Liga Premier de México
 | |
| Organising body | Federación Mexicana de Fútbol (FMF) |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1950 (as Segunda División de México) |
| Country | Mexico |
| Confederation | CONCACAF |
| Number of clubs | 47 (Primera Premier, Liga Premier A and Liga Premier B) |
| Level on pyramid | 3 |
| Promotion to | Liga de Expansión MX |
| Relegation to | Liga TDP |
| Domestic cup(s) | Copa Conecta Copa Promesas MX |
| Current champions | Deportiva Venados (1st title) |
| Most championships | Zacatepec (5 titles) |
| Broadcaster(s) | AYM Sports Hi Sports Televisa[1] TVC Deportes[2] |
| Website | ligapremier.mx |
| Current: 2026–27 Primera Premier season 2026–27 Liga Premier A season 2026–27 Liga Premier B season | |
Liga Premier is a professional association football league in Mexico and the third level of the Mexican football league system. Formerly named Segunda División de México (1950–2017). The league has 47 participating clubs, organized into three subdivisions (Primera Premier with 18 clubs, Liga Premier A with 19 clubs and Liga Premier B with 10 clubs). The season consists of one tournament per year, according to FIFA world football calendar. The champions are decided by a final knockout phase in each subdivision. The winners of Primera Premier are crowned as the Liga Premier champions, the winners of Liga Premier A and B are the secondary champions and aspire to participate in Primera Premier.
The inaugural edition was the 1950–51 season, with Zacatepec as the first champions in history. In all, 100 editions of the league have been held.
From 1950 to 1994, it was the second level division of Mexican football. Serie B clubs and teams affiliated with clubs from the highest divisions, which are known as "filiales" are not eligible for promotion to Liga de Expansión MX.
Zacatepec is the most successful club with five titles, followed by Irapuato, Tampico Madero and Universidad del Fútbol with four titles each, Loros UdeC, Atlas, Durango and Pachuca Juniors with three titles each. In all, sixty-six clubs have won the league at least once.
History
[edit]Segunda División de México (1950–2017)
[edit]Founded in 1950 as the second level division, it was one of the three divisions originally created for the Mexican football league system, along with the Primera División and Tercera División. The inaugural season had seven founding clubs: Irapuato, Morelia, Pachuca, Querétaro, Toluca, Zacatepec and Zamora. The champions of the 1993–94 Segunda División season was the last to be promoted to the Primera División. In 1994–95 season, the FMF created the Primera División "A" as an intermediate league[3] with 15 clubs from the Segunda División, and all other clubs remained in the league as the new third level division of Mexican football. Each season divided into groups by geographic location, with the matches predominantly among the clubs from the same group.
From 1994, it became the third level division of Mexican football, after the creation of the Primera División "A" de México as an intermediate league between the Primera División and Segunda División, which was later abolished in 2019. However, it continued as the third level, after the creation of the Liga de Expansión MX in 2020 as the new intermediate league. Two short tournaments were played during two periods (1997–2018, 2021–2023), and also the 2024–25 season.
In 2008, the FMF, with the approval of the chairmen of the clubs in the second and third levels, change the competition format dividing the league into two subdivisions (Liga Premier de Ascenso and Liga de Nuevos Talentos). The champions could earn promotion to Primera División "A", provided their stadium and financial stability met the licensing requirements of the second level division. From 2011 to 2016, no clubs were relegated to Liga Premier, promotion still occurred during these years provided the club was licensed to participate. In June 2016, Ascenso MX announced they would resume relegating clubs. Since that year only Loros UdeC in 2017 and Murciélagos in 2018 were relegated from the Ascenso MX.
