The Mexican Football Federation (Spanish: Federación Mexicana de Fútbol Asociación, A.C.), abbreviated as FMF, is the official governing body of football in Mexico. It administers the men's and women's national teams with all the youth teams, the national teams of futsal and beach soccer, the Liga MX with all the professional promotion divisions, all affiliated amateur sectors, and controls promoting, organizing, directing, expanding, and supervising competitive football in Mexico.
| CONCACAF | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 23 August 1927 |
| Headquarters | Toluca |
| FIFA affiliation | 1929 |
| CONCACAF affiliation | 1961 |
| President | Mikel Arriola |
| Website | fmf |
The FMF was established on 23 August 1927 to replace the Federación Central de Fútbol, the first president was Humberto Garza Ramos. It is an affiliate member of FIFA since 1929, and an affiliate founding member of CONCACAF since 1961. Subject to policies, statutes, objectives and ideals of those international governing bodies. Its headquarters are located in Toluca, State of Mexico.
History
In 1919, the Mexican amateur league was divided into two leagues (Liga Mexicana and Liga Nacional). Due to the expulsion of Tigres México shortly before the start of the season, Real Club España and España Veracruz withdrew in solidarity and founded their own league. The separation of the leagues took place in the 1920–21 season. After only two seasons, in 1922 under the president Ulises Garza Ramos, the two leagues were unified to found the Federación Mexicana de Football Asociación and creating the Campeonato de Primera Fuerza which was the highest level of Mexican football at that time. The following year it was renamed Federación Central de Fútbol due to its greater national influence, and it was its members who promoted the creation of Mexico's first national team.
The current Federación Mexicana de Fútbol Asociación was reorganized and officially established in 1927. The Federation was renewed by seven clubs: Club México, RC España, Necaxa, América, Asturias, Aurrerá and Germania. The president Humberto Garza Ramos, the general secretary Juan B. Orraca and the treasurer Manuel Alonso registered and affiliated the FMF with FIFA in 1929. The first national competition endorsed and organized by the new FMF was the 1927–28 season of the Campeonato de Primera Fuerza, still in the league's amateur era until 1942.
The Federation has three operational centres: the Central Office, the High Performance Centre (Centro de Alto Rendimiento, CAR) and the Training Centre (Centro de Capacitación, CECAP).
Structure
The governing body of the Federation is the General Assembly that conforms with the participation of the Liga MX with 55% of the votes; Liga de Expansión MX with 5%; Liga Premier, with 18%; Liga TDP, with 13%, and the Amateur sector, with 9%. The executive and administrative body is the National Council, which comprises five members, one from each of the divisions mentioned, and are elected every four years.
Association staff
| Name | Position | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Mikel Arriola | President Commissioner | |
| Ivar Sisniega | Executive President | |
| Lorena Mac Farland | Chief of Staff | |
| Iñigo Riestra | Chief Legal Officer | |
| Luis Palma | Chief Operations Officer | |
| Leonardo Valdez | Director of Human Capital | |
| Luis Cantú | Director of IT | |
| Lucía Mijares | Technical Director | |
| José Romano | Sales Manager | |
| Duilio Davino | Sports Director of National Teams (men's) | |
| Andrea Rodebaugh | Sports Director of National Team (women's) | |
| Arturo Villanueva | Operational Director of National Teams | |
| Víctor Manuel Aguado | Director of Institutional Services | |
| Andrés Lillini | Coordinator of Youth National Teams | |
| Jorge Christian Tello | Scouting Coordinator | |
| Martí Matabosch | Sports Science Coordinator | |
| Javier Aguirre | Head coach (men's) | |
| Pedro López | Head coach (women's) | |
| Isidro Chávez Castillo | Director of Communications and Public Relations | |
| Fernando Schwartz | Director of Strategic Communications | |
| Salvador Aguilera Galicia | Press Officer | |
| Juan Manuel Herrero | Director of the Referees Committee | |
| Enrique Osses | Technical Director of the Referees Department | |
| Benito Armando Archundia | Director of Referee Delegations and Mentoring |
Source: FMF
National teams
Mexico national team
The first Mexican national team was established in 1923, the first match was that same year, defeating Guatemala 2–1 in Mexico City. Its first official international appearance was in the 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam. Mexico has qualified for the FIFA World Cup 17 times, the first appearance was in the first edition (1930), and also playing the opening match against France. The team's best performance was reaching the quarter-finals twice (1970 and 1986), both as hosts.
