Liga MX abolishes promotion and relegation from 2026-27 season

The Mexican Football Federation has officially abolished promotion and relegation in Liga MX, effective from the 2026-2027 season. This significant rule change means clubs in the top division will not be relegated to Expansión MX, and teams in the second tier will not be promoted to Liga MX.

Atlante, who recently secured their return to the top flight by acquiring the franchise of Mazatlán FC, will now remain in Liga MX without the traditional risk of relegation. The club faced criticism from other second-division teams for not pursuing a legal challenge against the decision to eliminate promotion and relegation.

Emilio Escalante, president of Atlante, explained the club's journey to reach the top division. He stated that when his family took over the club, promotion and relegation were already suspended. They focused on building a sustainable project that would appeal to the Federation. Escalante highlighted that a key priority was stabilizing the club's finances, noting that all investments over the past six years have been self-funded without government support.

"Whoever wants to be there has to work, and has to fight to be there, and that they are truly teams that are interested in football and not just come for certain commitments or for what we want to be the case in football," Escalante added. He believes Atlante has demonstrated a serious and solid project for the First Division, asserting that any team that works hard can earn its opportunity in the future.