Since its inception in 1943, a total of 24 different teams have been crowned champions of Liga MX, Mexico's premier soccer division.
Some teams have won the title just once, while others have claimed it multiple times, and in some cases, even consecutively.
This seemingly unusual number of different champions can be attributed to Liga MX's unique format, which, since 1996, has split each season into two tournaments—the Apertura (formerly Invierno) and the Clausura (formerly Verano)—each culminating in a playoff competition featuring eight teams, the Liguilla.
Here, we'll explore the most successful teams in the league’s history and take a closer look at those who have dominated Liga MX and continue to shape its legacy.
Liga MX Champions: Complete List by Year
Here’s a breakdown of which club won Mexico’s league title during each year, starting first as Liga Mayor, then as the Primera División de México, and finally as Liga MX.
Liga Mayor (1943-1949)
Season
Winner
1943–44
Asturias
1944–45
Real España
1945–46
Veracruz
1946–47
Atlante
1947–48
Club León
1948–49
Club León
Primera División de México (1949-2012)
Season
Winner
1949–50
Veracruz
1950–51
Atlas
1951–52
Club León
1952–53
Tampico
1953–54
Marte
1954–55
Zacatepec
1955–56
Club León
1956–57
C.D. Guadalajara
1957–58
Zacatepec
1958–59
C.D. Guadalajara
1959–60
C.D. Guadalajara
1960–61
C.D. Guadalajara
1961–62
C.D. Guadalajara
1962–63
Oro
1963–64
C.D. Guadalajara
1964–65
C.D. Guadalajara
1965–66
Club América
1966–67
Toluca
1967–68
Toluca
1968–69
Cruz Azul
1969–70
C.D. Guadalajara
1970*
Cruz Azul
1970–71
Club América
1971–72
Cruz Azul
1972–73
Cruz Azul
1973–74
Cruz Azul
1974–75
Toluca
1975–76
Club América
1976–77
Pumas UNAM
1977–78
Tigres UANL
1978–79
Cruz Azul
1979–80
Cruz Azul
1980–81
Pumas UNAM
1981–82
Tigres UANL
1982–83
Puebla
1983–84
Club América
1984–85
Club América
Prode 1985
Club América
México 1986
Monterrey
1986–87
C.D. Guadalajara
1987–88
Club América
1988–89
Club América
1989–90
Puebla
1990–91
Pumas UNAM
1991–92
Club León
1992–93
Atlante
1993–94
Tecos
1994–95
Necaxa
1995–96
Necaxa
Invierno 1996
Santos Laguna
Verano 1997
C.D. Guadalajara
Invierno 1997
Cruz Azul
Verano 1998
Toluca
Invierno 1998
Necaxa
Verano 1999
Toluca
Invierno 1999
Pachuca
Verano 2000
Toluca
Invierno 2000
Morelia
Verano 2001
Santos Laguna
Invierno 2001
Pachuca
Verano 2002
Club América
Apertura 2002
Toluca
Clausura 2003
Monterrey
Apertura 2003
Pachuca
Clausura 2004
Pumas UNAM
Apertura 2004
Pumas UNAM
Clausura 2005
Club América
Apertura 2005
Toluca
Clausura 2006
Pachuca
Apertura 2006
C.D. Guadalajara
Clausura 2007
Pachuca
Apertura 2007
Atlante
Clausura 2008
Santos Laguna
Apertura 2008
Toluca
Clausura 2009
Pumas UNAM
Apertura 2009
Monterrey
Bicentenario (Clausura) 2010
Toluca
Apertura 2010
Monterrey
Clausura 2011
Pumas UNAM
Apertura 2011
Tigres UANL
Clausura 2012
Santos Laguna
*
Liga MX (2012-)
Season
Winner
Apertura 2012
Tijuana
Clausura 2013
Club América
Apertura 2013
Club León
Clausura 2014
Club León
Apertura 2014
Club América
Clausura 2015
Santos Laguna
Apertura 2015
Tigres UANL
Clausura 2016
Pachuca
Apertura 2016
Tigres UANL
Clausura 2017
C.D. Guadalajara
Apertura 2017
Tigres UANL
Clausura 2018
Santos Laguna
Apertura 2018
Club América
Clausura 2019
Tigres UANL
Apertura 2019
Monterrey
Clausura 2020
–
Guardianes (Apertura) 2020
Club León
