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 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.
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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
Source: FMF
National teams
Mexico national team
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
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
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
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
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
Men's football is organized into four professional leagues. Women's football is organized into two professional leagues.
National competitions
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 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.
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
Unofficial and defunct federation