Mexican Football Rejects Appeal To Restore Promotion And Relegation In Top Division

‎The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) dismissed an appeal filed by six Mexican second-division clubs.

‎The clubs sought the immediate reinstatement of promotion and relegation in Liga MX. The appeal, filed in May, challenged the FMF’s decision to maintain the suspension of promotion and relegation for the 2025-26 season.

‎CAS rejected the challenge and upheld the FMF’s policy.

‎The suspension was originally introduced in the 2019-20 season during the COVID-19 pandemic for a period of six seasons.

‎”After examining the evidence, the CAS Panel concluded that 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,” CAS said in a statement.

‎The panel found that the FMF’s decision aligned with the original agreement made in April 2020.

‎The appealing clubs argued that the FMF and some Liga MX teams were pushing to make the suspension permanent, effectively creating a closed league model similar to MLS.

‎Ten clubs initially joined the appeal, but four, Atlante, Cimarrones de Sonora, Alebrijes de Oaxaca, and Jaiba Brava, withdrew.

‎This left six clubs to proceed: Atletico La Paz, Atletico Morelia, Cancun, Mineros de Zacatecas, Venados, and Leones Negros.

‎The aim was to overturn the FMF’s decision to continue the promotion and relegation suspension for the 2025-26 season.