The Copa MX, formerly known as Copa México and Copa Corona MX (for sponsorship reasons),[8] was a Mexican football cup tournament. The first season of the professional era was held in 1942–43. The cup tournament was not held in several years (1976–1988, 1992–1994, 1997–2012) and currently the competition has been paused since the 2019–20 edition. It was the first tournament that included teams from different parts of Mexico and was considered a prestigious competition, especially during its earlier years of existence. The purpose of the competition was to determine a national cup champion, thus distinguishing it from the national league championship. Its format was different from the local leagues as well, as it employed direct elimination and culminated in a final match.

Copa MX
Founded1942; 82 years ago (1942) (as Copa México)
Abolished2020
RegionMexico
Number of teams24
Domestic cup(s)Supercopa MX
Last championsMonterrey
(3rd title)
Most successful club(s)América
(6 titles)
Television broadcastersClaro[1]
ESPN[2]
Fox Sports[3]
Grupo Imagen[4]
Televisa[5]
TV Azteca[6]
TVC Deportes[7]
WebsiteCopa MX

In May 2012, Liga MX president Decio de María announced the return and rebranding of the tournament as Copa MX.[9]

History

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Amateur era

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Copa México (1932–1942)

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After the foundation of the Federación Mexicana de Fútbol in 1927, a new trophy named the Copa México was donated in 1932 and the first cup tournament organized by the FMF was contested during the 1932–33 season. This time, the competition also received official support of President Lázaro Cárdenas. The first Copa México was won by Necaxa in a tournament of historical importance due to the adoption of new rules. This marked the beginning of an 11-year period that is referred to in retrospect as the Amateur era. Once again, Asturias dominated the championship, winning it a record five times during this period.

Professional era (1942–2020)

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Copa México (1942–1997)

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In the 1942–43 edition the professional era of the Copa México began, a period that would last until the competition's termination in 1997. At first, it was played among teams from the then-Liga Mayor, the present-day Primera División de México. Beginning in 1950 the teams of the Segunda División de México were also included into the competition with the exception of the 1956–57, 1963–64, 1994–95 and 1995–96 editions.

Copa MX (2012–2020)

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Upon its return in 2012, the newly rebranded Copa MX was played twice a year, concurrent with the two league tournaments. In the Fall tournament, 14 of the Liga MX teams not involved in the CONCACAF Champions League, play alongside 14 of the Ascenso MX teams. The 14 Ascenso MX teams were the 13 top point-earners from the season prior, plus the newly relegated team. The teams were placed into seven groups of 4. The seven group winners, plus the group runner-up with the highest point total, moved on to the quarterfinals.

Teams played 6 games in the group stage. Groups and home field advantage were determined by a blind draw. For the group draw, 1st division teams were placed in Pot A, while 2nd division teams were placed in Pot B. In the home field advantage draw, no team can have more than two home games in the group stage. A blind draw determined home field advantage in the knockout rounds.

In the Spring tournament, the 11 Liga MX teams not involved in international tournaments, played alongside the 13 Ascenso MX teams with the highest point total from the previous short tournament. Both tournaments will have the same draw format and number of group games. KO rounds for both tournaments will be single-elimination.

The new format was played twice a year, concurrent with the two league tournaments. In the Fall tournament, all Liga MX clubs will play alongside 12 of the Ascenso MX teams. The 12 Ascenso MX teams will be the 11 top point-earners from the season prior, plus the newly relegated team. The teams will be placed into 8 groups of 3. The 8 group winners, plus the 8 group runners-up, move on to the new round (round of 16).

Teams will play four games in the group stage. Groups and home field advantage will be determined the draw by public at their annual draft. For the group draw, 1st division teams' top 4 point-earners and 2nd division teams' top 4 point-earners will be placed in Pot A, while 1st division teams' mid 4 point-earners and 2nd division teams' mid 4 point-earners will be placed in Pot B and 1st division teams' last 4 point-earners and 2nd division teams' last 4 point-earners will be placed in Pot C. In the home field advantage draw, teams can have two home games in the group stage. A blind draw will determine home field advantage in the KO rounds.

From the 2019–20 season, the Copa MX will be played as a single tournament throughout the season. It will have the participation of 27 teams (15 of Liga MX and 12 of Ascenso MX) placed into nine groups of three. Respect to the development of the tournament, this maintains most of the 2016 format, except the division in two tournaments per year. The group stage will be played between July and December, and the final stage will be played between January and April.

However, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 final was postponed until November, and beforehand, it suspended play due to busy calendar issues, with the Mexican Football Federation giving preference to matches of the Mexico national football team in preparation for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, resulting in the cancellation of the 2020–21 season and the competition entering a new indefinite hiatus.

