Mexico City has been one of the fundamental settings in the history of Mexican women’s football. From the first competitions organized in the capital to the consolidation of the Liga BBVA Femenil, football played by women has built a history of talent, resistance, and vindication that now exceeds half a century. Today, attending a match allows you to experience one of the capital’s most dynamic sporting expressions and get closer to an increasingly large fanbase.
The pioneers
After Mexico won third place in the 1970 Women’s World Cup in Italy—an unofficial FIFA tournament—the Mexican national team hosted the second world championship of this kind, held in 1971.
In that tournament, figures such as Irma Chávez, goalkeeper Yolanda Ramírez, Martha Coronado, and the legendary Alicia “La Pelé” Vargas demonstrated the level of Mexican players. The then Estadio Azteca featured goalposts painted pink and white, but above all, it witnessed unprecedented full houses: nearly 100,000 people at the opening match against Argentina. In the historic final against Denmark, played in the same stadium, an estimated attendance of over 110,000 spectators was recorded.
Despite the success of the tournament, the players did not receive compensation proportional to the revenue generated by the competition; one of the phrases that became associated with that inequality was: “A round of applause is worth more than two million pesos.” After that moment of massive exposure, Mexican women’s football went through decades of marginalization and a lack of professional structure, while many of its protagonists returned to other jobs. Many of those footballers remained linked to the sport in neighborhoods, public fields, and amateur tournaments, keeping alive a discipline that remained ignored for decades.
Consolidation of a sporting powerhouse
The creation of the Liga MX Femenil was driven in 2016, and its first tournament, the Apertura 2017, marked the beginning of a new era. In a short time, the competition broke television audience and stadium attendance records.
Mexico City quickly positioned itself as one of the league’s competitive strongholds:
- Club América Femenil: One of the league’s main protagonists, setting attendance records in club finals by exceeding 50,000 fans at the Estadio Azteca.
- Pumas UNAM Femenil: One of the founding institutions representing the UNAM’s sporting and formative model. Since 2020, it has played its official home matches at the Estadio Olímpico Universitario.
- Atlante Femenil: A new representative of the capital that joins the professional competition, playing its home matches at the Atlante High-Performance Center (CAR).
The venues
Experiencing women’s football in Mexico City allows you to explore its monumental architecture from a festive and community perspective. The stands offer an atmosphere of collective celebration, chants, and accessibility for both locals and travelers.
- Estadio Banorte (Coloso de Santa Úrsula): Located on Calzada de Tlalpan, this colossus is not only a temple of national football but also a historic venue for global women’s sports. In 1971, the final of the Women’s World Championship gathered a historic crowd here. Currently, Club América Femenil splits its home matches between this stadium and the Coapa facilities.
- Estadio Olímpico Universitario (CU): Integrated into the Central Campus of Ciudad Universitaria, inscribed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. For women’s football, its stands sculpted from volcanic rock and its iconic facade decorated by Diego Rivera represent the home of Pumas UNAM Femenil. Watching the university team play at noon offers an experience where the student community and families come together in a nature-surrounded environment.
- Canchas Centenario Coapa and CAR Atlante: The Coapa facilities and the Atlante High-Performance Center serve as alternative venues. Access conditions differ: while América’s matches in Coapa usually have public access, Atlante Femenil’s home matches are currently played behind closed doors.
Match Schedule in Mexico City (Apertura 2026)
If you are planning to put together a sports itinerary, the Liga BBVA Femenil agenda offers the following confirmed matches in Mexico City:
- Sunday, September 13 at 17:00 hrs: América vs. Tigres UANL at Estadio Banorte.
- Sunday, September 20 at 12:00 hrs: Pumas vs. Puebla F.C. at Estadio Olímpico Universitario.
- Sunday, September 20 at 15:45 hrs: América vs. Atlas at Cancha Centenario No. 5 (Coapa).
- Monday, September 21 at 15:45 hrs: Atlante vs. Querétaro at Estadio CAR Atlante (Pitch 1).
- Monday, September 28 at 15:45 hrs: Atlante vs. Pumas at Estadio CAR Atlante (Pitch 1).
- Friday, October 2 at 19:00 hrs: Pumas vs. Tigres UANL at Estadio Olímpico Universitario.
- Sunday, October 18 at 12:00 hrs: Pumas vs. Atlas at Estadio Olímpico Universitario.
- Sunday, October 18 at 19:00 hrs: América vs. Pachuca at Estadio Banorte.
- Monday, October 26 at 15:45 hrs: Atlante vs. Guadalajara at Estadio CAR Atlante (Pitch 1).
- Sunday, November 1 at 15:45 hrs: América vs. Atlante at Cancha Centenario No. 5 (Coapa).
- Thursday, November 5 at 15:45 hrs: Atlante vs. Atlas at Estadio CAR Atlante (Pitch 1).
- Friday, November 6 at 17:00 hrs: Pumas vs. Monterrey at Estadio Olímpico Universitario.
How to get there?
- Estadio Olímpico Universitario: Metrobús Line 1 takes you to Ciudad Universitaria via the station of the same name. From there, you continue on foot towards the campus and the stadium.
- Estadio Banorte (Coloso de Santa Úrsula): The Tren Ligero (Light Rail) features the Estadio Azteca station, connected to the Tasqueña terminal of Metro Line 2.
- Cancha Centenario / Coapa Facilities: You can use the Tren Ligero to the Textitlán or El Vergel stations and then continue by taxi or ride-hailing app, depending on the specific access enabled for the match.
- CAR Atlante: The Atlante High-Performance Center is located in the Ajusco area, in the south of Mexico City. However, during the Apertura 2026, Atlante Femenil’s home matches are played behind closed doors, so it is not currently a venue accessible to spectators. Matches can be followed through the official platforms of the Liga BBVA Femenil and the club.
