FMF redesigns Mexican football pyramid amid wage gap concerns

The Mexican Football Federation (FMF) is redesigning its league pyramid following the integration of the Liga de Expansión into the federation. Under the new model, the Liga de Expansión will serve as the top tier of the FMF structure, followed by Liga Premier and Liga TDP. While this new three-level system will include a mechanism for promotion and relegation between these specific categories, the FMF clarified that the path to the Liga MX remains closed, noting that the decision to prevent promotion to the top flight rests with the Liga MX itself.

Amidst these structural changes, professional footballer Diego de Buen has highlighted a significant economic disparity between the divisions. De Buen estimates that the wage gap between Liga MX and the Liga de Expansión has widened significantly, suggesting that top-flight players earn approximately ten times more than those in the second tier. He estimates monthly salaries in Liga MX range from 300,000 to 400,000 pesos, while the average in the expansion division is roughly 30,000 to 40,000 pesos.