What You Need to Know About the Liga MX Femenil
The Liga MX Femenil is the professional women’s league in Mexico. The league was founded in 2016, with the first games played in 2017. There are 18 teams in the league, and each is partnered with the men’s counterpart in Liga MX.
Schedule
Liga MX Femenil has an interesting schedule layout that differs from leagues like the NWSL.
The season is split up into two parts, the Apertura and Clausura. Apertura runs from July to December, while Clausura runs from January to May. Both the Clausura and Apertura have 17 weeks. The 18 teams are divided into two groups of nine, with the top four teams and each group moving to the playoff round.
In each round of the playoffs, teams play a two-leg series, with both teams hosting a home game. You can watch games through ESPN and ESPN+ or your TV provider. Additionally, Forza Football allows you to track all the teams so you can stay on top of the season.
Key Teams
Tigres
Tigres is the most successful club in the young league, having won the title five different times. Moreover, they are the current champions, having won the Apertura in 2022. Tigres defeated Club América by an aggregate score of 3-0 to lift the trophy.
So far in the Clausura campaign, Tigres has picked up six points in their first two games, scoring nine goals in the process.
Last season they finished the regular season in third place with a 12-2-3 record. They currently play their home games at Estadio Universitario in Monterrey.
Guadalajara Chivas
Guadalajara or Chivas won the Clausura in 2022. They finished the Apertura in first place with a 14-1-2 record but were knocked out in the semifinals by Club América. They play their home matches at Estadio Akron.
Chivas picked up a 5-1 win over Club Universidad Nacional in their season’s opening match.
C.F. Monterrey
Monterrey ended the 2022 Apertura in second place with 42 points and a 13-3-1 record. They were knocked out in the semifinals by the eventual champions, Tigres. Monterrey was one of the first clubs to be created in Liga MX. They play their home matches at Estadio BBVA.
Christina Burkenroad was a key player for the club during their Apertura campaign. The forward was second in the league with 16 goals scored during the season.
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Players To Watch
Mia Fishel
There’s been a lot of talk about Fishel and her play in Liga MX. She’s been terrific for Tigres.
Fishel was drafted by the Orlando Pride in the 2022 NWSL Draft, but she opted to join Tigres in Mexico. She won the Apertura Golden Boot in her first season with 17 goals in as many games.
She’s picked up where she left off, having already scored twice in the first two matches.
The youngster has been left off the U.S. Women’s National Team roster during recent camps, but if she keeps up her terrific form, it would be hard for Vlatko Andonovski to keep ignoring Fishel’s great play.
Maricarmen Reyes
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Another UCLA Bruin that’s making a splash for Tigres is Reyes. The midfielder signed with the club at the end of December and is looking to make a splash.
At UCLA, she appeared in 71 games scoring 15 goals and registering nine assists. She played a major part in helping UCLA win the National Championship last season.
Kiana Palacios
Palacios joined Club América in 2021, but she had a breakout season last fall. She ended the Apertura campaign with a team-leading 13 goals. As Club América looks to hopefully make another run to the final, Palacios will play a big part.
Featured image via Getty Images
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