Precursor tournaments

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Copa Tower

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The tournament began in 1907 with the donation of the trophy by Reginald Tower, who was at the time the British ambassador to Mexico. For this reason, it was called the Copa Tower. At first, the tournament only included clubs from Mexico City and surrounding areas. Pachuca won the inaugural tournament, in 1908, by defeating Reforma in the final. In 1919, Real España won the cup for the third year straight and were allowed to keep the trophy permanently. In all, the Copa Tower was contested 15 times with Real España winning in four times in all, the best performance of the competition.

Year Champions Results Runners-up
1907–08 Pachuca 1–0 British Club
1908–09 Reforma 2–1 Pachuca
1909–10 Reforma Pachuca
1910–11 British Club 3–0 Reforma
1911–12 Pachuca w/o Reforma
1912–13 Club México 3-1 Rovers
1913–14 Club México 2–0
(a.e.t.)
L'Amicale Française
1914–15 Real España 1–0 Rovers
1915–16 Rovers Pachuca
1916–17 Real España 5-1 Club México
1917–18 Real España 1–0 Tigres México
1918–19 Real España 4-0 Club México
1919-20 América 1-0 Asturias
1920-21 Club México 1-0 Deportivo Internacional
1921-22 Asturias 2-0 Germania

Copa Eliminatoria

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The tournament took place for the first time in 1920. The Copa Eliminatoria was contested 7 times between 1920 and 1928. Real España won it three times, the highest total of any club during this period.

Year Champions Results Runners-up
1920-21 Real España 2-1 Luz y Fuerza
1921-22 Real España 3-1 Luz y Fuerza
1922-23 Asturias 2-1
(a.e.t.)
Germania
1923-24 Asturias 3-0 Real España
1924-25 Necaxa 1-0
(a.e.t.)
América
1925-26 Necaxa 3-2
(a.e.t.)
Asturias
1926-27
The tournament was not held
1927-28 Real España 3-1 Asturias

Results

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The first national cup tournament organized by the FMF since its founding was the 1932-33 Copa México, in the cup's amateur era.[10]

