The short version
- Senators have introduced a bill to legally mandate promotion and relegation in Mexican soccer, reversing a suspension implemented during the pandemic.
- The move follows an antitrust investigation into Liga MX’s monopoly-like structure and ongoing protests by second-division teams over blocked advancement opportunities.
- League officials previously cited financial instability as justification for the freeze, while some top-flight owners argue the lower division lacks the infrastructure to support open competition.
Mexican lawmakers are advancing a legislative proposal to restore promotion and relegation in professional soccer, marking a significant escalation in the long-standing dispute over competitive integrity in the country’s football system. The initiative, introduced on the floor of the Senate by Senator Clemente Castañeda of the Movimiento Ciudadano party, seeks to enshrine sporting merit as a legal obligation for national sports associations. With backing from representatives of other political factions, including Ignacio Mier of the ruling Morena party, the reform aims to overturn a structural freeze that has kept the top-flight Liga MX closed to new entrants since 2020.
The suspension of promotion and relegation was originally enacted by Liga MX owners in April 2020. At the time, league leadership cited severe financial distress among second-division clubs, a crisis exacerbated by the global coronavirus pandemic. The initial agreement stipulated a five-year pause, with plans to reinstate the system last year so that competitive outcomes could determine team placement at the end of the most recent season. However, the reinstatement never occurred, leading to growing frustration among lower-tier franchises who feel the temporary measure has become permanent.
Senator Castañeda argued that the absence of vertical mobility restricts professional growth for players, staff, and emerging sports projects across Mexico. She emphasized that closing off promotion pathways limits opportunities in a nation eager to expand its athletic infrastructure. In an effort to engage with league leadership, Castañeda invited Francisco Iturbide, president of Liga MX, and Mikel Arriola, commissioner of Mexican football, to discuss the proposal. Both officials declined the invitation, and the Mexican Football Federation did not respond to requests for comment from news organizations.
Tensions have intensified as second-division clubs began protesting last year, demanding that authorities honor the original agreement. The Mexican Football Federation maintained that returning to an open system was unfeasible because necessary economic conditions had not yet been met. Critics within the lower divisions have dismissed this rationale as a pretext for permanent exclusion. Alberto Castellanos, president of U de G Leones Negros, described the pandemic justification as a sham, asserting that league owners always intended to eliminate promotion and relegation entirely.
The structural barriers imposed by Liga MX have included stringent certification requirements for second-division teams aspiring to reach the top tier. These rules mandated a venue capacity of 30,000 seats, a standard that even some active first-division clubs fail to meet. This year, amid continued pushback from lower-division owners, Mexican soccer authorities removed references to promotion and relegation from official regulations without providing an explanation for the decision. The move effectively codified the closed system, further alienating teams and investors who had entered the market with expectations of competitive mobility.
The controversy has drawn attention from regulatory bodies concerned with market fairness. Last week, Mexico’s National Antitrust Commission launched an investigation into potential monopolistic practices within Liga MX, focusing specifically on the absence of promotion and relegation. The probe underscores growing concerns that the league’s structure stifles competition and protects incumbent owners at the expense of broader industry development. Investors such as Giovani Solazzi, president of Cancún FC, have expressed disappointment, noting that their acquisition of the team in 2022 was predicated on the assumption that promotion would eventually return.
Protests have manifested both on and off the pitch. Players in the second division have staged demonstrations by standing motionless after opening whistles or engaging in passive play during matches. Fan groups have also organized visible displays of dissent, wearing protest shirts at stadiums to voice their discontent with the closed system. Roberto Galán, a Spanish goalkeeper who joined Morelia under the premise that promotion was viable, stated that sanctions against protesting clubs would not deter continued activism, emphasizing the right of stakeholders to demand transparency and fairness.
Despite the widespread opposition, some influential figures within Liga MX have expressed conditional support for reinstating the system. The owner of Club América, one of Mexico’s most powerful franchises, indicated last month that he favors promotion and relegation provided certain prerequisites are met. He pointed out that successful open systems in countries like Spain, England, and Portugal rely on robust second divisions, a foundation he argues has not yet been established in Mexico. As the Senate debate proceeds, the outcome could redefine the competitive landscape of Mexican soccer, balancing legal mandates against economic realities and entrenched institutional interests.
The proposed legislation represents a pivotal moment for Mexican football, testing whether political intervention can override league autonomy. If passed, the law would compel national sports associations to observe sporting merit as a core obligation, potentially forcing Liga MX to reopen its ranks. However, implementation challenges remain, particularly regarding the financial viability of second-division clubs and the infrastructure requirements for top-flight participation. The coming weeks will reveal whether lawmakers can bridge the divide between competitive ideals and economic constraints in one of Latin America’s most popular sports.
Sources behind this briefing
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- The Guardian US↗Mexican soccer banned promotion and relegation. Senators may bring it back
