CAS Dismisses Appeal to Reinstate Liga MX Promotion and Relegation

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has dismissed an appeal filed by six Mexican second-division clubs seeking the reinstatement of promotion and relegation in the top-tier Liga MX. The decision upholds the Mexican Football Federation's (FMF) suspension of the system through the 2025-26 season, a move initially made during the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to a statement, CAS examined the evidence and concluded that the FMF had consistently intended to keep the suspension until the conclusion of the stated season. This decision aligns with an agreement established in April 2020, which aimed to maintain league stability amid the pandemic's financial and operational challenges.

Despite concerns from some clubs about a potential permanent shift to a closed league model, similar to Major League Soccer in the U.S., the appeal ultimately saw four of the originally ten clubs withdraw their challenge, leaving only six to proceed: Atletico La Paz, Atletico Morelia, Cancun, Mineros de Zacatecas, Venados, and Leones Negros de la UdeG.

(With inputs from agencies.)