Liga Premier de México facts for kids
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| Organising body | Federación Mexicana de Fútbol (FMF) |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1950 (as Segunda División de México) |
| Country | Mexico |
| Confederation | CONCACAF |
| Divisions | 2 |
| Number of teams | 51 |
| Level on pyramid | 3 |
| Promotion to | Liga de Expansión MX |
| Relegation to | Liga TDP |
| Domestic cup(s) | Copa Conecta |
| Current champions | Irapuato (4th title) |
| Most championships | Zacatepec (5 titles) |
| TV partners | AYM Sports Televisa TVC Deportes |
| Website | ligapremier.mx |
The Liga Premier is a professional association football league in Mexico. It's like the third main level of football in the country. Before 2017, it was called the Segunda División de México, which means 'Second Division of Mexico'.
Fifty-one teams play in the Liga Premier, split into two groups: Serie A and Serie B. Teams play from fall to spring every year. Teams can move up to a higher league called Liga de Expansión MX or move down to a lower league called Liga TDP. Teams can also move between Serie A and Serie B.
Contents
History of Mexican Football Leagues
How the League Changed Over Time
The Liga Premier has a long history, starting in 1950 as the Segunda División. For many years, the champion of this league could move up to the top league, the Primera División. The last team to do this was the champion of the 1993–94 season.
In 1994, the FMF created a new second-level league called Primera División A. This league later became known as Ascenso MX. Many teams from the old Segunda División moved to this new league. The remaining teams stayed in the Segunda División, but it became the third level of Mexican football.
New Divisions and Promotion Rules
In 2008, the FMF changed the league's structure again. They divided the Segunda División into two new parts: the Liga Premier and the Liga de Nuevos Talentos. These new leagues were also split into groups based on where the teams were located.
A team that won its league could move up to the Ascenso MX. However, their stadium and money situation had to meet certain rules. From 2011 to 2016, it was harder for teams to move down from Ascenso MX to Liga Premier. But teams could still move up if they met the requirements.
Changes in Recent Years
In 2020, the Ascenso MX league was replaced by a new league called Liga de Expansión MX. Two teams from Liga Premier, Tepatitlán and Tlaxcala, were invited to join this new league. They had won promotion earlier but couldn't move up because they didn't meet the rules.
Since 2020, the rules for joining the second level have become even stricter. Only one team, Durango, was able to move up in 2022. They only stayed in Liga de Expansión for one year. In 2024, Tampico Madero also moved up as a guest team.
Liga Premier: A New Name
Why the Name Changed in 2017
In June 2017, the Segunda División announced a big change. They decided to rename the league to Liga Premier. This was part of a plan to make the league stronger and clearer.
The league still had two main groups, but they were given new names: Serie A and Serie B. Serie A includes both independent teams and teams that are connected to clubs in the higher leagues (Liga MX and Liga de Expansión MX). Serie B, on the other hand, only has independent teams.
How Teams Move Up and Down
With the rebranding, the rules for moving up and down between leagues became more official.
- One club from Serie A can move up to the Liga de Expansión MX each year.
- One club from Serie B can move up to Serie A.
- One club from Serie A moves down to Serie B each year.
- Four clubs can move up from the Liga TDP (a lower league) to Serie A, as long as they meet the league's requirements.
Teams Playing in Liga Premier
Serie A Teams and Their Goals
The Serie A has 41 teams, divided into three groups based on their location. At the end of the tournament, the top four teams from each group, plus the best fifth-place team, move on to the final stage.
The champion of the season can try to get certified to move up to the Liga de Expansión MX. To do this, their stadium and financial situation must meet the league's requirements.
Below are the teams playing in Serie A for the 2025–26 season.
| Serie A clubs | ||
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| Group I | Group II | Group III |
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| On hiatus |
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Serie B Teams and Their Role
The Serie B has 10 teams. These teams are usually in a development stage and cannot be promoted to the Liga de Expansión MX directly.
Below are the teams playing in Serie B for the 2025-26 season.
| Serie B clubs |
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| On hiatus |
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League Champions: Who Won the Most?
This table shows which clubs have won the most titles in the Liga Premier and its previous forms.
