CAS Rejects Appeal to Reinstate Promotion-Relegation in Liga MX

An appeal from six second-division Mexican football clubs seeking the immediate reinstatement of promotion and relegation in Liga MX has been dismissed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). This decision came on March 14, 2024, and follows a challenge to the Mexican Football Federation’s (FMF) ongoing suspension of promotion and relegation for the 2025-26 season.

The original suspension was implemented during the 2019-20 season as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic and was intended to last for six seasons. The clubs involved in the appeal had argued that the FMF’s decision to maintain this suspension was unjust and detrimental to the integrity of the league. According to CAS, after reviewing the evidence, its panel determined that the FMF had consistently planned to uphold the suspension until the end of the 2025-26 season.

In an official statement, CAS confirmed, “The FMF had always determined to suspend the system until the conclusion of the 2025-2026 season, which was made clear to the clubs when the decision was taken.” This finding aligns with the initial agreement reached by the FMF in April 2020.

The appeal initially included ten clubs, but four—Atlante, Cimarrones de Sonora, Alebrijes de Oaxaca, and Jaiba Brava—withdrew, leaving six clubs to proceed. The remaining clubs—Atletico La Paz, Atletico Morelia, Cancun, Mineros de Zacatecas, Venados, and Leones Negros de la UdeG—continued their pursuit of reinstatement.

The clubs that appealed expressed concerns that the FMF and certain Liga MX teams were attempting to make the suspension a permanent fixture, effectively transitioning to a closed league model similar to that of Major League Soccer in the United States. This move has sparked significant debate within the football community regarding the future structure of Mexican football, raising questions about competitiveness and opportunities for lower-division clubs.

As the situation unfolds, the implications of CAS’s decision will likely resonate throughout Mexican football, influencing both the strategy of clubs in lower divisions and the overall landscape of Liga MX in the coming seasons.