Liga Premier (2017–present)
[edit]In June 2017, the league announced its rebranding as Liga Premier; its two subdivisions were also renamed as Serie A and Serie B. In Serie A, clubs with the best infrastructure could continue to participate, while Serie B would be for clubs in sporting and economic development.[4]
In 2020, the Ascenso MX was replaced by Liga de Expansión MX, two clubs from the Segunda División were invited (Tepatitlán and Tlaxcala), both clubs won their promotion but were rejected in the second level for not meeting the requirements to participate. Since that year, the requirements to be admitted to the second level have been tightened, only three clubs were promoted in the following years, Durango in 2022, Jaiba Brava in 2024, Irapuato in 2025.
In 2026 the league was divided into three branches with the introduction of the Primera Premier, which included the 18 Serie A teams best positioned to be promoted to the Liga de Expansión. Meanwhile, Serie A became an intermediate league, and Serie B remained as a category for developing teams.[5]
Promotion and relegation would be formalized between the leagues. Primera Premier would promote one club to Liga de Expansión MX.[4] Additionally, one Serie A club could promote to Primera Premier and one club would be promoted from Premier B to Premier A each year.[6] Four clubs would be promoted from Liga TDP provided they meet the Serie requirements of Article 57.[7]
Competition format
[edit]Regular phase
[edit]One tournament is played per season, throughout the FIFA's world footballing calendar, the 47 clubs are divided into three subdivisions (Primera Premier, Liga Premier A and Liga Premier B). The Primera Premier includes clubs with the best economic and sporting infraestructure to compete for promotion to Liga de Expansión MX. It has 18 participating clubs.[8]
The Liga Premier A includes clubs of medium level and infrastructure that can aspire to promotion in the medium term. It has 19 participating clubs.
The Liga Premier B includes developing clubs with less infrastructure, but committed to improving in order to aspire to participate in Premier A. It has 10 participating clubs in a single group.
The teams known as "filiales" also participate, which are the reserve teams affiliated with clubs at higher levels (Liga MX and Liga de Expansión MX). These clubs are not eligible for promotion, however, they qualify for its own final knockout phase for the affiliated teams title, known as Torneo de Filiales de la Liga Premier.
Final phase
[edit]The final phase of Primera Premier and Premier A consists of eight clubs, the top four clubs from each group for the final knockout phase. The Primera Premier champions are crowned officially as the Liga Premier champions, and also will be eligible to participate in a certification audit for obtain the promotion to Liga de Expansión MX, provided that the club meets the requirements for the stadium and financial stability.
The final phase of Premier B consists of four clubs, the four highest-placed from the group of ten qualify for the final knockout phase. The Premier B champions cannot be promoted to Liga de Expansión MX, but they can participate in Premier A depending on improvements to their infrastructure.
Participating clubs
[edit]2026–27 season
[edit]The 2026–27 Primera Premier season has the following 18 participating clubs.[9]
| Primera Premier clubs | |
|---|---|
| Group I | Group II |
The 2026–27 Liga Premier A season has the following 19 participating clubs.[9]
| Liga Premier A clubs | |
|---|---|
| Group I | Group II |
The 2026–27 Liga Premier B season has the following 10 participating clubs.[9]
| Liga Premier B clubs |
|---|
| On hiatus |
|---|
Performances
[edit]- Notes
- Clubs currently in Liga MX.
- Clubs currently in Liga de Expansión MX.
- Clubs currently in Liga TDP.
- Defunct clubs.
