Liga Premier de México

Third tier of the football pyramid of professional football league in Mexico

Football league

Liga Premier

Founded| 1950; 74 years ago (1950)
Country| Mexico
Confederation| CONCACAF
Divisions| 2
Number of teams| 49
Level on pyramid| 3
Promotion to| Liga de Expansión MX
Relegation to| Liga TDP
Current champions| Tampico Madero (4th title)
(2023–24)
TV partners| AYM Sports
Televisa[1]
TVC Deportes[2]
Website| ligapremier.mx
Current: 2024–25 Serie A de México season
2024–25 Serie B de México season

The Liga Premier is the third tier of football in Mexico in the Mexican football league system that governs Serie A and Serie B leagues/group competitions. They compete from the fall to spring each season, promotion and relegation between each group, and promotion to Liga de Expansión MX and relegation to Liga TDP within the league system.

## History

[edit]

The 1993–94 season Segunda División champion was the last to be promoted to the Primera División. In 1994–95 season, the Mexican Football Federation created the "Primera División A" (renamed Ascenso MX in 2012)[3] with 15 teams from the Segunda División, and all other teams remained in the league that continued to be called 'Segunda División' (Second Division) but at the new third tier of the Mexican football league system.

Each season has Segunda División teams divided into geographic zones with matches predominantly among the teams of that group. Each season had one tournament.

In 2008, the Mexican Football Federation, with the approval of the chairmen of the clubs in the Second and Third tiers, change the format of the league dividing the number of teams into two divisions, the Liga Premier de Ascenso (Promotional Premier League) and the Liga de Nuevos Talentos (League of New Talents). Each of the new leagues was divided into geographic groups. The winning club could earn promotion to Primera División A, renamed Liga de Ascenso in 2009, provided their stadium and financial stability met the licensing requirements of Liga de Ascenso. From 2011 and 2016, no teams were relegated to Liga Premier, although Pumas Morelos was to be relegated in 2013 but they dissolved before they could play in the lower league. Promotion still occurred during these years provided the club was licensed to participate. In June 2016, Ascenso MX announced they would resume relegating teams. Since that year only Loros UdeC (2017) and Murciélagos F.C. (2018) were relegated from the upper level.

In 2020 Ascenso MX became a U-23 league with some players over 23 as reinforcements, the new league was called Liga de Expansión MX, two Liga Premier teams were invited to the new category: Tepatitlán F.C. and Tlaxcala F.C., teams who had won their promotion in 2016 and 2018 but were rejected in the second level for not meeting the requirements to participate. Since that year, the requirements to be admitted to the second level have been tightened, so only one team, Alacranes de Durango, could be promoted in 2022, although it only remained in the Liga de Expansión for one year. In 2024, another team achieved promotion to the Liga de Expansión, Tampico Madero, although it also obtained its place in the second tier as a guest team and not as a full member.

## Rebranding

[edit]

In June 2017, Segunda División announced a rebranding of the league. Instead of being referred to as the Second Division they would be called Liga Premier (Premier League). The league would continue to have two divisions, however these new divisions would be called Serie A de México and Serie B de México. Serie A which would have independent teams as well as the affiliate teams of the higher level leagues in Mexico, Liga MX and Liga de Expansión MX, while Serie B would only have independent teams.[4]

Promotion and relegation would be formalized between the leagues. Serie A would promote one club to Liga de Expansión MX.[4] Additionally, one Serie B club could promote to Serie A and one club would be relegated from Serie A each year.[5] Finally, and four clubs would be promoted from Liga TDP provided they meet the Serie requirements of Article 57.[6]

## Current structure

[edit]

Main articles: Serie A de México and Serie B de México

Serie A de México league has 36 teams (6 Liga de Expansión MX Reserve Teams and 30 Serie A Teams) divided into three geographical groups. The top 2 teams from each group and the two best third places at end of the tournament will qualify to the play–offs, the two tournament champions will play for promotion to Liga de Expansión MX provided that the club meets the requirements for the stadium and financial stability.

Serie B de México has 13 teams (1 Liga MX Reserve Team and 12 Serie B Teams).[7]

## Serie A clubs

[edit]

Below are listed the member clubs of the Serie A for the 2024-25 season.[8]

Group I  | Group II  | Group III

|
|

* Agricultores de Guasave[9]
* Alacranes de Durango
* Cimarrones de Sonora
* Leones Negros UdeG
* Los Cabos United
* Mexicali
* Mineros de Fresnillo
* Real Apodaca
* Tecos
* Tigres de Álica
* Tritones Vallarta
* Tuzos UAZ

* Aguacateros CDU
* Aguacateros de Peribán
* Colima
* Gavilanes de Matamoros
* Halcones
* Irapuato
* La Piedad
* Lobos ULMX
* Petroleros de Salamanca
* Sporting Canamy
* UAT
* Zacatepec

* Acatlán
* Atlético Aragón
* Chilpancingo
* Deportiva Venados
* Faraones de Texcoco
* Inter Playa del Carmen
* Jaguares
* Montañeses
* Pioneros de Cancún
* Racing de Veracruz
* Tapachula Soconusco[10]
* Zitácuaro

On hiatus

* Coras
* Reynosa
* Yalmakán

## Serie B clubs

[edit]

Below are listed the member clubs of the Serie B for the 2024-25 season.[11]

Teams

* Artesanos Metepec
* Atlético Pachuca (franchise loan from Pachuca Premier)
* Ayense
* Caja Oblatos
* Calor
* Cañoneros
* CDM
* Ciervos
* Cordobés
* Huracanes Izcalli
* Poza Rica
* Real Zamora
* Santiago

On hiatus

* Chilangos
* Dongu
* Saltillo
* Yautepec

## Champions

[edit]

Main article: List of Mexican football champions

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Includes Adrenalina Sports Network
2. ^ includes TVC Deportes 2
3. ^ Between 2009 and 2011 the league was called "Liga de Ascenso".
4. ^ a b "Segunda División se convierte en Liga Premier". esto.com.mx. June 15, 2017.
5. ^ Reglamento de Competencia (PDF), Liga Premier, Federación Mexicana de Fútbol Asociación. Promotion/relegation between the Serie A and Serie B is covered in Section M on pages 28-29 in Articles 61-63.
6. ^ Reglamento de Competencia (PDF), Liga Premier, Federación Mexicana de Fútbol Asociación, p. 26
7. ^ "¡REGRESA LA SERIE B!". ligapremiermagazine.mx (in Spanish). 29 May 2021. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
8. ^ "TRES GRUPOS EN SERIE A". Liga Premier Magazine (in Spanish). 18 July 2023. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
9. ^ "Oficializan la llegada de Agricultores a la Liga de Segunda División Premier". Debate Sinaloa (in Spanish). 21 May 2024. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
10. ^ "Tapachula participará en la Liga Premier del Futbol Mexicano". Diario del Sur (in Spanish). 19 June 2024. Retrieved 21 June 2024.
11. ^ "SON 15 CLUBES EN SERIE B". Liga Premier Magazine (in Spanish). 18 July 2023. Retrieved 18 July 2023.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website (in Spanish)
* Magazine page (in Spanish)
* League information (in English)

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Football in Mexico

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|

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