Guardianes (Clausura) 2021
Cruz Azul
Apertura 2021
Atlas
Clausura 2022
Atlas
Apertura 2022
Pachuca
Clausura 2023
Tigres UANL
Apertura 2023
Club América
Clausura 2024
Club América
Apertura 2024
Club América
Clubs with the Most Liga MX Titles
Here are the clubs that have won the most Liga MX titles of all time:
Club
Liga MX Titles
Club América
16
C.D. Guadalajara
12
Toluca
10
Cruz Azul
9
Club León
8
Tigres UANL
8
Pumas UNAM
7
Pachuca
7
Santos Laguna
6
Monterrey
5
Most Successful Clubs in the Liga MX Playoff Era
The modern Liguilla format of Liga MX, which currently sees the top eight teams at the end of each season compete in a knockout playoff tournament for the title, was first introduced in 1970.
Since then, Club América has been the league's most dominant team, winning 15 titles, while Toluca and Tigres UANL have each claimed eight apiece.
Here are the clubs that have won the most Liga MX titles since the introduction of the Liguilla:
Club
Liga MX Titles (Since 1970)
Club América
15
Toluca
8
Tigres UANL
8
Cruz Azul
7
Pumas UNAM
7
Pachuca
7
Santos Laguna
6
Monterrey
5
C.D. Guadalajara
4
Club León
4
Which Teams Have Dominated Liga MX for Multiple Seasons?
Club América, C.D. Guadalajara and Cruz Azul are the three clubs that have enjoyed the most sustained success in Liga MX history.
Guadalajara, also known as Chivas, controlled the league’s early years. After winning its first title in 1956–57, the club went on to claim seven of the next 10, including an impressive four in a row between 1958 and 1962.
By the late 1960s, Cruz Azul began to challenge Chivas’ reign, with the two clubs trading titles for three consecutive years—Cruz Azul winning in 1968 and 1970, and Chivas taking the 1969 title—each time with the other finishing as runner-up.
Cruz Azul then went on a dominant run of its own, winning five of the next 10 championships, including an incredible three straight in 1972, 1973, and 1974.
Club América, meanwhile, emerged as the powerhouse of the 1980s, securing five league titles. After a relatively quiet spell in the 2000s and 2010s, América has since reestablished itself as Liga MX’s top team, winning all of the last three titles.
Notable Liga MX Finals & Historic Championship Matches
The highest-scoring Liga MX championship final occurred in the 2022 Apertura, when Pachuca defeated Toluca by an astonishing 8-2 aggregate over two legs.
Pachuca dominated the first leg, winning 5-1 after scoring four goals in the first half, before sealing the title with a 3-1 victory in the second leg to claim its seventh championship.
Other high-scoring finals include C.D. Guadalajara’s 7-1 aggregate win over Toros Neza in the 1997 and Monterrey’s 6-4 triumph over Cruz Azul in the 2009 Apertura.
One of the most thrilling Liga MX finals of all time took place in the 2015 Apertura, featuring Pumas UNAM and Tigres UANL.
Tigres dominated the first leg with a 3-0 victory, but Pumas staged an incredible comeback in the second leg, mirroring the scoreline to force extra time. Tigres regained the lead in extra time, only for Pumas to equalize with practically the last kick of the game, sending the final to a dramatic penalty shootout.
The fairytale comeback wasn't to be, however, as Pumas missed two of their four spot kicks in the shootout, allowing Tigres to claim the title.
