Mexican football clubs in international competitions

This is a list of Mexican football clubs in international competitions. Mexican clubs have participated in international competitions since the 1959 Campeonato Centroamericano, which was the first official international club competition for North, Central America and Caribbean. The tournament was organized by the CCCF and NAFC, the two predecessor confederations of the current CONCACAF.

The first continental club competition organized by CONCACAF was the 1962 CONCACAF Champions' Cup. Mexican clubs have dominated the CONCACAF Champions Cup/Champions League, winning 39 titles and finishing runners-up 20 times.

Mexican clubs also participated in South American competitions, Copa Libertadores (1998-2016), Copa Sudamericana (2005-2008), Copa Merconorte (2000 and 2001), Recopa Sudamericana (2007). The first participations were in the 1998 Copa Libertadores. The best results in Copa Libertadores were Cruz Azul (2001), Guadalajara (2010), and Tigres UANL (2015) finishing runners-up. The best result in Copa Sudamericana were Pachuca winning the title in 2006.

Qualification for CONCACAF competitions

For the CONCACAF Champions Cup, up to nine Mexican football clubs are eligible for entry into the competition.[1]

  • Liga MX (6):
    • Champions and runners-up of the Apertura and Clausura tournaments
    • Two highest-ranked clubs in the aggregate table points of the season, that have not already qualified
  • Leagues Cup (3):
    • Champions, runners-up, and third place

If one or more Liga MX clubs were to qualify through multiple methods, then the next Liga MX club with the most aggregate table points would qualify in the remaining slot. If the Leagues Cup champion were to win the Apertura or Clausura, then both the Apertura and Clausura champions would qualify to the round of 16; should the Leagues Cup slot(s) have already qualified, then Liga MX would be awarded with one additional slot to be given to the next best non-qualified team in the aggregate table.[2]

International honours

Worldwide competitions (FIFA)

Main article: FIFA Club World Cup
Club Champions Runners-up Third place Winning years Runners-up years Third place years
FIFA Club World Cup
Tigres UANL 0 1 0 – 2020 –
Monterrey 0 0 2 – – 2012, 2019
Necaxa 0 0 1 – – 2000
Pachuca 0 0 1 – – 2017

Intercontinental competitions (CONCACAF-CONMEBOL)

Main article: Copa Interamericana
Club Champions Runners-up Winning years Runners-up years
Copa Interamericana (discontinued)
América 2 0 1978, 1991 –
Pumas UNAM 1 1 1981 1990
Toluca 0 1 – 1969
Cruz Azul 0 1 – 1972
Atlético Español 0 1 – 1976
Puebla 0 1 – 1992

Continental competitions (CONCACAF)

Main articles: CONCACAF Champions Cup, CONCACAF Cup Winners Cup, and CONCACAF Giants Cup
Club Champions Runners-up Winning years Runners-up years
CONCACAF Champions Cup/Champions League
América 7 1 1977, 1987, 1990, 1992, 2006, 2014-15, 2015-16 2021
Cruz Azul 6 2 1969, 1970, 1971, 1996, 1997, 2013-2014 2008-09, 2009-10
Pachuca 6 0 2002, 2007, 2008, 2009-10, 2016-17, 2024 –
Monterrey 5 0 2010-11, 2011-12, 2012-13, 2019, 2021 –
Pumas UNAM 3 2 1980, 1982, 1989 2005,2022
Toluca 2 3 1968, 2003 1998, 2006, 2013-14
Guadalajara 2 3 1962, 2018 1963, 1984, 2007
Atlante 2 1 1983, 2008-09 1994
Tigres UANL 1 3 2020 2015-16, 2016-17, 2019
León 1 1 2023 1993
Necaxa 1 1 1999 1996
Atlético Español 1 0 1975 –
UdeG 1 0 1978 –
Puebla 1 0 1991 –
Morelia 0 2 – 2002, 2003
Santos Laguna 0 2 – 2011-12, 2012-13
CONCACAF Cup Winners Cup (discontinued)
Necaxa 1 0 1994 –
Monterrey 1 0 1993 –
Tecos 1 0 1995 –
CONCACAF Giants Cup (discontinued)
Club América 1 0 2001 –

