Mexican Senate moves to restore soccer promotion and relegation, reigniting Liga MX fight

MEXICO CITY (AP) — The debate over the absence of promotion and relegation in Mexican soccer reached the floor of the Senate on Monday, where officials announced that a legislative reform to restore the system will be proposed on Tuesday.

Sen. Clemente Castañeda of the Movimiento Ciudadano party put forward the proposal, backed by representatives from other party leaderships, including Ignacio Mier of the ruling Morena party.

Castañeda stated that the initiative is critical for “expressly incorporating sporting merit among the obligations that national sports associations must observe” and ensuring promotion and relegation are enshrined in Mexican law.

“When they closed off the possibility of promotion, they didn’t just change a sporting rule; they also restricted a path for players, staff, and sports projects to grow in a country that needs to open up opportunities,” Castañeda said.

The senator said that they invited the president of the Liga MX, Francisco Iturbide, and the commissioner of the Mexican football, Mikel Arriola, and they declined.

The Associated Press contacted the Mexican Federation for comment but did not receive a response.

Owners of Mexican top-flight teams eliminated promotion and relegation in April 2020, citing financial difficulties among second-division clubs that were exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic.

Under the original plan, the suspension was set for five years, with the system scheduled for reinstatement last year so that a team could earn promotion and another face relegation at the end of the most recent season in May of this year.

However, reinstatement never materialized. Starting last year, several second-division clubs began protesting to demand that authorities honor the agreement. At the time, the Mexican Football Federation stated that returning to the system was impossible because the necessary economic conditions did not yet exist.

“The whole pandemic thing was a sham; they always knew they were going to permanently shut down promotion and relegation,” said Alberto Castellanos, president of U. de G., one of the protesting teams.

Liga MX imposed stringent requirements on second-division teams, mandating a certification process before they could aspire to play in the top tier. These rules included a venue capacity requirement of 30,000 seats — a standard not even met by all active first-division clubs.

The elimination of promotion directly impacted new investors in Mexican soccer. Cancún FC was acquired in 2022 by an investment group led by figures like former Houston Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow on the premise that promotion would return.

“When we bought the team, we saw great potential — potential that often even Mexicans don’t see—but the current system fosters mediocrity; it’s very sad,” said Giovani Solazzi, the team’s president.

Facing pushback from certain second-division owners, Mexican soccer authorities completely removed the promotion and relegation system from the regulations this year. Neither the Federation nor Liga MX provided an explanation for the decision.

The owner of Club América — one of Mexico’s most powerful clubs and arguably its most influential decision-maker — stated last month that he supports reinstating the system, provided the right conditions are met.

“I am in favor of promotion and relegation. Everyone makes comparisons, pointing out that it exists in Spain, England, or Portugal; however, those countries have very solid second divisions, whereas here, we haven’t managed to build that kind of solid second-division league,” he said.

Once promotion was officially scrapped, widespread protests broke out during second-division matches. Players responded on the pitch by standing motionless after the opening whistle or passing the ball passively without attacking.

“I arrived in Mexico on June 8 under the premise that there would be promotion — joining Morelia, a team contending for promotion —- but then we were notified that it wasn’t happening,” said Spanish goalkeeper Roberto Galán. “That’s why we protested and the clubs were sanctioned, but the protests will continue because we have the right to make our voices heard.”

Fan groups have also shown up at stadiums wearing protest shirts to voice their discontent.

And last week, Mexico’s National Antitrust Commission (CNA) launched an investigation into potential monopolistic practices in the Mexican league centering on the absence of a promotion and relegation system.

Armando Solís contributed to this report from Morelia, México.

See AP’s full soccer coverage here

Atletico Morelia's Ruben del Campo, center, scores his side's opening goal against Leones Negros during a Mexican second division soccer match in Morelia, Michoacan state, Mexico, Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Armando Solis)

Leones Negros' Jared Escalante, left, and Atletico Morelia's Mauro Nambo vie for the ball during a Mexican second division soccer match in Morelia, Michoacan state, Mexico, Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Armando Solis)

A fan shows her T-shirt bearing the message, "Do we need a strike to be heard?", before a Mexican second-division soccer match between Atletico Morelia and Leones Negros in Morelia, Michoacan state, Mexico, Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Armando Solis)

Leones Negros' Miguel Alvarado warms up wearing a T-shirt with a sign that reads, "Soccer is for everyone. Yes to promotion!", before a Mexican second-division soccer match against Atletico Morelia in Morelia, Michoacan state, Mexico, Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Armando Solis)

Players of Atletico Morelia and Leones Negros hold a sign that reads, "Mexico shouted for its freedom. Today, we shout for ours," before a Mexican second-division soccer match in Morelia, Michoacan state, Mexico, Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Armando Solis)

MIAMI (AP) — Hurricane Polo will rapidly intensify in the Pacific Ocean and become a major hurricane later this week, forecasters said Monday.

Polo could bring heavy rain, rough surf and tropical-storm-force winds to parts of Mexico late Tuesday into early Wednesday, the Miami-based National Hurricane Center said.

On Monday, Polo was moving east. But forecasters said it would make a “sharp turn” in a west-northwest or northwest direction by late Tuesday, according to an advisory. The hurricane was expected to travel along the coast of western Mexico but stay offshore.

Polo was centered about 290 miles (470 kilometers) south-southeast of Manzanillo, Mexico, and 180 miles (290 kilometers) south-southwest of Zihuatanejo, Mexico. Maximum sustained winds were 90 mph (150 kph).

The forecast called for 4 to 8 inches (10 to 20 centimeters) of rain, with isolated totals near 12 inches (30 centimeters), across coastal portions of the Mexican states of Guerrero and Michoacán through Thursday. Flooding and mudslides were possible.

Farther west in the Pacific Ocean, Tropical Storm Odalys was far from land but expected to become a hurricane by midweek.

Odalys had maximum sustained winds Monday of 50 mph (85 kph). It was located just over 1,400 miles (2,253 kilometers) west-southwest of the southern tip of Mexico's Baja California peninsula. It was moving northwest at 8 mph (13 kph).

In the Atlantic Ocean, Tropical Storm Fay was weakening. Top winds were down to 45 mph (75 kph) and Fay was 445 miles (720 kilometers) southwest of the Azores.

No Atlantic hurricanes have formed yet this year, and this year has set a record for the longest a season has begun without a hurricane. The effects of this year's El Nino crush storms before they get going.

This photo provided by NOAA shows Hurricane Polo intensifying in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Mexico on Monday, Sept. 21, 2026. (NOAA via AP)

This satellite image from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows Tropical Storm Fay, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026. (NOAA via AP)

This satellite image from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows Tropical Storm Odalys, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026. (NOAA via AP)

This satellite image from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows Tropical Storm Polo, Monday, Sept. 21, 2026. (NOAA via AP)