The Mexican Football Federation (Spanish: Federación Mexicana de Fútbol Asociación, A.C.), abbreviated as FMF is the official governing body of association football in Mexico. It administers the men's and women's national teams with all its youth teams, the national teams of futsal and beach soccer, the Liga MX with all its professional divisions, all affiliated amateur sectors, and controls promoting, organizing, directing, expanding, and supervising competitive football in Mexico. The FMF was established on August 23, 1927[2] to replace the Federación Central de Fútbol and its first president was Humberto Garza Ramos. It is an affiliate member of FIFA since 1929 and one of the founding members 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
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.
Finally in 1927 the current Federación Mexicana de Fútbol Asociación was reorganized and established. The Federation was renewed by the clubs: Club México, RC España, Necaxa, América, Asturias, Aurrerá and Germania, with the president Humberto Garza Ramos, the general secretary Juan B. Orraca and the treasurer Manuel Alonso who registered and affiliated the FMF with FIFA in 1929.
The first national championship endorsed and organized by the new FMF was held in the 1927–28 season still in the considered 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
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.[3]
The first Mexican national team was established in 1923, its first match was that same year with a victory against Guatemala and its first international participation was in the 1928 Olympic Football Tournament in Amsterdam.
The national team has participated in the FIFA World Cup 17 times, the first participation was in the first edition in Uruguay 1930 playing the opening match against France. The best participations are reaching the quarterfinals (1970 and 1986) both as hosts.
The first official senior titles achieved by the national team were in the NAFC Championship, winning both editions (1947 and 1949).
After the merger of the NAFC and CCCF, Mexico was one of the founding members of CONCACAF in 1961, winning its first title in the new North American confederation in the 1965 CONCACAF Championship.
Mexico is also the only non-UEFA or CONMEBOL member national team to win an official senior title organized by FIFA, winning the 1999 FIFA Confederations Cup at home, after defeating Brazil 4–3 in the final.
The first women's national team was originally established in 1963, but its first FIFA-recognized match was in 1991. Its first match was in 1970 with a victory against Austria, although its first FIFA-recognized match was in the 1991 CONCACAF Women's Championship against USA.
The women's national team has participated in the FIFA Women's World Cup 3 times, the first participation was in USA 1999.
The first senior titles achieved by the women's national team were in the football tournament in the Central American and Caribbean Games, winning three gold medals (2014, 2018 and 2023).
They also won the gold medal in the 2023 Pan American Games.
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 issue of multi-team ownership has been a highly debated one within the owners of the professional football clubs and the Femexfut. Of 33 clubs in the top two tiers, about a quarter of the teams are owned by three groups: Grupo Pachuca (Pachuca, León), Grupo Caliente (Tijuana, Querétaro, Dorados de Sinaloa) and Grupo Orlegi (Santos Laguna, Atlas). 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.[13]
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,[14] 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.[15]
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.[16]
In September 2012, former Federación President Justino Compeán confirmed plans to bid.[17] 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.[18] 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.
