Latin Women In Sports: This Is How Women's Soccer in Mexico Manages to Flourish and Prosper

The narrative of women in sports often finds itself relegated to the sidelines. It is our mission to change that, to amplify their accomplishments and to weave a tapestry of stories that inspire and empower. Our weekly column Latin Women in Sports seeks to applaud their triumphs, break down barriers, and champion the idea that in sports, as in life, every voice deserves to be heard.

SEATTLE - It was a result that shocked most of the soccer world: Mexico entered its match against the four-time World Cup winners United States as underdogs and defeated them convincingly by 'Dos a Cero'. Most soccer fans in the world might have been surprised, but Mexican ones were not.

The feat achieved by Mexico at the first-ever CONCACAF W Gold Cup was years in the making. Since the creation of the Liga MX Femenil in 2017, Mexico has been one of the countries with the biggest growth in the women's game.

Just last year, Mexico's Liga MX Femenil saw its best year up to date in terms of pretty much everything. It counted a total of 1,108 goals scored, an increase of 20% compared to 2022, making it the best year -offensively speaking- in the history of the league.

Audience numbers were also on the rise. According to data from Liga MX, 9.2 million people tuned in to watch a Liga MX Femenil game throughout the season. The second leg of the Apertura 2023 tournament set a record for viewers in North America, with 3.9 million people watching Tigres win its sixth Liga MX Femenil title. The Tigres-América final was the most watched women's soccer game in the world, even surpassing the NWSL and England's Women's Super League.

Women's soccer has found in fans its biggest ally. As players continue to fight for equal pay and better conditions in terms of infrastructure and quality of life, Mexican fans have continued to show they believe and support the project. During the Clausura 2023, a total of 58,156 people filled the stands of the legendary Estadio Azteca to watch Club América take on Pachuca for the Clausura 2023 title. The support has also transferred to the online world: with 1.5 million followers across all their social media platforms, Liga MX Femenil ranked third in the world for the largest number of followers among women's soccer leagues.

Mexico's 'Dos A Cero' win over the United States affirmed what fans have known for a while: supporting women in sports should be a priority. Out of the 11 players that started the game against the USWNT, 10 of them are playing their club soccer at Liga MX. Only Houston Dash' María Sánchez, who just weeks ago became one of the best-paid women's players in the world, plays outside the country.

The Mexican women's national team has built on the successes of last year, winning gold at both the Pan American and Central American and Caribbean Games, by topping their CONCACAF W Gold Cup group. Mexico will seek another date with history on March 3, as they face Paraguay in the Quarterfinals.