La Primera División de México (English: Mexican First Division) is the premier football championship established by the Federación Mexicana de Fútbol Asociación (F.M.F.) (English: Mexican Football Federation). The league currently consists of 18 teams. The First Division is a successor of the Liga Mayor (English: Major League) that was established in 1943.

The Amateur Era

Prior to the Liga Mayor, football was disputed within geographical regions. The winners of the Primera Fuerza (local league consisting of teams near and around Mexico City) were considered national champions. There were other regional leagues such as the Liga Veracruzana, Liga Occidental and Liga del Bajio that also had notable clubs. Many club owners were not keen on the idea of establishing a professional league, despite paying players under the table. With the increasing demand of football, there was a sense of urgency to unite all the local amateur leagues in Mexico to progress as a footballing nation. The national league was finally established in 1943.

The Professional Era

When the F.M.F. announced the formation of the nation's first professional league, many clubs petitioned to join the newly formed league. The F.M.F. announced that 10 clubs would form the Liga Mayor. The first members of the league were founded by 6 clubs of the Primera Fuerza of Mexico City, 2 clubs from the Liga Occidental (English: Western league), and 2 members from the Liga Veracruzana (English: Veracruz League).

Founding Members
Primera Fuerza: America, Asturias, Atlante, España, Marte and Moctezuma
Liga Occidental: Atlas and Guadalajara
Liga Veracruzana: A.D. Orizabeño and Veracruz

Expansion was evident as popularity increased. This popularity led to the league expanding the number of team participating. The F.M.F. changed the name of the Liga Mayor in 1950 to Primera División and established the Segunda División (English: Second Division).

Reformation

Throughout the late 1950s and early 60s, many small clubs faced economical difficulties. The economical difficulties were attributed to the lack of international competition by Mexican clubs and the unrewarding league format. Mexican clubs who placed relatively high in the league standings did not have the luxury that many South American and European clubs had, by participating in prestigious international tournaments, such as the Copa Libertadores or the UEFA Champions League. The F.M.F. knew they had to act to regenerate interest to save many of the smaller clubs from bankruptcy and recruit new investors. The F.M.F., along with affluent club owners, were able to attract key investors. As a result, the F.M.F was in a position to host the FIFA World Cup.

The Mexican League Boom

The 1970 FIFA World Cup held in Mexico was the first World Cup televised at a grandscale. For that glorious 1970 summer, the world looked to Mexico. This set a trend in marketing, recruitment, and development. The new stadiums and the practice facilities that were built for the World Cup set a path for future events to come. Prior to the World Cup, the Liga Mayor awarded the team with the most points as national champions. The season following the FIFA World Cup, the F.M.F. changed the league format and established a playoff phase to determine the national champion. This was done to regenerate interest and reward teams that placed fairly high in the standings.

The Playoffs

The birth of the playoffs modernized the league despite the disagreements between the tradionalist and the modernist. Clubs that were near bankrupcy, now were able to compete and generate profits. At times, it seemed deserving and at other times, it allowed for underdogs to win. The playoffs have evolved since their beginnings. Today, the teams are divided into groups, and the top teams from each group qualify for a playoff phase called Liguilla. This playoff phase is played in two-leg aggregate-score format, similar to the quarterfinals and semifinals of the UEFA Champions League.

In 1996, the league decided to split the season into 2 championships. This measure was done to generate additional revenues to finance the F.M.F.'s lower divisions. The league holds two tournaments per year, first called "invierno" (winter) and "verano" (spring), now changed to "clausura" (closing)" and apertura" (opening).

At the end of a season (Apertura + Clausura tournaments), one team is relegated to the next lower division, Primera Division A, and one team from that division is promoted and takes the place left open by the relegated team. Currently, the relegated team is determined by computing the points-per-game-played ratio for each team, considering all the games played by the team during the last three seasons (six tournaments). The team with the lower ratio is relegated. For teams recently promoted, only the games played since their promotion are considered (two or four tournaments). The team promoted from Primera Division A is the winner of a two-leg match between the champions of the Apertura and Clausura tournaments of that division. If a team becomes the champion in both tournaments, it is automatically promoted.

