History of Liga MX in Timeline

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

1922: Foundation of Campeonato de Primera Fuerza

In 1922, after the foundation of the first football federation in Mexico, the Campeonato de Primera Fuerza, the first amateur league organized by a national football federation, was created.

1940: First Matches Outside Mexico City

The first Campeonato de Primera Fuerza matches held outside Mexico City were played during the 1940–41 season.

1943: Liga Mayor Foundation

In 1943, Liga MX was formerly known as Liga Mayor.

1943: Establishment of the First National Professional League

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

1943: End of Campeonato de Primera Fuerza

The Campeonato de Primera Fuerza, created in 1922, was held until 1943.

1949: Name Change to Primera División

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

1970: League Format Change After World Cup

Following the 1970 World Cup held in Mexico, the FMF changed the league format and established a final phase to determine the national champion.

1970: Start of La Liguilla

The start of La liguilla in 1970 modernized the league.

1986: Voit Becomes Official Match Ball Manufacturer

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

1996: Introduction of Short Tournaments Schedule

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

2002: Division into Groups

From 2002 to 2011 the 18 teams were divided into three groups of six.

2011: Sunday Prime Time Rule

A recent rule, in effect since 2011, requires teams to play the final game of every season on Sunday during prime time, regardless of whether the team used to play local games in another timeslot, in order to capture more television audience during the game.

2011: End of Group Division

From 2002 to 2011 the 18 teams were divided into three groups of six.

2012: Name Change to Liga MX

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

2012: Cancellation of Agreement with Televisa

In previous years, when a team was relegated, the team that was promoted could only negotiate with the company holding the television rights of the relegated team, this agreement was canceled by Liga MX in 2012 when the promotion of Club León caused a television rights dispute with Televisa.

2012: Creation of Liga MX/Ascenso MX and Rebranding

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

2012: No 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, league president Decio de María announced BBVA Bancomer as the official sponsor, with the goal of modernizing the league's image.

2013: Telemundo broadcasting rights

Currently, Club León matches are broadcast in the United States by Univision (Telemundo from 2013–16).

2014: Highest Average Attendance in the Americas

During the 2014-15 season, Liga MX recorded an average attendance of 25,557, making it the highest in the Americas.

2014: Contract Extended with Voit

In 2014, the contract with Voit as the official match ball manufacturer was extended for four years.

September 2015: Sponsorship Deal Extended with BBVA Bancomer

On 18 September 2015, the sponsorship deal with BBVA Bancomer was extended until 2019.

2016: Chivas TV Exclusive Broadcast

For the Apertura 2016, Guadalajara home matches in Mexico were exclusively shown on an internet streaming service called Chivas TV.

February 13, 2017: Univision Deportes to Live Stream Games on Facebook

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

April 8, 2017: Matches Shown on Televisa Deportes Network and Chivas TV

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

July 2017: TVN to Show 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 announced that it acquired the long-term exclusive Spanish-language rights to Tijuana and Santos Laguna home matches in the United States, Mexico, and the rest of Latin America starting in the Apertura 2018 and Apertura 2019 respectively, thus ending Univision's monopoly.

2017: Changes to Relegation and Promotion Rules

Prior to the start of the 2017–18 season, the rules for relegation and promotion changed.

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.

August 2018: Liga MX to begin testing VAR technology

On August 20, 2018, it was announced that Liga MX would begin testing the use of VAR technology.

2018: Teams Meeting Promotion Requirements

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: Apertura 2018

2018: End of the Clausura Season

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: League Renamed Liga BBVA MX

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

July 2019: Sponsorship Contract Renewed with BBVA

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

2019: ESPN Deportes Airs Home Matches

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

2019: OneSoccer broadcasts league for Canada viewers

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

2019: DAZN broadcast the league

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

2019: Apertura 2019

April 16, 2020: Folding of Ascenso MX and Suspension of Promotion/Relegation

On April 16, 2020, the Ascenso MX was folded due to the COVID-19 pandemic and lack of financial resources, leading to the suspension of promotion and relegation for six years.

2020: Suspension of Promotion and Relegation

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

2020: DAZN broadcast the league

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

July 2021: OneFootball to Broadcast Liga MX Matches

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

August 2021: Eleven Sports to Broadcast 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.