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// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhy did the Mexican Football Federation go to the doctor? It was feeling a little kicked.

Mexican Football Federation
CONCACAF
Short nameFMF
Founded23 August 1927; 98 years ago (1927-08-23)[1]
HeadquartersToluca, State of Mexico
FIFA affiliation1929
CONCACAF affiliation1961[2]
PresidentMikel Arriola[3]
Websitefmf.mx

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, Liga MX and Liga Femenil with all the professional promotion divisions, all the national youth competitions, all affiliated amateur sectors, and controls promoting, organizing, directing, expanding, and supervising competitive football in Mexico.

The FMF was established on 23 August 1927[4] 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

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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

[edit]
Former headquarters in Mexico City

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.[5]

Association staff

[edit]
Name Position Source
Mexico Mikel Arriola President Commissioner [6][7]
Mexico Ivar Sisniega Executive President
Mexico Lorena Mac Farland Chief of Staff
Mexico Iñigo Riestra Chief Legal Officer
Mexico Luis Palma Chief Operations Officer [8]
Mexico Leonardo Valdez Director of Human Capital
Mexico Luis Cantú Director of IT
Mexico Lucía Mijares Technical Director [9]
Mexico José Romano Sales Manager
Mexico Duilio Davino Sports Director of National Teams (men's)
Mexico Andrea Rodebaugh Sports Director of National Team (women's)
Mexico Víctor Manuel Aguado Director of Institutional Services
Argentina Andrés Lillini Coordinator of Youth National Teams
Mexico Jorge Christian Tello Scouting Coordinator
Spain Martí Matabosch Sports Science Coordinator
Mexico Rafael Márquez Head coach (men's) [8]
Spain Pedro López Head coach (women's) [8]
Mexico Isidro Chávez Castillo Director of Communications and Public Relations [8]
Mexico Fernando Schwartz Director of Strategic Communications
Mexico Salvador Aguilera Galicia Press Officer
Mexico Juan Manuel Herrero Director of the Referees Committee
Chile Enrique Osses Technical Director of the Referees Department [8]
Mexico Benito Armando Archundia Director of Referee Delegations and Mentoring [8]

Source: FMF

National teams

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Mexico national team

[edit]

The first Mexico national team was established in 1923, it played its first-ever match that same year, defeating Guatemala 2–1 at home in Mexico City. Its first official international appearance was in the 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam. Mexico has qualified for the FIFA World Cup eighteen 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 two senior titles at the Central American and Caribbean Games (1935 and 1938). Mexico won its first two official senior titles organized by a FIFA-recognized confederation at the NAFC Championship (1947 and 1949).

After the merger of NAFC and CCCF in 1961 to form CONCACAF, Mexico was one of its founding members. It participated in the 1963 CONCACAF Championship — the first continental competition organized by CONCACAF for senior national teams — and won 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 eighteen 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

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The first women's national team was originally established in 1963, but officially played 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 has won five senior titles, winning four gold medals at the Central American and Caribbean Games (2014, 2018, 2023 and 2026), and also won the gold medal in the 2023 Pan American Games.

Mexico Olympic team

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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 has qualified for the Olympic Games six times. The 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

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The under-20 team has qualified for the FIFA U-20 World Cup eighteen times, finishing as runners-up in 1977, and also finishing in third place in 2011. The team has won the CONCACAF Under-20 Championship fourteen times.

The under-17 team has qualified for the FIFA U-17 World Cup seventeen times, finishing as world champions twice (2005 and 2011), and also finishing as runners-up twice (2013 and 2019). The team won the CONCACAF Under-17 Championship nine times.

The under-15 team only participates in the CONCACAF Under-15 Championship, having won it twice (2017 and 2025).

Women's youth teams

[edit]

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 team has won the CONCACAF Women's U-20 Championship twice.

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. The team won the CONCACAF Women's U-17 Championship once.

The women's under-15 team only participates in the CONCACAF Girls' Under-15 Championship, finishing as runners-up twice.

Professional leagues

[edit]

Men's football is organized into four professional leagues. Women's football is organized into two professional leagues.

Level League Teams Editions Current champions
Men
1Liga MX18115Cruz Azul
2Liga de Expansión MX1612Tepatitlán
3Liga Premier47100Deportiva Venados
4Liga TDP24066Delfines de Coatzacoalcos
Women
1Liga Femenil1818América
2Liga TDP Femenil522Atlético Cuernavaca

National competitions

[edit]

Current competitions

[edit]
Competition Type Founded
Top division
Liga MXTop level league1943
Campeón de CampeonesSuper cup for Liga MX1943
Supercopa Liga MXSuper cup only contested when a club automatically wins the Campeón de Campeones2022
Promotion divisions
Liga de Expansión MXSecond level league2020
Campeón de Campeones Liga de Expansión MXSuper cup for Liga de Expansión MX2021
Liga PremierThird level league1950
Liga TDPFourth level league1967
Copa ConectaCup tournament for Liga Premier and Liga TDP2021
Reserves and youth tournaments
Copa Promesas MXCup tournament for Liga Premier, Liga TDP, and youth teams of Liga MX clubs2024
Torneo de Filiales Liga PremierReserve tournaments of Liga Premier and Liga TDP, only for teams affiliated with clubs from the highest levels
Torneo de Filiales Liga TDP
Liga MX Sub-21Liga MX youth tournaments2025
Liga MX Sub-192024
Liga MX Sub-172009
Liga MX Sub-152010
Liga MX Sub-142022
Amateur and unofficial tournaments
Sector Amateur FMFAll amateur, state and university tournaments and leagues
Women's tournaments
Liga FemenilTop level league2017
Campeón de CampeonasSuper cup for Liga Femenil2021
Liga TDP FemenilSecond level league2024
Liga Femenil Sub-19Liga Femenil youth tournament2022

