After more than a decade, Mexican second-division team Atlante is set to return to Liga MX as the league owners have approved the acquisition of franchise rights from Mazatlán FC.
A press release following a biannual meeting of league stakeholders on Thursday stated, “The assembly welcomed Club Atlante’s owner, Emilio Escalante, who expressed his appreciation for the trust placed in him. At the same time, it extended heartfelt gratitude and recognition to Mazatlán FC’s representative, Gustavo Guzmán, for his contributions to soccer.”
After being relegated from Liga MX at the end of the 2013-14 season and currently competing in Mexico’s second tier, Atlante will take over from Mazatlán starting in the 2026-27 season.
With a storied history and three league titles to their name, Atlante will host their matches in Mexico City.
Mazatlán’s departure from Liga MX follows a brief period after they replaced Monarcas, who relocated from Morelia in 2020.
During Thursday’s meeting, the sale of Atlas to Grupo PRODI was also approved, concluding Grupo Orlegi’s multi-ownership, which also included Liga MX side Santos Laguna. The only remaining multi-ownership group in Liga MX is Grupo Pachuca, which owns both León and Pachuca.
The league governance will undergo changes with the establishment of four committees: Sporting, Commercial, Investment and Certification, and Ethics and Good Governance, involving participation from all 18 teams, inspired by best practices from European leagues.
No developments were reported regarding the status of promotion and relegation in Liga MX, even though there have been discussions about reinstating or abolishing the system.
A ruling from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) last September set the stage for the anticipated return of promotion and relegation in the 2026-27 season. The system had previously been suspended due to uncertainties surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, prompting ten second-tier clubs to sue Liga MX for its reinstatement, leading to last year’s CAS decision.
It remains unclear what structure will be implemented for the upcoming season.