Mexican football league system Information & Mexican football league system Links at HealthHaven.com

The Mexican football league system is the national football competition system in Mexico. It is organized by the Federación Mexicana de Fútbol Asociación (Mexican Football Federation) and consists of four levels (it could be argued that five levels).

[edit] Primera División

The Primera División (First Division) is the highest level of Mexican football and consists of 18 clubs divided into three groups of six clubs each. Each calendar year is split into two short tournaments, the Apertura (Opening) and the Clausura (Closing). Each short tournament a club plays the other 17 clubs once, where the home team is switched depending on which short tournament is currently being played.

A new champion is crowned for each short tournament through a playoff system consisting of eight teams. The top two clubs in each group qualify directly to the Liguilla (playoffs), as well as the next two highest highest placed clubs, regardless of group. The clubs are arranged before each round so that the highest seeded team remaining always plays the lowest seed remaining. The clubs play in a two-legged tie, with one match occuring at each club's home ground, and whichever club has the better aggregate score advances. If the two clubs are tied after both legs in the quarterfinals and semifinals, the higher seed advances automatically. In the finals, if the two clubs are tied after both legs two 15 minute halves of extra time are added. If the clubs are still tied after extra time the champion is determined by kicks from the penalty mark.

One club is relegated to the Liga de Ascenso each year (two short tournaments). To determine the club to be relegated, the ratio of points to games is kept for each team. The club that has the worst points to games ratio over the previous three years (six short tournaments) is relegated to the Liga de Ascenso.

[edit] International Competitions

The champions and runners-up of the Apertura and Clausura tournaments earn spots in the CONCACAF Champions League. Also the 4 best eligible clubs are invited to participate in the SuperLiga against the top 4 clubs of the US/Canadian Major League Soccer. In addition, clubs of the Primera División are inivited to participate in the CONMEBOL club tournaments, Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana, as long as they are not participating in the CONCACAF Champions League. Three clubs are invited to the Copa Libertadores: the highest placed eligible club of the Apertura tournament, and the winner and runner-up of the InterLiga tournament. The two highest placed eligible clubs in the Clausura tournament are invited to participate in the Copa Sudamericana.

[edit] Liga de Ascenso

The Liga de Ascenso (Promotion League) is the second level of Mexican football and consists of 17 clubs. Each calendar year is split into two short tournaments, the Apertura (Opening) and the Clausura (Closing). Each short tournament a club plays the other teams once.

A new champion is crowned for each short tournament through a playoff system consisting of seven teams. The top team qualifies directly to the semifinals, while teams ranked 2nd to 7th also qualify to the Liguilla (playoffs). The procedures used for each set of play-offs are in all other respects identical to those in the Primera División.

One team is promoted to the Primera División each year (two short tournaments). After the Clausura tournament, the champions of the Apertura and Clausura tournaments play a home and home series to determine which club will be promoted. If the same club wins both tournaments it will be promoted automatically.

One club is relegated to the Segunda División each year (two short tournaments).

[edit] Segunda División

Even when the name would imply that Segunda Division would be the second level in Mexican pyramid, this would be wrong, segunda is split into the third level Segunda División Profesional#Liga Premier de Ascenso and fourth level Segunda División Profesional#Liga de Nuevos Talentos.

The playoff champion of the Liga Premier de Ascenso moves on to the Liga de Ascenso (Second level) while the last place finisher during the regular season is relegated to Liga de nuevos talentos. The playoff champion of Liga de nuevos talentos moves up to Liga Premier de Ascenso While the last place team during the regular season is relegated to Tercera (fifth level), also the team with the best record during the regular season will play a two leg match against the next to last team from Liga Premier de Ascenso for a spot at that level.

[edit] Tercera División

Tercera Division is actually the fifth level in the Mexican pyramid, it is divided into 14 groups. The play off champion is promoted directly to Liga Premier de Ascenso (up 2 levels) while the team that loses the championship game will be promoted to Liga de nuevos talentos.

[edit] Sector Amateur

[edit] Current male system

Level	League(s)/Division(s)
1	Primera División 18 clubs (3 groups)
2	Liga de Ascenso 17 clubs
3	Segunda División Profesional Liga Premier de Ascenso 42 clubs (3 zones)
4	Segunda División Profesional Liga de Nuevos Talentos 38 clubs
5	Tercera División 167 clubs (14 groups)

[edit] Current female system

Level	League(s)/Division(s)
1	Super liga 24 clubs (2 groups)
2	LigaPremier 14 clubs (2 groups)

[edit] See also

Football in Mexico

[edit] External links

Federación Mexicana de Fútbol Asociación (Spanish)

Contents