Overview of Mexican Professional Football and the 2025–26 Season The top-flight professional football league in Mexico is Liga MX, which is divided into the Apertura and Clausura tournaments. The 2025–26 season features 18 participating clubs, with Toluca claiming the Apertura 2025 championship. The league operates under the Mexican Football Federation (Femexfut), a body affiliated with FIFA that regulates national tournaments and player transfers. In recent years, Liga MX eliminated its promotion and relegation system to financially stabilize the league, instead relying on a coefficient table to issue heavy financial penalties to the worst-performing teams. The league is also actively working to eliminate the practice of corporate groups owning multiple teams by 2026 to foster fair competition and attract new investors.The "Clásico Joven" Rivalry One of the most fiercely contested rivalries in Liga MX is the "Clásico Joven," played between Club América and Cruz Azul, two of the country's most popular teams. The rivalry originated in 1963 and earned its nickname in 1980 because both clubs featured prominent young players on their rosters. The teams have faced off in numerous historic finals, such as Cruz Azul's dominant 4-1 victory in the 1971–72 season and América's dramatic penalty shootout win during the Clausura 2013. Historically, América has maintained a slight edge in total victories over the 200-plus matches played between the two sides. Striker Carlos Hermosillo remains the fixture's all-time leading scorer with 15 goals, notably achieving immense success while playing for both clubs throughout his career.Recent Match and Context (April 2026) During the Clausura 2026 tournament, América and Cruz Azul met on April 11, resulting in a 1-1 draw. This match was particularly significant as it marked the teams' return to the newly renovated Estadio Banorte—formerly known as the Estadio Azteca—which had been undergoing extensive renovations ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Young forward Patricio Salas opened the scoring for América with a header, but Omar Campos quickly equalized for Cruz Azul before halftime. The match was also notable for a severe injury to Cruz Azul striker Nico Ibáñez, as well as significant fan frustration over exorbitant stadium costs, including controversial $60 parking fees.Regulatory Scrutiny in Mexican Football Off the pitch, Mexican football has faced significant legal and regulatory interventions. The Federal Economic Competition Commission (Cofece) has actively investigated anti-competitive practices within the sports labor market. In 2021, Cofece issued substantial fines to 17 clubs, Femexfut, and several individuals for colluding to impose illegal salary caps on female players, a practice that severely worsened the gender pay gap. Authorities also sanctioned the clubs for maintaining a "gentlemen's agreement," an illicit market-allocation tactic that restricted male players' mobility by allowing clubs to retain draft rights over athletes even after their contracts had expired. These rulings have forced the federation to dismantle these illegal agreements and align its regulations with international contractual freedom standards.

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