Mexico won its first senior titles in the Central American and Caribbean Games, winning two gold medals (1935 and 1938). Mexico won its first official senior titles in the NAFC Championship, winning both editions (1947 and 1949).
After the merger of NAFC and CCCF, Mexico was one of the founding members of CONCACAF in 1961, winning its first CONCACAF title in the 1965 CONCACAF Championship.
Mexico is the only non-UEFA or CONMEBOL national team to win an official global senior competition organized by FIFA, winning the 1999 FIFA Confederations Cup as hosts, defeating Brazil 4–3.
Mexico has won 18 official senior titles: one FIFA Confederations Cup, 13 CONCACAF Championship/Gold Cup titles, one CONCACAF Nations League, one CONCACAF Cup and two NAFC Championship titles.
Mexico women's national team
The first women's national team was originally established in 1963, but its first FIFA-recognized match was in 1991. The first match was in 1970, defeating Austria 9–0 in Italy, although its first FIFA-recognized match was in the 1991 CONCACAF Women's Championship against United States. The women's national team has qualified for the FIFA Women's World Cup three times, the first appearance was in 1999.
The women's national team won its first senior titles in the Central American and Caribbean Games, winning three gold medals (2014, 2018 and 2023). It also won the gold medal in the 2023 Pan American Games.
Mexico olympic team
The under-23 team/olympic team, is an intermediate category between the senior team and the youth teams. Implemented by FIFA since 1992 to participate in the Olympic Football Tournament to replace amateur teams.
The under-23 team have been Olympic medalists twice, winning the gold medal at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, defeating 2–1 Brazil, and also winning the bronze medal at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, defeating the hosts Japan 3–1.
Men's youth teams
The under-20 team has qualified for the FIFA U-20 World Cup seventeen times, finishing as runners-up in 1977, and also finishing in third place in 2011.
The under-17 team has qualified for the FIFA U-17 World Cup sixteen times, finishing as world champions twice (2005 and 2011), and also finishing as runners-up twice (2013 and 2019).
Women's youth teams
The women's under-20 team has qualified for the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup ten times, the team's best performance was reaching the quarter-finals three times (2010, 2012 and 2022).
The women's under-17 team has qualified for the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup seven times, finishing as runners-up in 2018.
Professional divisions
Men's football is organized into four professional divisions:
- Liga MX: First season of the professional era in 1943 (as Liga Mayor).
- Liga de Expansión MX: Founded in 2020.
- Liga Premier: Founded in 1950 (as Segunda División de México).
- Liga TDP: Founded in 1967 (as Tercera División de México).
Women's football is organized into two professional divisions:
- Liga MX Femenil: Founded in 2016 (first season in 2017).
- Liga TDP Femenil: Founded in 2024.
