Liga MX promotion-relegation returns in 2026 after CAS ruling

CAS decision sets 2026 return for promotion-relegation in Liga MX

The long pause is over. After six seasons without the rise-and-fall drama that defines league football, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has cleared the way for Liga MX to bring back promotion and relegation starting with the Apertura 2026 tournament. It won’t apply to the Clausura 2026, so clubs have one more short season under the current closed setup before the ladder opens again.

This outcome follows a case brought by clubs from the Mexican second tier, Liga de Expansión MX, who pushed for the system’s reinstatement. CAS registered the appeal on May 19, 2025, and the case moved through the standard arbitration steps: written submissions, replies, and a hearing to settle what comes next. CAS ultimately sided with a phased return, rejecting a bid for immediate implementation but setting a firm date for the 2026-27 cycle.

Promotion and relegation were suspended in 2019 for six seasons as Mexico’s top division stabilized finances and streamlined operations in the chaos of the COVID-19 pandemic. Through that period, Liga MX held at 18 clubs and shielded teams from the financial shock of dropping down. It worked for balance sheets, but it dulled the edge on the field. The CAS decision flips that script back to the traditional model—only this time, with stricter entry standards.

The appeal was initially filed by 10 second-division clubs. Six stayed the course: Club Atlético La Paz, Club Atlético Morelia, Cancún FC, CD Mineros de Zacatecas, Venados FC, and Leones Negros de la UdeG. Four others—CF Atlante, Cimarrones de Sonora FC, Alebrijes de Oaxaca FC, and Jaiba Brava—later withdrew. CAS also dismissed a push for immediate reinstatement, which means no club will go up or down before the Apertura 2026 kickoff.

Key dates help explain the path:

• 2019: Liga MX suspends promotion and relegation for six seasons during the pandemic era.
• 2024: Second-division clubs file a case seeking reinstatement.
• May 19, 2025: CAS registers the appeal against the FMF.
• Clausura 2026: Final short season without promotion or relegation.
• Apertura 2026: Promotion-relegation restarts for the 2026-27 season.

CAS didn’t just dictate a return date; it effectively told the Mexican Football Federation (FMF) and Liga MX to put their house in order. A certification process is coming, and the league will define the rules that govern who can move up and who must go down. The FMF, for its part, has to negotiate those rules with Liga de Expansión MX so clubs have a clear path—and so the framework complies with the CAS decision. Reports in Mexico suggest that placing impossible hurdles would be seen as non-compliance.

What will this certification look like? The FMF hasn’t published the final checklist yet, but expect it to include practical standards that leagues use worldwide: clean financials, stadium safety, minimum seating or infrastructure thresholds, training facilities, and basic governance. Youth development and operational stability often sit in the mix, too. The point isn’t to block clubs—it’s to make sure promoted teams can handle top-flight demands from day one.

The return changes the stakes for everyone. For Liga de Expansión MX clubs, there’s finally a reason to invest with a sporting payoff in sight. That can mean better squads, more ambitious coaching hires, and longer contracts for young talent who might otherwise move abroad. For owners, the calculation shifts: spend wisely to meet standards now, and the door opens to the top tier in 2026. For players, the pathway becomes real again. Perform well and you’re not just collecting minutes—you’re pushing your club toward the first division.

Top-flight clubs feel it too. Without the safety net, the bottom of the table gets tense again. Fights to avoid last place or a relegation playoff bring back decisive matchdays. That pressure often forces smarter recruitment and better planning. It can also cause churn and short-term thinking, which is the risk the FMF will try to manage with financial rules and those certification guardrails.

Broadcasters and sponsors will like the added jeopardy. Survival games rate well. Promotion finals can draw huge numbers. The calendar also becomes more meaningful from August to May, not just in the liguilla. That said, any new format has to sit cleanly alongside existing competitions. Mexico’s calendar already juggles two short tournaments, the domestic cup landscape, and cross-border events. Fitting promotion playoffs into that puzzle will take careful scheduling.

There are still several unanswered questions:

• How many clubs will be promoted and relegated each season—one direct, plus a playoff, or a straight swap?
• Will Liga MX stay at 18 teams or allow temporary expansion to manage the transition?
• What safety nets exist for relegated clubs—parachute payments, revenue sharing, or phased distribution cuts?
• How will certification be applied in practice—annual audits, preseason approvals, or rolling compliance checks?
• What happens if a sporting winner from Liga de Expansión MX doesn’t meet the standards—does the next-best certified team go up, or is promotion skipped?

Those details matter as much as the headline. Mexico has experience with certification from earlier years, when some lower-tier champions couldn’t move up because they missed off-field criteria. That sparked frustration. The FMF’s task now is to set clear, reachable standards and communicate them early enough for clubs to plan. If the rules are transparent and the timelines fair, the new system can avoid old mistakes.

From a competitive standpoint, promotion and relegation tend to sharpen performance across a league. You get more meaningful matches late in the season, and mid-table teams push harder when the bottom can pull them into trouble. At the same time, the system can punish poor planning. That’s why financial supervision is key—no one wants a promoted club to overspend chasing survival, then crash a year later. Expect the FMF to lean on financial reviews as a core part of certification.

For fans, this is about identity as much as structure. Clubs like Morelia and Leones Negros carry deep local followings that want to see their teams earn a spot back in the top flight. The return gives those fan bases something tangible: win, meet the standards, and you go up. On the other side, long-established Liga MX teams will feel the heat again in games that decide their future in the division. Stadiums feel different on those nights, and TV audiences know it.

So what should clubs do now? Second-tier teams need to treat the next 12 to 18 months as a runway. Audit finances, map stadium upgrades, build youth and medical setups, and get legal and governance documents in shape. Top-flight clubs should assume relegation risk and stress-test budgets, including what life looks like if revenue drops for a season. Everyone should push for early rule publication from the FMF and Liga MX so plans can lock in before the 2026 preseason.

CAS has set the framework and the clock. The FMF and Liga MX now have to fill in the blanks without tilting the playing field. Done right, Apertura 2026 becomes the start of a more competitive and credible era—one where what happens on the pitch decides who belongs in the top flight, and off-field standards keep the system stable.

What happens next: certification, format, and the first promotion fight

The immediate step is regulatory. Liga MX will draft the promotion-relegation rules; the FMF will negotiate details with Liga de Expansión MX; and both will need to show CAS-compliant clarity. Clubs expect a certification window well before the Apertura 2026. That gives time to upgrade facilities, finalize finances, and register compliance documents.

Once the rules are public, the format becomes the focal point. A direct promotion spot keeps things simple. A second spot through playoffs—common in many leagues—adds drama and TV value. On the way down, a direct relegation place with an additional playoff could balance merit and stability. The league can also lean on parachute mechanisms to soften the financial blow and reduce yo-yo effects.

The first promotion race will be the real stress test. If multiple Expansión clubs meet certification, the sporting results will decide it. If only a few pass, the fight shifts to both field and front office. Either way, the 2026-27 season will restore something Mexican football has missed for years: stakes that run from the top of the table all the way to the bottom.