The report says the commission’s Investigative Authority found sufficient evidence from recent months to examine possible monopolistic practices in professional football. Fan complaints reportedly helped trigger the process.
That is not a finding of wrongdoing. The investigation will instead assess whether the current rules restrict competition by limiting access to the top division and removing the usual sporting route for ambitious second-tier clubs.
The central issue is straightforward: without regular promotion, success in the second tier no longer guarantees entry to the country’s biggest stage. That weakens the traditional incentive structure built around investment, recruitment and sporting performance.
The suspension was reportedly presented as a stabilising measure for second-tier clubs, alongside an agreement to restore promotion by 2026. The report says, however, that there are currently no active plans to bring the system back.
That gap between the original timetable and the present position has intensified protests from lower-tier clubs and players. Several teams have also reportedly taken their case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
The federation’s position, as described in the report, is that promotion remains available to clubs meeting operational requirements, including stadium-capacity standards. Critics can point to an apparent inconsistency if some existing top-flight clubs do not meet the same thresholds.
If liability is established, the Mexican Football Federation could reportedly face a fine of up to 10% of annual revenue.
The next stage will be closely watched. The investigation’s findings could determine whether Mexico’s closed domestic structure survives, changes its eligibility rules or restores promotion and relegation before the next major football cycle.