# Mexican Senate football promotion debate > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/mexican-senate-football-promotion-debate > Updated: 2026-09-21T15:12:00.000Z. Sources: 40. Developments: 2. The Mexican Senate is advancing a legislative initiative to restore the promotion and relegation system in professional soccer. Senator Clemente Castañeda of Movimiento Ciudadano has proposed amending the General Law of Physical Culture and Sport to mandate ‘sporting merit’ as a legal obligation for national sports associations, including the Mexican Football Federation (FMF). The current closed competition model, which suspended the promotion and relegation system in 2020 as a temporary measure during the COVID-19 pandemic, has faced criticism for limiting professional mobility and creating a closed market. During Senate forums, such as the ‘Fuera de Lugar’ session, legal experts, journalists, and players highlighted the economic impacts of this structure, noting that the current system was driven by economic models rather than sporting merit. Serious allegations of misconduct have emerged during the debate. Atlético Morelia goalkeeper Roberto Galán reported that players expressing dissatisfaction have faced threats regarding their contracts and professional continuity. Furthermore, club officials, including Leones Negros president Alberto Castellanos, have claimed they faced reprisals for seeking legal recourse through the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Despite invitations, FMF commissioner Mikel Arriola and Liga MX president Francisco Iturbide have not attended legislative discussions or responded to inquiries. As the Senate moves forward, the initiative faces potential scrutiny regarding FIFA’s regulations concerning the autonomy of national football associations. Additionally, the National Antitrust Commission is currently investigating professional football for potential monopolistic practices. ## Claims - Senator Clemente Castañeda will present a legislative initiative to incorporate sporting merit and the promotion/relegation system into Mexican law. (corroborated by 10 sources) - FMF Commissioner Mikel Arriola and Liga MX President Francisco Iturbide did not attend or respond to invitations for the Senate dialogue. (corroborated by 9 sources) - Atlético Morelia goalkeeper Roberto Galán claims players have received threats from club executives and the FMF regarding their contracts if they speak out against the lack of promotion and relegation (corroborated by 4 sources) - Senate President Higinio Martínez Miranda stated that the decision to cancel promotion and relegation was driven by economic models rather than sporting merit. (corroborated by 3 sources) - Leones Negros president Alberto Castellanos reported facing threats of retaliation after seeking legal recourse through the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). (corroborated by 2 sources) - The National Antitrust Commission is conducting a public investigation into professional football following complaints about the closed competition system. (corroborated by 2 sources) ## Timeline ### 2026-09-21: Mexican Senate moves to restore football promotion and relegation The Mexican Senate is drafting a law to restore promotion and relegation in football, following allegations of player threats and investigations into monopolistic practices within the sport. 38 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/mexican-senate-proposes-law-to-restore-football-promotion-and-relegation ### 2026-09-18: Mexican Senate to debate football promotion and relegation The Mexican Senate will host a forum on September 21 to discuss the sporting and economic impacts of eliminating promotion and relegation in Mexican football. 5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/mexican-senate-to-debate-football-promotion-and-relegation --- Cite as: Mexican Senate football promotion debate. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/mexican-senate-football-promotion-debate