Liga Premier B
[edit]| Rank | Club | Titles | Runners-up | Winning years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Correcaminos UAT "B" | 3 | 1 | Ape–2009, Ape–2015, Ape–2016 |
| Aguacateros CDU | 3 | 0 | Ape–2021, Cla–2022, 2023–24 | |
| 3 | UAE de Hidalgo | 2 | 1 | Ape–2008, Bic–2010 |
| Académicos/Atlas "B" | 2 | 1 | Cla–2012, Ape–2012 | |
| Santiago | 2 | 0 | Ape–2024, Cla–2025 | |
| Yalmakán | 2 | 0 | Cla–2017, Ape–2017 | |
| 7 | América Coapa | 1 | 2 | Cla–2009 |
| Calor | 1 | 2 | Ape–2022 | |
| Alebrijes "B" | 1 | 2 | Cla–2023 | |
| Durango | 1 | 1 | Cla–2013 | |
| Pioneros de Cancún | 1 | 1 | Ape–2013 | |
| Selva Cañera | 1 | 1 | Cla–2014 | |
| Real Zamora | 1 | 1 | Cla–2016 | |
| Artesanos Metepec | 1 | 1 | 2025–26 | |
| Cachorros UANL | 1 | 0 | Ind–2010 | |
| Cachorros de León | 1 | 0 | Rev–2011 | |
| Estudiantes Tecos "B" | 1 | 0 | Ape–2011 | |
| Mineros de Fresnillo | 1 | 0 | Ape–2014 | |
| Sahuayo | 1 | 0 | Cla–2015 | |
| Orizaba | 1 | 0 | Cla–2018 | |
| Cañoneros | 1 | 0 | 2018–19 | |
| 22 | Santos de Soledad/Atlético San Luis "B" | 0 | 3 | — |
| Alto Rendimiento Tuzo | 0 | 1 | — | |
| Alacranes "B" | 0 | 1 | — | |
| Pumas Naucalpan | 0 | 1 | — | |
| Sporting Canamy | 0 | 1 | — | |
| Lobos Prepa | 0 | 1 | — | |
| Tlaxcala | 0 | 1 | — | |
| Leones Negros UdeG "B" | 0 | 1 | — | |
| CAFESSA | 0 | 1 | — | |
| T'HÓ Mayas | 0 | 1 | — | |
| Ayense | 0 | 1 | — | |
| Atlético Pachuca | 0 | 1 | — | |
| Racing | 0 | 1 | – |
Cup tournament
[edit]Copa de la Liga Premier de Ascenso was the domestic cup tournament of the division. Formerly named Copa México de la Segunda División (1950–1964, 1970–1972, 1995–96) and Copa Presidente de la Segunda División (1964–1970), it was held consecutively from 1950 to 1972, and five more editions were held later (1995–96, Apertura 2013, Clausura 2014, Apertura 2014 and Clausura 2015).
From 2013 to 2015, a tournament was held in each subdivision, Liga Premier de Ascenso and Liga de Nuevos Talentos (currently Serie A and Serie B).
The inaugural edition was the 1950–51 season, with Irapuato as the first champions in history. The final edition was the Clausura 2015 tournament, with Tecos as the last champions. In all, twenty-seven editions of the tournament were held.
Poza Rica was the most successful club with five titles, followed by Irapuato with three titles and Pachuca with two titles. In all, twenty clubs won the tournament at least once.
Performances
[edit]| Rank | Club | Titles | Runners-up | Winning years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Poza Rica | 5 | 1 | 1958–59, 1960–61, 1962–63, 1964–65, 1967–68 |
| 2 | Irapuato | 3 | 2 | 1950–51, 1952–53, 1953–54 |
| 3 | Pachuca | 2 | 0 | 1963–64, 1965–66 |
| 4 | Laguna | 1 | 3 | 1954–55 |
| Morelia | 1 | 1 | 1955–56 | |
| Zacatepec | 1 | 1 | 1966–67 | |
| Unión de Curtidores | 1 | 1 | 1970–71 | |
| Cruz Azul Jasso | 1 | 1 | Ape–2013 | |
| La Concepción | 1 | 0 | 1951–52 | |
| San Sebastián | 1 | 0 | 1956–57 | |
| Nacional | 1 | 0 | 1957–58 | |
| Texcoco | 1 | 0 | 1959–60 | |
| Refinería Madero | 1 | 0 | 1961–62 | |
| Torreón | 1 | 0 | 1968–69 | |
| Zamora | 1 | 0 | 1969–70 | |
| Naucalpan | 1 | 0 | 1971–72 | |
| Chivas Rayadas | 1 | 0 | 1995–96 | |
| Indios UACJ | 1 | 0 | Cla–2014 | |
| Murciélagos | 1 | 0 | Ape–2015 | |