Continental competitions (NAFC-CCCF)

Main article: Campeonato Centroamericano
Club Champions Runners-up Winning years Runners-up years
Campeonato Centroamericano/Championship of Central America
Guadalajara 0 1 – 1959

Continental competitions (CONMEBOL)

Main articles: Copa Libertadores, Copa Sudamericana, and Recopa Sudamericana
Club Champions Runners-up Winning years Runners-up years
CONMEBOL Libertadores
Cruz Azul 0 1 – 2001
Guadalajara 0 1 – 2010
Tigres UANL 0 1 – 2015
CONMEBOL Sudamericana
Pachuca 1 0 2006 –
Pumas UNAM 0 1 – 2005
América 0 1 – 2007
CONMEBOL Recopa
Pachuca 0 1 – 2007

Regional competitions (MLS-Liga MX)

Main articles: Leagues Cup, North American SuperLiga, and Campeones Cup
Club Champions Runners-up Winning years Runners-up years
Leagues Cup
Cruz Azul 1 0 2019 –
León 1 0 2021 –
Tigres UANL 0 1 – 2019
North American SuperLiga (discontinued)
Pachuca 1 0 2007 –
Tigres UANL 1 0 2009 –
Morelia 1 0 2010
Campeones Cup
Tigres UANL 2 0 2018, 2023 –
América 1 1 2024 2019
Cruz Azul 0 1 – 2021
Atlas 0 1 – 2022

International records

FIFA Club World Cup

Year Club Progress Results Opponents
Brazil 2000 Necaxa 3rd place 1-1
(4-3 p)		 Spain Real Madrid
Japan 2006 América 4th place 1-2 Egypt Al Ahly
Japan 2007 Pachuca 5th place (shared) 0-1 Tunisia Étoile du Sahel
Japan 2008 Pachuca 4th place 0-1 Japan Gamba Osaka
United Arab Emirates 2009 Atlante 4th place 1-1
(3-4 p)		 South Korea Pohang Steelers
United Arab Emirates 2010 Pachuca 5th place 2-2
(4-2 p)		 United Arab Emirates Al Wahda
Japan 2011 Monterrey 5th place 3-2 Tunisia Espérance de Tunis
Japan 2012 Monterrey 3rd place 2-0 Egypt Al Ahly
Morocco 2013 Monterrey 5th place 5-1 Egypt Al Ahly
Morocco 2014 Cruz Azul 4th place 1-1
(2-4 p)		 New Zealand Auckland City
Japan 2015 América 5th place 2-1 Democratic Republic of the Congo Mazembe
Japan 2016 América 4th place 2-2
(3-4 p)		 Colombia Atlético Nacional
United Arab Emirates 2017 Pachuca 3rd place 4-1 United Arab Emirates Al Jazira Club
United Arab Emirates 2018 Guadalajara 6th place 1-1
(5-6 p)		 Tunisia Espérance de Tunis
Qatar 2019 Monterrey 3rd place 2-2
(4-3 p)		 Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal
Qatar 2020 Tigres UANL Runners-up 0-1 Germany Bayern Munich
United Arab Emirates 2021 Monterrey 5th place 3-1 United Arab Emirates Al Jazira Club
Saudi Arabia 2023 León 5th place (shared) 0-1 Japan Urawa Red Diamonds
United States 2025 León Group stage
Monterrey Group stage
Pachuca Group stage

Copa Interamericana (discontinued)

Year Club Progress Results Opponents
1969 Toluca Runners-up 2-1
1-2
0-3		 Argentina Estudiantes
1972 Cruz Azul Runners-up 1-1
1-2		 Uruguay Nacional
1976 Atlético Español Runners-up 2-2
0-0
(4-5 p)		 Argentina Independiente
1978 América Champions 1-0
0-3
2-1		 Argentina Boca Juniors
1981 Pumas UNAM Champions 3-1
1-3
2-1		 Uruguay Nacional
1990 Pumas UNAM Runners-up 0-2
1-4		 Colombia Atlético Nacional
1991 América Champions 1-1
2-1		 Paraguay Olimpia
1992 Puebla Runners-up 1-3
1-4		 Chile Colo-Colo