| Club | Titles | Runners-up | Winning editions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zacatepec | 5 | 3 | 1950–51, 1962–63, 1969–70, 1977–78, 1983–84 |
| Irapuato | 4 | 8 | 1953–54, 1984–85, 2020–21, Clausura 2025 |
| Tampico Madero/Jaiba Brava | 4 | 3 | 1993–94, Clausura 2016, Clausura 2023, 2023–24 |
| Universidad del Fútbol | 4 | 0 | Clausura 2008, Clausura 2009, Apertura 2009, Bicentenario 2010 |
| UdeC | 3 | 2 | Clausura 2015, Clausura 2018, 2018–19 |
| Atlas | 3 | 0 | 1954–55, 1971–72, 1978–79 |
| Durango | 3 | 0 | Invierno 1998, Verano 1999, Apertura 2021 |
| Pachuca Juniors | 3 | 0 | Clausura 2004, Apertura 2006, Apertura 2007 |
| Ciudad Madero | 2 | 3 | 1964–65, 1972–73 |
| Pachuca | 2 | 3 | 1966–67, 1991–92 |
| Monterrey | 2 | 2 | 1955–56, 1959–60 |
| Zitácuaro | 2 | 2 | Invierno 1997, Verano 2001 |
| Coatzacoalcos | 2 | 1 | Clausura 2003, Apertura 2005 |
| Tlaxcala | 2 | 1 | Apertura 2016, Clausura 2017 |
| Celaya | 2 | 0 | 1957–58, Independencia 2010 |
| San Luis | 2 | 0 | 1970–71, 1975–76 |
| Atlante | 2 | 0 | 1976–77, 1990–91 |
| Cobras | 2 | 0 | 1985–86, 1987–88 |
| Académicos | 2 | 0 | Apertura 2004, Clausura 2005 |
| Tulancingo | 2 | 0 | Apertura 2011, Clausura 2012 |
| UAEM | 2 | 0 | Apertura 2014, Apertura 2015 |
| Real Zamora | 1 | 3 | 1956–57 |
| Cihuatlán | 1 | 3 | Invierno 2001 |
| La Piedad | 1 | 2 | 1951–52 |
| Unión de Curtidores | 1 | 2 | 1982–83 |
| Cruz Azul Hidalgo | 1 | 2 | 1994–95 |
| Gallos de Aguascalientes | 1 | 2 | Verano 1998 |
| Coras/Deportivo Tepic | 1 | 2 | Apertura 2002 |
| Tampico | 1 | 1 | 1958–59 |
| Nuevo León | 1 | 1 | 1965–66 |
| Laguna | 1 | 1 | 1967–68 |
| UANL | 1 | 1 | 1973–74 |
| Morelia | 1 | 1 | 1980–81 |
| León | 1 | 1 | 1989–90 |
| Bachilleres UdeG | 1 | 1 | 1996–97 |
| Real Cuautitlán | 1 | 1 | Invierno 1999 |
| Marte | 1 | 1 | Verano 2000 |
| Mérida/Atlético Yucatán | 1 | 1 | Apertura 2008 |
| Chivas Rayadas | 1 | 1 | Revolución 2011 |
| Murciélagos | 1 | 1 | Apertura 2012 |
| UAZ | 1 | 1 | Apertura 2022 |
| Aguacateros de Peribán | 1 | 1 | Apertura 2024 |
| Toluca | 1 | 0 | 1952–53 |
| Nacional | 1 | 0 | 1960–61 |
| UNAM | 1 | 0 | 1961–62 |
| Cruz Azul | 1 | 0 | 1963–64 |
| Torreón | 1 | 0 | 1968–69 |
| Tecos | 1 | 0 | 1974–75 |
| Atletas Campesinos | 1 | 0 | 1979–80 |
| Oaxtepec | 1 | 0 | 1981–82 |
| UAT | 1 | 0 | 1986–87 |
| Potros Neza | 1 | 0 | 1988–89 |
| UTN | 1 | 0 | 1992–93 |
| Tigrillos UANL | 1 | 0 | 1995–96 |
| Tamaulipas | 1 | 0 | Invierno 2000 |
| Astros CDJ | 1 | 0 | Verano 2002 |
| BUAP | 1 | 0 | Apertura 2003 |
| Pegaso Anáhuac | 1 | 0 | Clausura 2006 |
| Cruz Azul Jasso | 1 | 0 | Clausura 2007 |
| Galeana Morelos | 1 | 0 | Clausura 2013 |
| Linces de Tlaxcala | 1 | 0 | Apertura 2013 |
| Atlético Coatzacoalcos | 1 | 0 | Clausura 2014 |
| Tepatitlán | 1 | 0 | Apertura 2017 |
| Mazorqueros | 1 | 0 | Clausura 2022 |
| Tapatío | 0 | 5 | – |
| Poza Rica | 0 | 3 | – |
| Tecamachalco | 0 | 3 | – |
| San Sebastián | 0 | 2 | – |
| Cuautla | 0 | 2 | – |
| UAQ | 0 | 2 | – |
| Inter Playa del Carmen | 0 | 2 | – |
| Veracruz | 0 | 1 | – |
| UdeG | 0 | 1 | – |
| Tecnológico de Celaya | 0 | 1 | – |
| Osos Grises | 0 | 1 | – |
| Jalisco | 0 | 1 | – |
| Inter de Tijuana | 0 | 1 | – |
| Delfines Xalapa | 0 | 1 | – |
| Real de la Plata | 0 | 1 | – |
| América Coapa | 0 | 1 | – |
| Autlán | 0 | 1 | – |
| Cachorros UdeG | 0 | 1 | – |
| Pumas Naucalpan | 0 | 1 | – |
| Atlas "B" | 0 | 1 | – |
| Necaxa San Juan | 0 | 1 | – |
| Tiburones de Córdoba | 0 | 1 | – |
| Dorados de Los Mochis | 0 | 1 | – |
| Altamira | 0 | 1 | – |
| Nuevo Laredo | 0 | 1 | – |
| Sonora | 0 | 1 | – |
| Cafetaleros | 0 | 1 | – |
| Los Cabos United | 0 | 1 | – |
See also
In Spanish: Segunda División de México para niños
- Football in Mexico
- Mexican football league system
- Mexican Football Federation
- Liga MX
- Liga de Expansión MX
- Ascenso MX
- Liga TDP
- Copa Conecta
