Promotion and relegation set to return to Liga MX for the 2026-27 season, Court of Arbitration for Sport confirms

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has ruled against an appeal filed by several Liga de Expansión clubs pushing for promotion and relegation to resume in 2026. Instead, the mechanism will return as originally scheduled for the 2026-27 Liga MX season.

While their attempt to accelerate the timeline failed, Expansion League sides can at least take solace in CAS reaffirming that the reinstatement of movement between divisions is mandatory once the original six-year suspension expires. That said, any club aspiring to climb into the top flight will still have to meet strict certification requirements - criteria that could prove a stumbling block for several organizations.

In a statement, CAS clarified that “the arbitral panel confirmed that the affected sporting seasons were precisely those mentioned in the Mexican Football Federation’s (FMF) decision of April 29, 2025, with the final one being 2025-26.” 

The ruling effectively backs the FMF’s initial resolution from April 2020, which froze promotion and relegation for six years due to the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The case was initially brought forward by 10 Expansion League clubs, though four - Atlante, Cimarrones de Sonora, Alebrijes de Oaxaca, and Jaiba Brava - later withdrew. The process continued with six teams: Atlético La Paz, Atlético Morelia, Cancún FC, Mineros de Zacatecas, Venados FC, and Leones Negros of UdeG. According to reports, the clubs involved in the lawsuit were threatened by the FMF with the withdrawal of the monthly subsidy of $100,000 they currently receive.