CONCACAF Champions Cup/Champions League

Year Club Progress Results Opponents
1962 Guadalajara Champions 5-0
1-0		 Guatemala Comunicaciones
1963 Guadalajara Runners-up w/o Haiti Racing Haïtien
1968 Toluca Champions Transvaal and Aurora disqualified
1969 Cruz Azul Champions 1-0
0-0		 Guatemala Comunicaciones
1970 Cruz Azul Champions Saprissa and Transvaal withdrew
1971 Cruz Azul Champions 5-1 Costa Rica Alajuelense
1975 Atlético Español Champions 3-0
2-1		 Suriname Transvaal
1977 América Champions 1-0
1-1		 Suriname Robinhood
1978 UdeG Champions The final series was canceled and the 3 qualified clubs were declared joint champions
1980 Pumas UNAM Champions Final round Honduras Pumas UNAH
Suriname Robinhood
1982 Pumas UNAM Champions 0-0
3-2		 Suriname Robinhood
1983 Atlante Champions 1-1
5-0		 Suriname Robinhood
1987 América Champions 1-1
2-0		 Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force
1989 Pumas UNAM Champions 1-1
3-1		 Cuba Pinar del Río
1990 América Champions 2-2
6-0		 Cuba Pinar del Río
1991 Puebla Champions 3-1
1-1		 Trinidad and Tobago Police
1992 América Champions 1-0 Costa Rica Alajuelense
1993 León Runners-up Final round Costa Rica Saprissa
Guatemala Municipal
Suriname Robinhood
1994 Atlante Runners-up 2-3 Costa Rica Cartaginés
1996 Cruz Azul Champions Final round Guatemala Comunicaciones
United States Seattle Sounders
Necaxa Runners-up Final round
1997 Cruz Azul Champions 5-3 United States LA Galaxy
1998 Toluca Runners-up 0-1 United States D.C. United
1999 Necaxa Champions 2-1 Costa Rica Alajuelense
2002 Pachuca Champions 1-0 Morelia
Morelia Runners-up –
2003 Toluca Champions 3-3
2-1		 Morelia
Morelia Runners-up –
2005 Pumas UNAM Runners-up 0-2
2-1		 Costa Rica Saprissa
2006 América Champions 0-0
2-1		 Toluca
Toluca Runners-up –
2007 Pachuca Champions 2-2
0-0
(7-6 p)		 Guadalajara
Guadalajara Champions –
2008 Pachuca Champions 1-1
2-1		 Costa Rica Saprissa
2008-09 Atlante Champions 2-0
0-0		 Cruz Azul
Cruz Azul Runners-up –
2009-10 Pachuca Champions 1-2
1-0
away goals		 Cruz Azul
Cruz Azul Runners-up –
2010-11 Monterrey Champions 2-2
1-0		 United States Real Salt Lake
2011-12 Monterrey Champions 2-0
1-2		 Santos Laguna
Santos Laguna Runners-up –
2012-13 Monterrey Champions 0-0
4-2		 Santos Laguna
Santos Laguna Runners-up –
2013-14 Cruz Azul Champions 0-0
1-1
away goals		 Toluca
Toluca Runners-up –
2014-15 América Champions 1-1
4-2		 Canada Montréal
2015-16 América Champions 2-0
2-1		 Tigres UANL
Tigres UANL Runners-up –
2016-17 Pachuca Champions 1-1
1-0		 Tigres UANL
Tigres UANL Runners-up –
2018 Guadalajara Champions 2-1
1-2
(4-2 p)		 Canada Toronto
2019 Monterrey Champions 1-0
1-1		 Tigres UANL
Tigres UANL Runners-up –
2020 Tigres UANL Champions 2-1 United States LAFC
2021 Monterrey Champions 1-0 América
América Runners-up –
2022 Pumas UNAM Runners-up 2-2
0-3		 United States Seattle Sounders
2023 León Champions 2-1
1-0		 United States LAFC
2024 Pachuca Champions 3-0 United States Columbus Crew