Discontinued competitions

[edit]
Competition Type Abolished
Top division
Copa MXCup tournament2020
Supercopa MXSuper cup for Copa MX2019
Promotion divisions
Ascenso MXFormer second level league2020
Campeón de AscensoSuper cup for Ascenso MX2019
Copa México Segunda DivisiónCup tournament for Second Division2015
Campeón de Campeones Segunda DivisiónSuper cup for Second Division2025
Copa de Campeones Segunda DivisiónSuper cup for champions of the Second Division cup tournament2014
Copa México Tercera DivisiónCup tournament for Third Division1981
Campeón de Campeones Tercera DivisiónSuper cup for Third Division1975
Reserves and youth tournaments
Campeonato Nacional de ReservasNational Reserves Championship1970
Liga MX Sub-23Liga MX youth tournaments2025
Liga MX Sub-202023
Liga MX Sub-182024
Liga MX Sub-162024
Liga MX Sub-132019
Liga MX Sub-17 InternacionalLiga MX youth international tournaments2025
Liga MX Sub-15 Internacional2019
Qualifying tournaments
Torneo Pre-LibertadoresQualifying tournaments for Copa Libertadores2003
InterLiga2010
Amateur and unofficial tournaments
Campeonato de Primera Fuerza/Liga MayorAmateur era of Mexican football1943
Copa México1942
Campeón de Campeones1942
Campeonato Nacional Amateur/Copa Benito JuárezAmateur tournament for representative teams of Mexico's 32 federal entities2013
Copa Presidencial Adolfo López MateosExtraordinary and unofficial cup tournaments.1963
Torneo de Nuevos Valores1978
Copa Federación1983
Series InternacionalesInternational friendly hexagonal, pentagonal and quadrangular in Mexico1969
Women's tournaments
Copa MX FemenilWomen's cup tournament2017

Criticism

[edit]

Multi-team ownership issue

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The issue of multi-team ownership has been a highly debated one within the owners of the professional football clubs and the Femexfut. Of 34 clubs in the top two tiers, about a fourth of the teams are owned by four groups: Grupo Pachuca (Pachuca, León), Grupo Caliente (Tijuana, Dorados de Sinaloa), Grupo Omnilife (C.D. Guadalajara, C.D. Tapatío) and Cooperativa La Cruz Azul (Cruz Azul, Cruz Azul Hidalgo). 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.[10]

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,[11] 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.[12]

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.[13]

2026 World Cup Bid

[edit]

In September 2012, former Federación President Justino Compeán confirmed plans to bid.[14] 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.[15] 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

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See also

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References

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  1. 1 2 "Historia". FMF (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 16 January 2025. Retrieved 8 February 2025.
  2. "Ramón Coll, electo Presidente de la Confederación de Futbol de América del Norte, América Central y el Caribe". 23 September 1961. Archived from the original on 16 December 2019. Retrieved 10 July 2016.
  3. "La FMF informa las decisiones de su segunda Asamblea de Socios del 2024". FMF (in Spanish). 13 December 2024.
  4. fmf.mx
  5. "Introduccion, femexfut" [femexfut introducción] (in Spanish). Femexfut. Archived from the original on 14 August 2019. Retrieved 10 November 2010.
  6. "Member Association – Mexico". FIFA. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  7. "MEXICO". Concacaf. 7 March 2021. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Member Association – Mexico". FIFA. Archived from the original on 16 May 2023. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  9. "Member Association – Mexico". FIFA. Archived from the original on 11 August 2020. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
  10. Marshal, Tom. "Multi-club ownership causing headaches". Yahoo! Sports. Archived from the original on 2 March 2014. Retrieved 7 February 2014.
  11. Harrison, Crayton. "Billionaire Slim Buys 30% Stakes In Mexico Soccer Teams". Bloomberg. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 31 August 2012.
  12. "Mexican club owners move against multi-team ownership". Goal.com. Archived from the original on 2 May 2014. Retrieved 22 May 2013.
  13. "Multi-Ownership Is Back; TV Azteca Buys Atlas". soccerly. Archived from the original on 25 March 2014. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  14. "Mexico to bid for 2026 World Cup". ESPN, Press Association. 21 September 2012. Archived from the original on 24 September 2012. Retrieved 9 February 2013.
  15. "Mexico wants to host 2026 World Cup as first nation to stage three editions". ESPN, Press Association. 4 March 2016. Archived from the original on 24 September 2012. Retrieved 9 March 2016.
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19°25′04″N 99°10′12″W / 19.41779°N 99.169887°W / 19.41779; -99.169887