Celaya, Juárez, Sinaloa, and UdeG.

2018: Santos Laguna Matches on Fox Sports

In October 2017, Fox Sports acquired the long-term exclusive Spanish-language rights to Tijuana and Santos Laguna home matches in the United States, Mexico, and Latin America starting in the Apertura 2018.

2018: Univision rights

In September 2017, Univision began airing Lobos BUAP's home matches, thus holding the rights to all 18 Liga MX teams through the end of the Clausura 2018 season.

June 2019: Liga MX Renamed Liga BBVA MX

On 18 June 2019, Liga MX was renamed as Liga BBVA MX, adopting the new identity of the sponsor BBVA.

July 2019: Sponsorship Contract Renewed with BBVA

On 4 July 2019, the sponsorship contract with BBVA was renewed until 2021.

2019: ESPN Deportes Airs Regular Season Home Matches

As of the Apertura 2019 season, ESPN Deportes airs the majority of León, Necaxa, Pachuca, Querétaro, and UANL regular season home matches in the United States, via a sublicense agreement with Univision.

2019: OneSoccer broadcast

From 2019–20 until 2021–22, OneSoccer broadcast the Liga MX league for Canada viewers.

2019: Santos Laguna Matches on Fox Sports

April 16, 2020: Ascenso MX Folded and Promotion/Relegation Suspended

On April 16, 2020, the Ascenso MX was folded due to the COVID-19 pandemic and financial issues, and promotion/relegation was suspended for six years, replaced by Liga de Expansión MX without promotion to Liga MX.

2020: Promotion and Relegation Suspended

In 2020, promotion and relegation in Liga MX were suspended.

2020: DAZN Broadcast

In Brazil, DAZN broadcast the Liga MX league for two seasons 2019–20 and 2020–21.

July 2021: OneFootball Broadcasts Live Matches

On 15 July 2021, OneFootball announced it would broadcast between two and five live Liga MX matches as part of a deal covering the 2021/22 season in selected international markets.

August 2021: Eleven Sports Broadcasts C.D. Guadalajara Matches

On 16 August 2021, Eleven Sports announced it would broadcast the home Liga MX matches of C.D. Guadalajara for the 2021-22 season in more than 100 countries.