The debate surrounding the absence of promotion and relegation in Mexican soccer has escalated to the Senate, where a legislative reform aimed at reinstating the system is set to be proposed. Senator Clemente Castañeda of the Movimiento Ciudadano party is spearheading the initiative, which has garnered support from representatives of other political parties, including Ignacio Mier from the ruling Morena party.
Castañeda emphasized the importance of this initiative, stating it is essential for “expressly incorporating sporting merit among the obligations that national sports associations must observe” and ensuring that promotion and relegation are enshrined in Mexican law. He criticized the previous decision to eliminate promotion, arguing that it not only altered a sporting rule but also restricted opportunities for players, staff, and sports projects in a country that needs to expand such avenues.
Background on Promotion and Relegation
The promotion and relegation system was abolished in April 2020 by owners of top-flight Mexican teams, who cited financial difficulties faced by second-division clubs exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. Initially, the suspension was intended to last five years, with plans to reinstate the system last year. However, this reinstatement never occurred, leading to protests from several second-division clubs demanding that authorities honor the agreement. The Mexican Football Federation has stated that returning to the system is currently impossible due to inadequate economic conditions.
Alberto Castellanos, president of U de G Leones Negros, one of the protesting teams, expressed skepticism about the motives behind the suspension, claiming, “The whole pandemic thing was a sham; they always knew they were going to permanently shut down promotion and relegation.”
Challenges for Second-Division Teams
In addition to the suspension of promotion, Liga MX has imposed stringent requirements on second-division teams, including a venue capacity of 30,000 seats—criteria not met by all first-division clubs. This has deterred potential investors, as seen in the case of Cancún FC, which was acquired in 2022 by an investment group led by former Houston Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow, who believed that promotion would return.
Giovani Solazzi, president of Cancún FC, lamented the current system, stating, “When we bought the team, we saw great potential… but the current system fosters mediocrity; it’s very sad.” In response to pushback from second-division owners, Mexican soccer authorities removed the promotion and relegation system from the regulations this year without providing an explanation.
Public Reaction and Future Implications
The public outcry against the elimination of promotion has been significant. The owner of Club América, one of Mexico’s most influential clubs, expressed support for reinstating the system, provided the right conditions are met. He noted that while promotion and relegation exist in countries like Spain and England, those leagues have established solid second divisions, a situation that Mexico has yet to achieve.
Following the official scrapping of promotion, protests erupted during second-division matches, with players demonstrating on the pitch. Spanish goalkeeper Roberto Galán, who joined Morelia under the premise of promotion, voiced his frustration, stating, “We were notified that it wasn’t happening… the protests will continue because we have the right to make our voices heard.”
Fan groups have also taken to stadiums wearing protest shirts to express their discontent. Recently, Mexico’s National Antitrust Commission launched an investigation into potential monopolistic practices in the league, focusing on the absence of a promotion and relegation system. As the legislative proposal moves forward, the future of promotion and relegation in Mexican soccer remains uncertain.
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