CONCACAF Cup Winners

Year Club Progress Results Opponents
1993 Monterrey Champions Final Round Honduras RCD España
El Salvador Luis Ángel Firpo
Guatemala Suchitepéquez
1994 Necaxa Champions 3-0 Guatemala Aurora
1995 Tecos Champions 2-1 El Salvador Luis Ángel Firpo

CONCACAF Giants Cup (discontinued)

Year Club Progress Results Opponents
2001 América Champions 2-0 United States D.C. United

Campeonato Centroamericano/Championship of Central America

Year Club Progress Results Opponents
1959 Guadalajara Runners-up Round-robin Honduras Olimpia
Costa Rica Alajuelense
El Salvador FAS

Leagues Cup

Year Club Progress Results Opponents
2019 Cruz Azul Champions 2-1 Tigres UANL
Tigres UANL Runners-up –
2021 León Champions 3-2 United States Seattle Sounders

North American SuperLiga (discontinued)

Main article: North American SuperLiga
Year Club Progress Results Opponents
2007 Pachuca Champions 1-1
(4-3 p)		 United States LA Galaxy
2009 Tigres UANL Champions 1-1
(4-3 p)		 United States Chicago Fire
2010 Morelia Champions 2-1 United States New England Revolution

Campeones Cup

Year Club Progress Results Opponents
2018 Tigres UANL Champions 3-1 Canada Toronto
2019 América Runers-up 2-3 United States Atlanta United
2021 Cruz Azul Runners-up 0-2 United States Columbus Crew
2022 Atlas Runners-up 0-2 United States New York City
2023 Tigres UANL Champions 0-0
(4-2 p)		 United States LAFC
2024 América Champions 1-1
(5-4 p)		 United States Columbus Crew

CONMEBOL Libertadores

Mexican clubs participated in the Copa Libertadores from 1998 to 2016.[3][4]

Year Club Progress Results Opponents
2001 Cruz Azul Runners-up 0-1
1-0
(1-3 p)		 Argentina Boca Juniors
2010 Guadalajara Runners-up 1-2
2-3		 Brazil Internacional
2015 Tigres UANL Runners-up 0-0
0-3		 Argentina River Plate

CONMEBOL Sudamericana

Mexican clubs participated in the Copa Sudamericana from 2005 to 2008.[5]

Year Club Progress Results Opponents
2005 Pumas UNAM Runners-up 1-1
(3-4 p)		 Argentina Boca Juniors
2006 Pachuca Champions 1-1
2-1		 Chile Colo-Colo
2007 América Runners-up 2-3
2-1
away goals		 Argentina Arsenal de Sarandí

CONMEBOL Recopa

Year Club Progress Results Opponents
2007 Pachuca Runners-up 2-1
0-4		 Brazil Internacional

See also

References

  1. ^ "Concacaf announces qualification criteria for Confederation's expanded Champions League starting in 2024". CONCACAF. June 30, 2022 [First published June 1, 2022]. Archived from the original on June 1, 2022. Retrieved November 13, 2022.
  2. ^ "2024 Concacaf Champions Cup Regulations" (PDF). Concacaf. 25 October 2023. pp. 14–19. Archived (PDF) from the original on 26 October 2023. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
  3. ^ "CONMEBOL: Las puertas de la Copa Libertadores seguirán abiertas a los clubes mexicanos". CONMEBOL.com. 18 November 2016. Archived from the original on 19 November 2016.
  4. ^ "Mexico officially pulls out of Copa Libertadores". Goal.com. 18 November 2016. Archived from the original on 18 November 2016.
  5. ^ "Concacaf". www.concacaf.com. Archived from the original on 4 July 2009. Retrieved 12 January 2022.