The Biggest Club in Mexico: Building the Future of Football

The Challenge

Club América is the most decorated and high-profile team in Mexican football. With 15 league titles and a recent historic three-peat, its position as the dominant brand in the national sport is undisputed. Its fan base is massive, diverse, and polarizing—sparking both devotion and rivalry, which translates into unmatched visibility and engagement.

The club has invested heavily in its sporting infrastructure, attracting elite talent and improving processes. However, the next challenge lies off the pitch: how can it leverage this sporting dominance to generate greater economic, social, and brand value?

Adding to the opportunity, all eyes will be on Mexico in 2026 as it co-hosts the FIFA World Cup, with Estadio Banorte standing as one of the most significant venues of the tournament.

Digital & Sporting Dominance

Club América not only dominates on the field—it leads in the digital arena as well: it’s the most-searched Mexican club in the United States, the team with the largest social media presence in Mexico, and its women’s squad ranks as the third most successful in Liga MX Femenil history.

Strategic Opportunities

Your team will develop one of the following four strategic opportunities identified as top priorities by Club América:

1. “Águilas Forever”: Post-Three-Peat Loyalty

2. “Packed Stadiums for Women’s Football”: Breaking Attendance Records

3. “América Mundial”: The Most Visible Club in a Club-Free World Cup

4. “América Without Borders”: Winning New Audiences

What You Must Deliver

Your proposal must include:

1. Context Analysis

• Club América’s history and current market position
• Benchmarking against other successful global club strategies
• Demographic data, customer personas, and consumption habits of target audiences

2. Vision and Objectives

• Clear vision and project objectives in terms of brand impact and economic value

3. Market Opportunity and Challenges

• Clear identification of market opportunities
• Current issues within the sports sector in Mexico
• Limitations and implementation challenges

4. Strategic Options

• Develop strategic options, analyze pros and cons, and prioritize to select the best

5. Cost-Benefit Analysis

• Estimated implementation costs
• Expected benefits (quantitative and qualitative)
• Risks and mitigation measures

6. Execution Strategy

• Main milestones
• Required resources (human, technological, budgetary)
• Key partners or allies

7. Compelling Call to Action

• Summary of why this is Club América’s best bet for the future

Required Deliverables

Phase 1: Written Report

Your written report should include:

1. Executive Summary (1 page)
2. Brand and market context with initial analysis
3. Project vision and goals
4. Identification of opportunities and challenges
5. Development of strategic options and prioritization of one
6. Detailed final proposal
7. Cost, benefit, and risk analysis
8. Implementation plan and strategic partnerships
9. Final call to action

Phase 2: Final Presentation (Top 5 Teams)

• 10-slide pitch deck (PowerPoint/PDF)
• Live presentation before an expert jury

Participation Criteria

• Teams: 2-4 university students from any field and institution
• Multidisciplinary teams are encouraged
• Originality: External sources must be cited. Plagiarism will result in disqualification
• All participants must be enrolled in a university; proof will be required for all winners
• No advanced programming or statistics required – the focus is on strategic thinking, marketing analysis, and business intelligence

Prizes and Recognition

Development Note: Last year for the Hackathon, Club América awarded the winner a jersey, women’s team tickets, and access to a training session — a complete success.

Evaluation Criteria

Additional Considerations

These will not have their own score, but can break ties:

• Feasibility: Could Club América realistically implement your strategy?
• ROI Focus: Does your proposal demonstrate a clear return on investment?
• Cultural Relevance: Does your strategy resonate with Mexican football culture?

Important: Proposals that fail to meet feasibility, ROI, and cultural relevance criteria will not be considered with the same weight.

Key Focus Areas

Your proposal should comprehensively cover at least two of these three strategic pillars:

• U.S. Market Domination: Strategies to consolidate and expand América’s presence in the U.S., leveraging its status as the most-searched team
• Women’s Football Growth: Using América’s institutional strength to position its women’s team as a LATAM benchmark — boosting attendance, sponsorships, and emotional connection
• Fan Engagement & Emotional Connection: Creating content, activations, memberships, or experiences relevant to new generations and digital audiences

Special consideration will be given to proposals that unite two pillars, identifying synergies to create solutions that deliver value in both areas.

Key Dates

Judges (Proposed for Club América; TBD)

Media Partners

Merca 2.0 – Proposed media partner for the Business Case Competition presented by Club América, supporting both competition promotion and post-event coverage (including publishing the winner and interviewing Club América’s CMO). We are open to integrating América’s own partners into the event.

Final Notes

There’s no single path to success in this competition. Judges value creativity, ambition, and thoughtful design just as much as business rigor. Focus on what matters most to you and create something you’ll be proud to present.

You’re not just building a business strategy — you’re designing the future of how Mexico’s biggest club can evolve and grow. Think like a strategic consultant:

Let your insight and creativity shine — not just your analysis.

If you have questions or want feedback, we’re here to help.

Good luck, and enjoy the challenge! 🧠⚽️📊