The Liga Mexicana de Fútbol Femenil is a women's football league in Mexico organized by LIMEFFE. Formally known as the Superliga Femenil, this league was established in 2007 as an attempt to help and grow women's football in Mexico. It was considered until 2017 as the highest division of women's football in the country.
Even though the league had the support of the Mexican Football Federation as well as the support of some Liga MX clubs such as Chivas, the league struggled to attract sponsors, fans, and media attention from its beginning. In 2016, the Liga MX Femenil was created with the full backing of all Liga MX clubs and the Mexican Football Federation to professionalize and grow women's football in Mexico. The two leagues are not connected by the league system, but the Liga Mexicana de Fútbol Femenil has lost its top division status since the introduction of Liga MX Femenil.
Competition format The league is played in the Apertura and Clausura format, meaning two seasons are played each year - in the year's first half the Clausura and in the later half the Apertura. The league is divided into two groups, in 2016 for example there were 15 teams in each group. After the regular season, playoffs will be played between the best placed teams in each group. Four or eight teams advanced from each group in the past years. As of the 2016 Apertura eight teams advance from each group.Apertura 2016 Play-off draw
The play-offs, including the final are played in two-legs. Also in the final there is no away goals rule applied and games tied on goals will go into extra-time.
History On 28 September 2007, the Super Liga Femenil started with two games: América versus Guadalajara and Universidad de Guadalajara versus UNAM.
Teams SuperLiga Zona Centro Group I Centellas Forza Cuernavaca Fundación Real Madrid Hadas Halcones CFFAR Jaiba Brava Lioness Street Soccer Zacatepec
SuperLiga Zona Bajío Group I Group II Cozolitas Delegon Hechiceras Juventinas Rayadas Pedregoso Roma Toros Querétaro ACAFUT FCA'S Linces Malcon's Morenas Revolution Selección Chapala
Premier clubs (2nd level) Group I Group II Bull Girls Centellas Hadas IPN B MacroAcapulco Mopris Necaxa Neza NUN PortuMixquiahuala Rayaditas Real Azteca Tigres Coacalco Tlatelolco WFC Alacrancitas Borussia Coyotas Hadas B IPN Leonas Pachuca San Antonio Panters Real Halconas Selección Mazahua Toronto Tultitlán Tuxpan
Segunda División clubs (3rd level)
Group I Group II F3AM FRM León Ixtapaluca Linces Neza NUN Pumas 201 Pumas Belém Sporting Tigres Coacalco Turín Tuzas Unión Nacional WFC IMSS Calcuta Soccer Cazadoras Coyotas Calimaya Hadas Hugo Sánchez Jaguar Fuentes Leonas Chalco León Panteras Negras Pumas N.R. Pumas Tláhuac Venus Yunque
Champions The list of all finals:
Tournament Winner Score Runner up Apertura 2007 Dragonas Oriente 2–1, 4–1 Leonas Negras UdeG Clausura 2008 Morelia 1–0, 3–1 Oro Jalisco Apertura 2008 Morelia 1–1, 1–0 Guadalajara Clausura 2009 Guadalajara 3–0, 1–1 Andrea's SoccerApertura 2009 Morelia 0–2, 2–0 (5–4 pen) Celestes ASClausura 2010 Leonas Negras UdeG 1–1, 2–1 TlaquepaqueApertura 2010 Celestes AS 0–0, 0–0 (4–3 pen.) MoreliaClausura 2011 Celestes AS 0–0, 1–0 MoreliaApertura 2011 Morelia 2–2, 0–0 (3–2 pen.) Celestes ASClausura 2012 Investigadoras PF 1–2, 4–2 Ángeles Morva Apertura 2012 Investigadoras PF 5–1, 2–1 Club LagunaClausura 2013 Estudiantes Queretaro 1–1, 4–3 FCA UASLPApertura 2013 FCA UASLP 0–1, 2–0 Ángeles Morva Clausura 2014 Angeles PreUniversitario1–0, 2–0FCA UASLPApertura 2014Centellas0–1, 2–2 Copan FCClausura 2015Río Soccer2–3, 3–1 Coyotas TlaxcalaApertura 2015Río Soccer1–1, 4–1 Coyotas TlaxcalaClausura 2016Río Soccer3–3, 4–1 Macro SoccerApertura 2016https://www.facebook.com/limeffe/photos/a.551512728226650.1073741829.549155635129026/1384492144928700/?type=3&theater Río Soccer4–2, 8–0Deportivo HidroClausura 2017Selección Femenil Puebla1–0, 1–0Fundación Real Madrid
Titles by team After 2017 Clausura. TitlesTeam4Morelia4Río Soccer2Celestes ASInvestigadoras PF1Angeles PreUniversitarioCentellasDragonas OrienteEstudiantes QueretaroGuadalajaraLeonas Negras UdeGFCA UASLPSelección Femenil Puebla
See also Women's association football around the world
References
External links limeffe.com, official website Federación Mexicana de Fútbol Asociación (Spanish)