Liga MX Femenil, the top division of women's soccer in Mexico, kicks off its ninth season with new changes, including the permission to sign foreign players, substitution for maternity and more downward growth in development.
Seven complete seasons have been contested since the league's founding in 2016 and four clubs have featured as league champions. Tigres UANL is the club with most league titles with four and are the defending champions.
With Friday's curtain raiser, here are some basics to know about the five year old league:
History
Liga MX Femenil was founded on Monday, December 5, 2016, a day that marks a 'before and after' in Mexican women's football.
“The creation of the MX Femenil League was approved, which was born as an initiative to give a competition to Mexican soccer players. We want the future stars of our football to be born," were the words spoken at the LIGA MX Owners Assembly.
A female version of Copa MX was contested in May 2017 between 12 clubs with U23 rosters as a precursor to the league. Pachuca were the winners of Copa MX Femenil.
The league kicked off the following July with Pachuca vs. Pumas UNAM at the Hidalgo Stadium. BBVA Bank became the league's title sponsor on July 4, 2019, naming the league "Liga BBVA MX Femenil."
Tigres UANL is the only club to have successfully defend their championship and are the current champions after back-to-back league titles.
Champions:
- Apertura 2017: Chivas
- Clausura 2018: Tigres UANL
- Apertura 2018: Club America
- Clausura 2019: Tigres UANL
- Apertura 2019: Monterrey
- Clausura 2020: Cancelled due to COVID-19
- Apertura 2020: Tigres UANL
- Clausura 2021: Tigres UANL
Rules
Liga MX Femenil is made up of 18 clubs: all female counterparts of the male Liga MX participants. With relegation suspended in Mexico, Liga MX is a closed league.
As is common in Latin American countries, the Liga MX Femenil 2021-22 yearly calendar is split into two seasons: Apertura (Opening) and Clausura (Closing). A team will play half of the league at home and the other half away during the first part of the year from July to December (in this case the Apertura 2021) and vice versa from January to May (Clausura 2022).
Each season is composed of 17 matchdays (known in Spanish as Jornadas) with the top eight teams in the standings advancing to the playoffs (Liguilla). Every stage of the playoffs takes part as a home and away series, with the higher-seeded team hosting the second leg.
Tiebreakers, if necessary, to determine playoff teams and seedings are as follows:
- Goal difference
- Greater number of goals scored
- Greater number of goals scored as a visitor
- Head-to-head results between the tied clubs
- Fair Play table
- Draw
The point system for the Fair Play table is as follows:
- First yellow card - 1 point
- Second yellow card (indirect red) - 3 points
- Direct red card - 3 points
- A yellow card and a direct red card - 4 points
Teams must register a minimum of 18 players — given that it is the minimum required in the match lineup — of which at least 2 must be goalkeepers, as well as a minimum of 4, maximum of 6, members of the coaching staff, among which must have a Technical Director, a Technical Assistant, a Doctor and a Medical Assistant.
Players born in Mexico, as well as a maximum of 6 players who hold dual nationality, may register in Liga MX Femenil as long as they are not a minor. The players and members of the coaching staff that participate in the competition must be members affiliated to the FMF (Mexican Football Federation) and be duly registered by their clubs in Liga MX Femenil.
Rule of Minors:
For the Apertura 2021 season, clubs will have the obligation field (during the regular season) for at least 1,000 minutes of play, players born between January 1, 2002 to December 31, 2006 — with an age limit of 15 years.
New changes for 2021-22:
Previously, only female players with Mexican citizenship were allowed to participate in the league. Clubs will be able to field up to two foreign players beginning with the Apertura 2021 season.
Following FIFA's new rules regarding maternity, the substitution of a player due to maternity will take effect this coming season in Mexico. A team will be able to substitute one player on their roster due to maternity - as announced at last May's owners' meetings.
Additionally, a new U17 league will take place for all teams. Participation is optional for the Apertura 2021 season and will be mandatory in the Clausura 2022.
Teams
The following clubs (with head coaches listed) will participate in the 2021-22 football year:
- Club America - Craig Harrington
- Club Atlas - Fernando Samayoa
- Atletico de San Luis - Jesus Padron Perez
- Cruz Azul - Carlos Roberto Perez
- C.D. Guadalajara (Chivas) - Edgar Mejia
- Bravos de Juárez - Cristina Gonzalez
- Club Leon - Scarlett Anaya
- Mazatlan - Miguel Javid Hernandez
- Monterrey (Rayadas) - Eva Espejo
- Necaxa - Jesus Palacios
- Puebla - Juan Carlos Cacho
- Queretaro - Carla Rossi
- Santos Laguna - Jorge Campos
- Tijuana - Fabiola Vargas
- Toluca - Alberto Cuate
- Tigres UANL - Roberto Medina
- Pumas UNAM - Karina Baez
Players
Calendar
SCHEDULE: Apertura 2021 season (Spanish)
The Apertura 2021 regular season kicks off on July 16 with Queretaro hosting Rayadas in the opening match. Each team will play seventeen matches with the final matchday coming on Monday, November 22.
The playoffs will begin over a week later as the quarterfinal series take place from December 2-6. The semifinals will be played from December 8 to 13 and the finals will be played December 17 to 26.
Where to Watch
The female teams in Mexico share the same broadcast partners as the men's teams. That means that for the most part, most of the matches are available in the United States through Univision's sports channel TUDN. Chivas matches, with rights owned by Telemundo, will be broadcasted on Telemundo's YouTube channel and mobile app.