Competitions
Men's competitions
Top division
- Liga MX
- Campeón de Campeones
- Supercopa de la Liga MX1
Promotion divisions
- Liga de Expansión MX
- Campeón de Campeones de la Liga de Expansión MX
- Liga Premier
- Liga TDP
- Copa Conecta
Reserves and academy
- Copa Promesas LMX-LP2
- Copa Promesas LMX-TDP3
- Torneo de Filiales de la Liga Premier4
- Torneo de Filiales de la Liga TDP4
- Liga MX Sub-21
- Liga MX Sub-19
- Liga MX Sub-17
- Liga MX Sub-17 Internacional5
- Liga MX Sub-15
Women's competitions
- Liga MX Femenil
- Campeón de Campeonas
- Liga TDP Femenil
- Liga MX Femenil Sub-19
Discontinued competitions
- Copa MX (1942–1976, 1987–1992, 1994–1997, 2012–2020)
- Supercopa MX (2014–2019)
- Pre-Libertadores tournament6 (1998–2003)
- InterLiga6 (2004–2010)
- Ascenso MX (1994–2020)
- Campeón de Ascenso (1997–2019)
- Copa de la Liga Premier de Ascenso / Copa México de la Segunda División (1950–1972, 1995–96, 2013–2015)
- Campeón de Campeones de la Liga Premier / Segunda División (1952–1972, 1995–2018, 2021–2025)
- Copa de Campeones de la Segunda División (2014)
- Copa México de la Tercera División (1968–1976, 1980–81)
- Campeón de Campeones de la Tercera División (1969–1975)
- Copa MX Femenil (2017)
- Liga MX Sub-23 (2023–2025)
- Liga MX Sub-20 (2009–2023)
- Liga MX Sub-18 (2021–2024)
- Liga MX Sub-16 (2021–2024)
- Liga MX Sub-14 (2022–2024)
- Liga MX Sub-13 (2012–2019)
- Notes
- Trophy contested only when a club automatically wins the Campeón de Campeones for winning both tournaments of the season (Apertura and Clausura).
- Tournament played by Liga Premier clubs and Liga MX under-19 teams.
- Tournament played by Liga TDP clubs and Liga MX under-17 teams.
- Reserve tournaments played by teams affiliated with clubs from the highest divisions, known as "filiales".
- International academy tournament played by under-17 teams since 2022, previously played by under-15 teams (2014–2019).
- Qualifying tournaments for the Copa Libertadores.
Criticism
Multi-team ownership issue
The issue of multi-team ownership has been a highly debated one within the owners of the professional football clubs and the Femexfut. Of 33 clubs in the top two tiers, about a fifth of the teams are owned by three groups: Grupo Pachuca (Pachuca, León), Grupo Caliente (Tijuana, Dorados de Sinaloa) and Grupo Orlegi (Santos Laguna, Atlas). Of those groups that own more than one team, that ownership is usually split between the top two tiers of the league and act as a form of player development.
In May 2013, the Liga MX club owners approved banning a person or company from owning more than one team. The issue came to fore when rumor was that Carlos Slim, whose telecommunications company América Móvil owns a 30% stake in Grupo Pachuca, sought to acquire Guadalajara; he would refute the speculation. The ban applied to future acquisitions, not the then current team ownership, and did not require the sale of teams in excess of the one team limitation.
The issue reemerged in November 2013 when TV Azteca, owner of Monarcas Morelia, paid out 124 shareholders of Club Atlas US$50 million to acquire the club, which for years had been struggling financially.
2026 World Cup Bid
In September 2012, former Federación President Justino Compeán confirmed plans to bid. On 4 March 2016, Federación President Decio De Maria announced continued interest after the new FIFA president Gianni Infantino was elected in the wake of the Garcia Report corruption scandal. In April 2017, the Federación, with Canada and the United States, announced a joint bid to host the World Cup. It was awarded on 13 June 2018; 134 votes versus the Morocco bid by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation with 65 votes. Mexico will host 10 matches, Canada 3 matches, and the United States 60 matches in 10 cities including the final. The shortlist of match cities was selected in June 2022: Guadalajara, Mexico City, & Monterrey.
Presidents
| Official Federation
| Defunct Federation
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See also
- Football in Mexico
- Women's football in Mexico
- Mexican football league system
- Mexico national football team
- Mexico women's national football team
- List of football clubs in Mexico
- List of Mexican football champions
- List of football clubs in Mexico by major honours won
- Mexican football clubs in international competitions
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