Divisional Movements

I Liga Mayor 1943/44-1949/50; Primera Division 1950/51-

A.D.O. [folded after 48-49 season] I 1943/44-1948/49;

America I 1943/44-

Angeles - bought the Oaxtepec franchise in 1984; sold to Santos Laguna in 1988 I 1984/85-1987/88

Asturias - retired 49-50 I 1943/44-1949/50

Atlante I 1943/44-1975/76; 1977/78-1989/90; 1991/92-

Atlas I 1943/44-1953/54; 1955/56-1970/71; 1972/73-1977/78; 1979/80-

Atletas Campesinos - sold to Petroleum Workers Union of Madero and formed Tampico Madero in 1982 I 1980/81-1981/82

Atletico Celaya - franchise sold and relocated to Cuernavaca and change name to Colibries in 2003 I 1958/59-1960/61; 1995/96-2002 (Apertura 2002);

Atletico Morelia - formerly known was CD Morelia when promoted in 1957; changes name to Atl. Morelia in 1972 I 1957/58-1967/68; 1981/82-

Atletico Potosino I 1974/75-1988/89;

Cd. Juarez - bought the Cobras who had been relegated 1987 I 1988/89-1991/92;

Cd. Madero I 1965/66-1966/67; 1973/74-1974/75;

Cobras - was sold to Cd Juarez after being relegated in 1987 I 1986/87

Colibries - bought Atletico Celaya and relocated to Cuernavaca in 2003 I 2003 (Clausura 2003)

Cruz Azul - relocated to Mexico City in 1971 I 1964/65-

Cuauhtla I 1955/56-1958/59;

Deportivo Neza - bougth the Laguna Franchise in 1978; sold to U.A.T in 1988 I 1978/79-1987/88

España - retired 49-50 I 1943/44-1949/50

Guadalajara I 1943/44-

Irapuato - moved to Veracruz and renamed to Tiborones Rojos in 2001; league reduced to 18 & was dissolved in 2004 I 1954/55-1971/72; 1985/86-1990/91; 2000/01-2001 (Invierno 2001); 2003/04;

La Piedad - moved to Queretaro and named Gallos Blancos in 2002 I 1952-53; 2001/02;

Laguna - sold to Deportivo Neza in 1978 I 1968/69-1977/78

Leon I 1944/45-1986/87; 1990/91-2001/02;

Marte I 1943/44-1954/55

Moctezuma - retired 49-50 I 1943/44-1949/50

Monterrey - folded 45-46; restructured and promoted in 1956 I 1945/46; 1956/57; 1960/61-

Nacional I 1961/62-1964/65

Necaxa - change name to Atletico Espanol in 1971 and back to Necaxa in 1982; relocated to Aguascalientes in 2003 I 1950/51 -

Nuevo Leon I 1966/67-1968/69

Oaxtepec - sold to Angeles in 1984 I 1982/83-1983/84

Oro - change name to Jalisco 1970 I 1944/45-1979/80;

Pachuca I 1967/68-1972/73; 1992/93; 1996/1997; 1998/99-

Puebla - bought the Union de Curtidores franchise after being relegated in 1999, but remained in Puebla as Puebla I 1944/45-1955/56; 1970/71-1998/99; 1999/00-

Queretaro - bought the tampico madero franchise in 1990 I 1990/91-1993/94

Queretaro Gallos Blancos - league reduced to 18 and Queretaro relocated to Primera A in 2004 I 2002/03-2003/04;

Real San Luis I 2002/03-2003/04;

San Luis - was sold to Tampico in 1977 I 1971/72-1973/74; 1976/77

San Sebastian I 1945/46-1950/51

Santos Laguna - bought the Angeles franchise in 1988 I 1988/89-

Tampico - bought the san luis franchise in 1977 I 1945/46-1957/58; 1959/60-1962-63; 1977/78-1981/82

Tampico Madero - bought the Atletas Campesinos franchise in 1982; sold to Queretaro in 1990 I 1982/83-1989/90; 1994/95 (had to play remaining games in Queretaro and played under TM gallos blancos);

Tiborones Rojos - moved to Veracruz from Irapuato in 2002; moved to Chiapas and renamed to Jaguares Chiapas in 2002 I 2002 (Verano 2002) (moved to Tuxtla Gutierrez after Veracruz (primera a) won their promotion)

Toluca I 1953/54-

Torreon - sold to Universidad de Guadalajara in 1974 I 1969/70-1973/74

U.A.N.L. Tigres I 1974/75-1995/96; 1997/98-

U.A.G Tecos I 1975/76-

U.A.T - bought the Dep. Neza franchise after being relegated in 1988 I 1987/88; 1988/89-1994/95;

UdeG - bought the Torreon franchise in 1974; sold in 1994 and dismantled I 1974/75-1993/94

U.N.A.M. Pumas I 1962/63-

Union de Curtidores - won promotion in 1999 but sold off 1st division rights to Puebla I 1974/75-1980/81; 1983/84;

U.T. Neza - changed name when promoted to Toros Neza in 1993 but played last games in Pachuca due to stadium problems I 1993/94 (played under Toros Hidalgo)-1999/00;

Veracruz - Potros Neza promoted but sold rights to Veracruz in 1989 I 1943/44-1951/52; 1964/65-1978/79; 1989/90-1997/98; 2002-

Zacatepec I 1951/52-1961/62; 1963/64-1965/66; 1970/71-1976/77; 1978/79-1982/83; 1984/85;

Zamora I 1955/56; 1957/58-1959/60