Attendances increased across the league and another significant influx of international talent underlined Mexico's growing reputation as one of the world's most attractive destinations for women's football.
While the same eight clubs that qualified for the Apertura playoffs returned for the Clausura Liguilla, there was plenty of movement within the standings. América finished top of the regular season with 42 points, narrowly ahead of Monterrey (40), UANL Tigres (37) and reigning Clausura champions Pachuca (36), while Guadalajara, Toluca, Cruz Azul and Juárez rounded out the playoff places.
The knockout rounds produced several dramatic ties before América lifted their third Liga MX Femenil title. The eventual champions edged Juárez 4-3 on aggregate in the quarter-finals, with Mexican international Scarlett Camberos scoring in both legs and Spanish midfielder Irene Guerrero delivering a decisive late brace in the return match.
Monterrey comfortably eliminated Cruz Azul, powered by a remarkable second-half hat-trick from former Manchester United forward Lucía García, while Toluca upset Tigres thanks largely to French international Faustine Robert, who scored in both legs. Pachuca also progressed after overturning a first-leg deficit against Guadalajara, with veteran striker Charlyn Corral again proving decisive.
América then produced one of the most dominant semi-final performances in league history, thrashing Toluca 11-4 on aggregate after a stunning 7-1 first-leg victory. Brazilian international Geyse starred throughout the tie, although Robert's first-half hat-trick in the second leg briefly threatened an unlikely comeback.
The final pitted Monterrey against América. Rayadas won the opening leg 1-0 through promising Mexican midfielder Alice Soto, but América responded emphatically in Mexico City. Goals from Geyse and Camberos helped secure a 3-0 victory in front of more than 26,000 supporters, earning Las Águilas their third championship after falling short in four of the previous five finals.
The aggregate standings across both tournaments also reflected the league's increasingly competitive nature. América finished first with 80 combined points, narrowly ahead of Tigres on 79, while Monterrey secured third place with 72, with all three qualifying for the 2026-27 CONCACAF W Champions Cup.
Imports make their mark
Among the season's outstanding individual performers, Toluca's French legend Eugénie Le Sommer and Tigres striker Diana Ordóñez shared the Golden Boot with 18 goals apiece. Corral continued to demonstrate her remarkable longevity by finishing third with 14 goals, while Cruz Azul's Nigerian international Uchenna Kanu enjoyed an excellent return to Liga MX Femenil with 10 goals after leaving Racing Louisville in the NWSL.
Spanish internationals also continued to leave their mark. Monterrey's Lucía García scored nine goals during the Clausura, while América's Irene Guerrero proved influential throughout both the regular season and playoffs. Other leading scorers included Tijuana's Turkish international Kader Hancar, Atlas captain Brenda Cerén of El Salvador, Pachuca's Argentine forward Nina Nicosia and Guatemala international Aisha Solórzano.
Perhaps the clearest indicator of Liga MX Femenil's continued growth came off the pitch.
Average attendance climbed to 2,281 spectators per match, improving significantly on the Apertura average of 1,807 and continuing an upward trend that has gathered momentum over the past two seasons. Monterrey again led the league, averaging more than 8,000 fans per home match—numbers that would compare favourably with several NWSL clubs in the United States.
Guadalajara and Tigres also attracted crowds above 4,000, while América and Cruz Azul both averaged well over 3,500 supporters.
One of the season's most interesting developments was Cruz Azul's temporary move from their isolated training-ground venue in southern Mexico City to Cuernavaca, around an hour away. The experiment transformed attendances from just 269 supporters per game during the Apertura to an average of 3,695 in the Clausura. From this writer's perspective, the success of the move makes a compelling case for Cruz Azul to keep the women's side in Cuernavaca for the foreseeable future.
Liga MX Femenil's international profile also continued to expand at a remarkable rate. The Clausura featured 221 foreign players—26 more than during the Apertura—with Americans accounting for 119 of those imports. Players from 38 different nations competed across the league, illustrating how Mexico has evolved into one of the world's leading destinations for international talent.
Newcomers impact
Several newcomers immediately strengthened their clubs.
Club América added former Gonzaga and Florida State defender Gianna Riley, who became part of both their Clausura title-winning squad and their successful CONCACAF W Champions Cup campaign. Pachuca recruited American midfielders Sydney Becerra and Mackenzee Vance, while Monterrey continued to benefit from Australian Matildas forward Emily Gielnik.
Toluca made one of the highest-profile signings by bringing in Swedish veteran Sofia Jakobsson following her spell with London City Lionesses. Although she scored only once during her first half-season, her vast experience in England, Germany, Spain, France, Sweden and the NWSL should make her an increasingly influential figure next season.
Tigres also strengthened impressively. Former Florida State midfielder Emma Watson adapted quickly to Mexican football, while Brazilian international Mariza Nascimento became an automatic starter after arriving from Corinthians. Portuguese international Ana Seiça continued to establish herself as one of the league's most accomplished defenders after her move from Benfica.
Elsewhere, Cruz Azul signed Peruvian international Mia León and welcomed back Nigerian striker Uchenna Kanu, while Atlético San Luis added Peruvian midfielder Sandra Arévalo and Argentine international Chiara Singarella. Tijuana's Turkish striker Kader Hancar built on an outstanding debut campaign, and Queretaro recruited Zambian international Grace Chanda following her spell with Orlando Pride.
The increasing number of foreign signings is no longer simply about importing established stars. Liga MX Femenil clubs are now aggressively recruiting young dual-national players from the United States, particularly those eligible for Mexico, creating another important pathway for player development while further strengthening one of the fastest-growing women's leagues in the world.
- Read the full version at Tim Grainey's Substack. His latest book is Beyond Bend it Like Beckham on the global game of women’s football. Get your copy today. Follow Tim on Twitter: @TimGrainey