Mexican football league system
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Mexican football league system is the national football competition in Mexico. It is organized by the Mexican Football Federation and is consists of 4 levels.
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[edit] Primera División de México (First Division)
The Primera División de México, composed of 18 teams, competes in two tournaments annually: the Apertura in the autumn and the Clausura in the spring. Following each regular season, playoffs are contested to determine the champion.
Winners of the competition participates in the CONCACAF Champions' Cup for the Champions of North American football leagues. In addition, certain Primera clubs participate in South America's Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana.
Each year, one team is relegated on the basis of fewest points earned per match played over three seasons. This system generally assures that well-supported clubs will not be relegated on the basis of one poor season. The relegated team is replaced by the playoff winner from Primera A.
[edit] Primera División A (First Division A)
The Primera División A, Primera A for short, is composed of 24 teams that compete in two tournaments annually: the Apertura in the autumn and the Clausura in the spring. Following each regular season, playoffs are contested to determine the champion.
The team that wins a two-legged playoff between the corresponding champions of the Apertura and Clausura tournaments is promoted, whereas the worst team in the whole season (again based on points earned per matches played) is relegated.
[edit] Segunda and Tercera División (Second and Third Divisions, respectively)
In the Segunda and Tercera División the teams participate in huge Apertura and Clausura knock-out tournaments. The team that wins a playoff between the corresponding champions of the Apertura and Clausura tournaments is promoted to the next highest division.
Relegation from Segunda Division to Tercera Division goes to the worst team. No team from Tercera Division is ever relegated, as it is the lowest tier of soccer in Mexico.
[edit] Possible changes to the system
The Mexican Football Federation has shown eagerness of amending the current system, with the Primera Division de Mexico being converted into a double round-robin with one whole season, instead of two separate tournaments in the near future.According to Reforma Newspaper, for the 2008-2009 season Primera A will be named Division de ascenso. Division de ascenso will be played between 14 to 16 teams and there will be no more affiliates. The Second division is rumored to be split into two divisions of forty teams, the third division will remain the same.
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Level |
League(s)/Division(s) |
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1 |
Primera División de México |
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2 |
Primera División A |
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3 |
Segunda Division |
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4 |
Tercera División |
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