Dallas Trinity FC has made a strategic move to draw what could be the largest crowd in club history for a home game.
In its second season competing in the Gainbridge Super League (formerly the USL Super League), the North Texas club has scheduled a high-profile exhibition against Club América, a team from Mexico’s Liga MX Femenil. The game will take place at the historic Cotton Bowl at 4 p.m. Saturday on the final weekend of the State Fair.
With an estimated 125,000 fairgoers expected that day, Trinity FC aims to pack over 20,000 fans into the stands, a massive leap from the club’s inaugural season average of just 3,500 attendees per match.
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Club América, a powerhouse in the Women’s Mexican League, boasts a roster filled with international talent and enjoys a passionate fanbase on both sides of the border.
The rise of Liga MX Femenil has also dramatically reshaped the landscape of Mexico’s women’s national team, as professional women’s soccer continues to rise in popularity south of the United States.
“Club América currently has the most talented roster in Liga MX Femenil,” said Rogelio Martínez, a former Cruz Azul women’s coach who now serves as an advisor to the league.
The expectation at Club América isn’t just to win every match, but it’s to score as many goals as possible and deliver a spectacular style of play.
“Our fan base asks us to win, dominate, and entertain,” said América head coach Ángel Villacampa.
The Spanish coach acknowledges that Trinity FC is a few steps below his squad in terms of experience and player quality, but that won’t stop him from demanding maximum effort from his team.
“The best way to respect an opponent is by playing at our highest level for the entire match. For Club América, there are no friendlies, we’re going to Dallas to show everything we’re capable of on the field,” Villacampa said.
América has reached four finals in Liga MX Femenil, winning championships in 2018 and 2023. Though professional women’s soccer in Mexico only launched in late 2017, América has quickly emerged as one of its most influential teams.
“The Mexican league has transformed into one of the most important in the world of women’s soccer,” said Club América forward Sarah Luebbert.
Now in her fourth season with the club, the Jefferson City, Mo., native has witnessed firsthand the rapid evolution of the women’s game in Mexico. She noted that many of the league’s 18 teams have invested heavily in signing top-tier international talent.
Mexico’s Liga MX Femenil now features players who have won World Cups, like Spain’s Jenni Hermoso, and others who’ve competed in the UEFA Champions League.
That growth was on full display during the 2023 Apertura Final between Club América and Pachuca, which drew a record-breaking 58,156 fans to Mexico City’s legendary Estadio Azteca. The match also attracted over four million viewers on television.
Before the league’s creation, El Tri Femenil was largely composed of Mexican-American players who had slipped through the cracks of the U.S. national team system.
Building a competitive women’s national team in Mexico was once a daunting task due to a lack of infrastructure, funding, and coaching. But the professionalization of the sport has changed everything. Today, the Mexican national team is fueled almost entirely by players from the domestic league.
Under Spanish coach Pedro López, who took the helm two years ago, Mexico’s women’s team has climbed into FIFA’s top 30 rankings.
In 2023, El Tri Femenil won gold medals at both the Central American and Caribbean Games and the Pan American Games.
“The Mexican national team has become very competitive, and I think that’s ultimately the goal of the league,” said Luebbert. “I believe the national team can achieve great things for the country.”
Mexican players are also gaining international recognition. This summer, Orlando Pride acquired Tigres star Lizbeth Ovalle for a record $1.5 million transfer fee, the highest in National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) history.
Ovalle, who has won six Liga MX Femenil titles with Tigres since her 2017 debut, has earned over 50 national team caps and was named to the Best XI at the 2023 Concacaf W Gold Cup.
In the 2024 edition, she made headlines with a stunning opening goal in Mexico’s historic 2–0 win over the U.S. women’s national team.
“Liga MX Femenil has grown tremendously,” said Martínez. “Women’s soccer has spread across the country, you now see girls’ soccer schools, women’s teams, and young girls dreaming of playing in the league.”
According to the Women’s International Football Institute, Liga MX Femenil ranks third globally in average attendance, reflecting its surging popularity and strong stadium engagement.
FIFA data from November 2024 shows that approximately 1.5 million women and girls played organized soccer in Mexico in 2023, a staggering rise from just 50,000 in 2019.
Thanks to increased sponsorship and investment, clubs are now able to improve infrastructure and attract top talent.
“In two or three years, Liga MX Femenil will be competing with the best leagues in the world without question,” said Martínez. “That’s the direction we’re heading.”
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