| Tecos | 1 | 0 | Cla–2015 | |
| 21 | Atlas | 0 | 2 | — |
| Tampico | 0 | 2 | — | |
| Tepic | 0 | 2 | — | |
| Toluca | 0 | 1 | — | |
| Moctezuma | 0 | 1 | — | |
| Politécnico | 0 | 1 | — | |
| Monterrey | 0 | 1 | — | |
| Pumas UNAM | 0 | 1 | — | |
| Orizaba | 0 | 1 | — | |
| Puebla | 0 | 1 | — | |
| Celaya | 0 | 1 | — | |
| Salamanca | 0 | 1 | — | |
| Ocelotes UNACH | 0 | 1 | — | |
| Gallos Blancos | 0 | 1 | — |
Campeón de Campeones
[edit]Campeón de Campeones de la Liga Premier was the domestic Super cup of the division between the champions of the Apertura and Clausura tournaments, the two champions of each season. Formerly named Campeón de Campeones de la Segunda División (1953–1972, 1995–2017), it was initially a Super cup between the league and cup champions of the Segunda División until 1996, and since 1997 it was contested by the two league champions of the year.
From 2009 to 2025, a trophy was held in each subdivision, Liga Premier de Ascenso/Serie A and Liga de Nuevos Talentos/Serie B. The trophy was held during three periods (1953–1972, 1995–2018, 2022–2025).
The inaugural edition was held in 1953, with Toluca as the first champions in history. The final edition was held in 2025, with Aguacateros de Peribán as the last champions. In all, forty-four editions of the trophy were held.
Pachuca Juniors was the most successful club with three titles, followed by Zacatepec, Tampico Madero, Zamora, Ciudad Madero and Durango with two titles each. In all, thirty-seven clubs won the trophy at least once.
Performances
[edit]- Notes
- Automatic winners of the trophy and promotion for winning both league tournaments of the season.
- Automatic winners of the trophy for winning the season's league and cup tournament.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ↑ Includes Adrenalina Sports Network
- ↑ includes TVC Deportes 2
- ↑ Between 2009 and 2011 the league was named Liga de Ascenso.
- 1 2 "Segunda División se convierte en Liga Premier". esto.com.mx. June 15, 2017.
- ↑ "Un gran cambio en el futbol mexicano: La FMF podría tener una nueva división para la siguiente temporada". Esto (in Spanish). 8 June 2026. Retrieved 1 August 2026.
- ↑ Reglamento de Competencia (PDF), Liga Premier, Federación Mexicana de Fútbol Asociación. Promotion/relegation between leagues B is covered in Section M on pages 28-29 in Articles 61-63.
- ↑ Reglamento de Competencia (PDF), Liga Premier, Federación Mexicana de Fútbol Asociación, p. 26
- ↑ "¡LA REESTRUCTURACIÓN VA!". Liga Premier Magazine (in Spanish). 1 August 2026. Retrieved 1 August 2026.
- 1 2 3 "Todo está listo para una nueva temporada. ⚽👀 La Liga Premier ya definió a los clubes que conformarán las tres categorías para la campaña 2026-2027. Un nuevo torneo está por comenzar, con nuevos retos, objetivos y la ilusión de pelear por el campeonato". La D Deportiva (in Spanish). 1 August 2026. Retrieved 1 August 2026.
- ↑ "GORILAS SE MUDA A LEÓN". Liga Premier Magazine (in Spanish). 26 June 2026. Retrieved 26 June 2026.
- ↑ "Ascendería una franquicia de Premier". El Heraldo León (in Spanish). 24 June 2026. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
External links
[edit]- Official website (in Spanish)
- Magazine page (in Spanish)
- League information (in English)
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