Cup tournament finals

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Year Champions Results Runners-up
Copa México / Amateur era
1932–33 Necaxa
3–1
Germania
1933–34 Asturias
3–0
Necaxa
1934–35
The tournament was not held
1935–36 Necaxa 2–1
(a.e.t.)
Asturias
1936–37 Asturias
5–3
América
1937–38 América
3–1
Real España
1938–39 Asturias
4–1
Real España
1939–40 Asturias
1–0
Necaxa
1940–41 Asturias
2–2
w/o
Real España
1941–42 Atlante
5–3
5-0
Necaxa
Year Champions Results Runners-up Manager
Copa México / Professional era
1942–43 Moctezuma 5–3
(a.e.t.)
Atlante   Eduardo Morilla
1943–44 Real España
6–2
Atlante   Rodolfo Muñoz
1944–45 Puebla
6–4
América   Eduardo Morilla
1945-46 Atlas 5–4
(a.e.t.)
Atlante   Eduardo Valdatti
1946–47 Moctezuma
4–3
Oro   Julio Kaiser
1947–48 Veracruz
3–1
Guadalajara   Joaquin Urquiaga
1948–49 León
3–0
Atlante   Jose Maria Casullo
1949–50 Atlas
3–1
Veracruz   Eduardo Valdatti
1950–51 Atlante
1–0
Guadalajara   Octavio Vial
1951–52 Atlante
Final group
Guadalajara   Gregorio Blasco
1952–53 Puebla
4–1
León   Isidro Langara
1953–54 América 1-1
(3-2 p)
Guadalajara   Octavio Vial
1954-55 América
1–0
Guadalajara   Octavio Vial
1955–56 Toluca
2–1
Irapuato   Fernando Marcos
1956–57 Zacatepec
1-0
León   Ignacio Trellez
1957–58 León 1-1
5–2
(a.e.t.)
Zacatepec   Antonio López Herranz
1958–59 Zacatepec
2–1
León   Ignacio Trellez
1959–60 Necaxa
4–1
Tampico   Donald Ross
1960–61 Tampico
1–0
Toluca   Nicolas Palma
1961–62 Atlas
3–3
1–0
Tampico   Jose Carlos Bauer
1962–63 Guadalajara
2–1
Atlante   Javier De la Torre
1963–64 América 0-0
1-1
(5-4 p)
Monterrey   Alejandro Scopelli
1964–65 América
4–0
Morelia   Alejandro Scopelli
1965–66 Necaxa
3–3
1–0
León   Miguel Marin
1966–67 León
2–1
Guadalajara  Luis Grill
1967–68 Atlas
2–1
Veracruz   Javier Novello
1968–69 Cruz Azul 2–1
(a.e.t.)
Monterrey   Raúl Cardenas
1969–70 Guadalajara
3–2
2–1
Torreón   Javier de la Torre
1970–71 León 0-0
(10-9 p)
Zacatepec   Antonio Carbajal
1971–72 León
Final group
Puebla   Antonio Carbajal
1972–73
The tournament was not held
1973–74 América
2–1
1–1
Cruz Azul   José Antonio Roca
1974–75 Pumas UNAM
Final group
Leones Negros UdeG   Árpád Fekete
1975–76 Tigres UANL
2–0
1–2
América   Claudio Lostanau
1976–87
The tournament was not held
1987–88 Puebla 0–0
1–1
(away goals)
Cruz Azul   Hugo Fernández
1988–89 Toluca 1–1
2-1
(a.e.t.)
Leones Negros UdeG   Héctor Sanabria
1989–90 Puebla
4–1
0–2
Tigres UANL   Manuel Lapuente
1990–91 Leones Negros UdeG
1–0
0–0
América   Alberto Guerra
1991–92 Monterrey
4–2
Cobras   Miguel Mejía Barón
1992–94
The tournament was not held
1994–95 Necaxa
2–0
Veracruz   Manuel Lapuente
1995–96 Tigres UANL
1–1
1–0
Atlas   Victor Manuel Vucetich
1996–97 Cruz Azul
2–0
Toros Neza   Victor Manuel Vucetich
1997–2012
The tournament was not held
Copa MX
Apertura 2012 Sinaloa 2-2
(3-2 p)
Correcaminos UAT   Francisco Javier Ramírez
Clausura 2013 Cruz Azul 0-0
(4-2 p)
Atlante   Guillermo Vázquez
Apertura 2013 Morelia 3-3
(3-1 p)
Atlas   Carlos Bustos
Clausura 2014 Tigres UANL
3-0
Oaxaca   Ricardo Ferretti
Apertura 2014 Santos Laguna 2-2
(4-2 p)
Puebla   Pedro Caixinha
Clausura 2015 Puebla
4-2
Guadalajara   José Guadalupe Cruz
Apertura 2015 Guadalajara
1-0
León   Matías Almeyda
Clausura 2016 Veracruz
4-1
Necaxa   Carlos Reinoso
Apertura 2016 Querétaro 0-0
(3-2 p)
Guadalajara   Víctor Manuel Vucetich
Clausura 2017 Guadalajara 0-0
(3-1 p)
Morelia   Matías Almeyda
Apertura 2017 Monterrey
1-0
Pachuca   Antonio Mohamed
Clausura 2018 Necaxa
1-0
Toluca   Ignacio Ambríz
Apertura 2018 Cruz Azul
2-0
Monterrey   Pedro Caixinha
Clausura 2019 América
1-0
Juárez   Miguel Herrera
2019–20 Monterrey
1-0
1-1
Tijuana   Antonio Mohamed

Champions

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Club Champions Runners-up
América 6 3
León 5 5
Puebla 5 1
Guadalajara 4 8
Atlas 4 2
Cruz Azul 4 2
Necaxa 4 1
Monterrey 3 3
Tigres UANL 3 1
Atlante 2 6
Veracruz 2 3
Toluca 2 2
Zacatepec 2 2
Moctezuma 2 0
Tampico 1 2
Leones Negros UdeG 1 2
Morelia 1 2
Real España 1 0
Pumas UNAM 1 0
Sinaloa 1 0
Santos Laguna 1 0
Querétaro 1 0
Oro 0 1
Irapuato 0 1
Torreón 0 1
Cobras 0 1
Toros Neza 0 1
Correcaminos UAT 0 1
Oaxaca 0 1
Pachuca 0 1
Juárez 0 1
Tijuana 0 1

See also

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References

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  1. ^ includes Claro Sports
  2. ^ includes ESPN 2
  3. ^ includes Fox Sports 2
  4. ^ includes Imagen Televisión and Excélsior TV
  5. ^ Includes Canal 5, Gala TV, Las Estrellas, Sky México, TDN and Univisión TDN
  6. ^ includes Azteca 7 and Azteca Uno
  7. ^ includes TVC Deportes 2
  8. ^ "COPA MX - Página Oficial de la Liga Mexicana del Fútbol Profesional".
  9. ^ "La Copa MX inicia la prueba de fuego tras 15 años de ausencia". CNN México. Retrieved 24 July 2012.
  10. ^ "México - List of Cup Winners".
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