The Liga Mexicana de Fútbol Femenil is a women's football league in Mexico organized by LIMEFFE.[1] Formally known as the Superliga Femenil, this league was established in 2007 as an attempt to help and grow women's football in Mexico.[2] It was considered until 2017 as the highest division of women's football in the country.
Even though the league had the support of the Mexican Football Federation as well as the support of some Liga MX clubs such as Chivas,[3][4] the league struggled to attract sponsors, fans, and media attention from its beginning.[2] In 2016, the Liga MX Femenil was created with the full backing of all Liga MX clubs and the Mexican Football Federation to professionalize and grow women's football in Mexico.[2] The two leagues are not connected by the league system, but the Liga Mexicana de Fútbol Femenil has lost its top division status since the introduction of Liga MX Femenil.
The league is played in the Apertura and Clausura format, meaning two seasons are played each year - in the year's first half the Clausura and in the later half the Apertura. The league is divided into two groups, in 2016 for example there were 15 teams in each group. After the regular season, playoffs will be played between the best placed teams in each group. Four or eight teams advanced from each group in the past years. As of the 2016 Apertura eight teams advance from each group.[5]
The play-offs, including the final are played in two-legs. Also in the final there is no away goals rule applied and games tied on goals will go into extra-time.
