Liga MX Femenil: 2021 Torneo Apertura opening day, season overview | OneFootball

The Liga MX Femenil returns to action this week. Just over 40 days after Tigres defeated Chivas in the 2021 Guard1anes final, the Mexican women’s football league makes its triumphant comeback on Friday, July 16.

To kick things off is the 2021 Torneo Apertura. This is first of two tournaments that make up the 2021/22 Liga MX Femenil season. The regular phase of the opening tournament will run from July 16 to November 22.

A playoff phase will follow in December, where the top eight teams of the regular phase will compete for a spot in the final.

Day one storylines

Querétaro and Monterrey will kick things off in the first match of the opening tournament. Monterrey, also known as Rayadas, found consistent success last season. The northern Mexico club finished third and fourth in the 2020/21 opening and closing tournaments, respectively.

Last year’s opening and closing tournament champions, Tigres, will begin the new campaign on Monday, July 19. They face Mazatlán, who finished mid-table on both occasions last season.

Coming off of a second place finish during last season’s closing tournament, Chivas will host Atlético de San Luis. The visiting San Luis Potosí-based club will look to rectify their recent last place finish.

Torneo Apertura at a glance

Unlike last season, the 2021 Torneo Apertura will begin in early July. Because of the pandemic, however, the league will continue to follow strict COVID-19 protocols. Each stadium’s capacity will be regulated based on instructions set by both state and federal authorities.

For the first time in league history, foreign players will participate in the Liga MX Femenil. Among the first non-Mexican internationals to play in the league will be Spanish-Brazilian midfielder Stefany Ferrer van Ginkel and Costa Rican forward Michelle Montero.

Following the partnership announcement in May between Liga MX and La Liga, further international expansion is expected.

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On the pitch, Tigres will want to follow-up last season’s success with more silverware. Meanwhile, clubs such as Chivas, Rayadas, and Atlas will hope to disrupt Tigres’s supremacy.

As a result, matchday 12 holds two of the most important fixtures of the opening tournament: Clásico Regio and Clásico Nacional. The rivalry between Tigres and Rayadas will be front and center on Saturday, October 9. At that point in the season, a win for either side could be critical.

After that, Chivas and América will battle it out at Estadio Akron on Monday, October 11. While América struggled in the last tournament, these two sides never disappoint when they come face to face.

For the full 2021 Torneo Apertura league schedule, click here.

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