Liga MX home dominance continues as MLS record in Mexico remains one-sided

It has been more than 60 years since CONCACAF introduced a pioneering regional club tournament where national champions face off. Today, it is known as the CONCACAF Champions Cup, North America’s premier club competition featuring teams from across the United States, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean.

From the beginning, Mexican clubs have set the standard.

Liga MX’s overwhelming dominance

Mexican soccer teams have won the continental title 40 times, a staggering 34 more than their nearest challenger, Costa Rica, which has claimed it six times.

That gap underscores just how dominant Liga MX has been across the region for decades, establishing itself as the benchmark in North American club soccer.

MLS has closed the gap, but only in the United States

In recent years, Major League Soccer clubs from the United States and Canada have improved significantly, and matchups with Liga MX teams are now far more competitive.

However, that balance shifts dramatically when MLS teams travel to Mexico.

Despite the growing parity at home, MLS clubs have historically struggled in Mexican stadiums, where the numbers remain heavily one-sided.

MLS struggles on Mexican soil

The trend is clear. While MLS teams have managed more positive results in the United States, their record in Mexico tells a very different story.

Across all competitions, clubs from MLS have suffered 78 away defeats in Mexico, the most of any country in the region. That figure reflects both the frequency of matchups and the long-standing dominance of Liga MX on home soil.

Since MLS was founded in 1996, the gap has narrowed in quality, but results in Mexico have remained largely unchanged.

Historic blowouts and one-sided nights

Mexican clubs such as Leones Negros, Cruz Azul, Morelia, Club América and Pachuca have all delivered dominant performances against U.S. opposition over the years.

One of the most lopsided results came on May 11, 1988, when Cruz Azul crushed Seattle Mitre Eagles 9-0 at Estadio Azteca.

These kinds of results helped build the reputation of Liga MX as nearly untouchable at home during the competition’s early decades.

Rare MLS wins in Mexico

Despite the long history of dominance by Mexican clubs, MLS and Canadian teams have managed a small number of victories south of the border.

One of the most memorable came in the 2018 CONCACAF Champions League final, when Toronto FC defeated Guadalajara in regulation at Estadio Akron. However, Chivas ultimately captured the title after winning the penalty shootout.

Moments like that remain exceptions rather than the rule.

Draws that have stung Liga MX clubs

Even when MLS teams do not win in Mexico, they have occasionally done enough to survive on aggregate, delivering painful eliminations for Liga MX sides.

Club América and Guadalajara have both experienced this type of heartbreak, including their 2018 loss to Toronto FC. More recently, Monterrey and Pumas were both eliminated after draws at home against Vancouver Whitecaps, showing how away goals and aggregate formats can flip ties despite strong home performances.

A rivalry still evolving

Overall, Liga MX has historically dominated Major League Soccer in continental competition. But the gap is no longer what it once was.

With MLS investment continuing to grow and squads becoming more competitive, the question now is whether this will finally be the year that U.S. and Canadian clubs take a meaningful step forward in Mexico.

The answer will come soon enough on the pitch.

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