Orlegi Group opens process to sell Atlas
FMF advances in eliminating timeshare
Orlegi Group opens process to sell Atlas
▲ Under Grupo Orlegi's management, the Zorros broke their 70-year title drought and achieved a second championship. Photo @AtlasFC
Alberto Aceves
La Jornada Newspaper, Wednesday, July 16, 2025, p. a10
Grupo Orlegi, an organization chaired by businessman Alejandro Irarragorri—who is being investigated by the Attorney General's Office (FGR) for alleged tax fraud of more than 17 million pesos—announced the start of the sale process for Atlas, thus fulfilling the agreements established with Liga MX for the elimination of timeshare ownership in Mexico. With the red-and-black club's transaction, only Santos and Sporting de Gijón, of the Spanish Second Division, will remain in its structure.
Global investment banks Moelis & Company, ADS, and Wil, Gotshal & Manges LPP, hired by Orlegi, will form a board tasked with reviewing the financial position of potential partners interested in acquiring the club, its management model, and infrastructure plans. The board's goal is to ensure continued growth under a group that understands the club's relevance, context, and potential, both in sporting and social terms
, the statement explained.
During his six years of operation, Orlegi led the Zorros to consecutive league titles (Apertura 2021 and Clausura 2022) and the 2021-2022 Campeón de Campeones title, ending a 70-year drought of success for the red-and-black team. In terms of infrastructure, he created one of the most advanced high-performance centers in Latin America, the AGTA Academy, in collaboration with Clubes Unidos de Jalisco, and made improvements to the Jalisco stadium—new lighting, bathroom remodeling, tunnel expansion, and connectivity improvements.
On July 11, in a process that lasted nearly two months before the Mexican Football Federation (FMF), Grupo Caliente—also the owner of Xolos de Tijuana—formalized the sale of the Querétaro club to Innovatio Capital, a firm led by American businessman Marc Spiegel. According to unofficial reports, the company paid approximately $120 million to close the deal. If the transfer of Atlas is finalized, the FMF will eliminate the second-largest business organization that owned more than one team in the First Division before the 2026 World Cup.
Grupo Pachuca, owner of Tuzos and León, and the TV Azteca network, which operates Mazatlán and Puebla, are still active. Liga MX leaders gave the Hidalgo-based club until 2027 to sell off the additional franchise. According to president Jesús Martínez Murguía, the transaction involving the Guanajuato club—excluded from the FIFA Club World Cup due to its shared ownership with Pachuca—will take place within the agreed timeframe, but not in its entirety. "We are going to sell the majority of the shares, while retaining control of the institution
," he stated, without further details.
Since Atlas was founded in 1916 as a civil association, its 123 members ran the club for several years. In 2013, they sold their shares to Grupo Salinas, owned by businessman Ricardo Salinas Pliego, but a lack of income and seasons of relegation trouble led to their transfer to Grupo Orlegi in 2019. Since then, in addition to the two-time league championship, the club has also featured coaches such as Argentine Diego Cocca, Benjamín Mora, Beñat San José, and, most recently, Gonzalo Pineda.
In May of last year, the Attorney General's Office (FGR) filed a criminal case against Alejandro Irarragorri, president of Orlegi and owner of the red-and-black team, for alleged tax fraud of 17 million 69 thousand 865 pesos. Court records indicate that the executive allegedly engaged in fraud to avoid paying income tax (ISR) on player salaries from January to July 2017. When he failed to appear at a hearing on March 24, he was declared a fugitive from justice, a status later dismissed by the Santos club in a statement.
Irarragorri, accused by businessmen such as Arturo Elías Ayub—former director of Pumas and León—of proposing the end of promotion and relegation in Mexican soccer, left control of the Guerreros in Torreón in the hands of his 24-year-old son, Alejandro Irarragorri Kalb. He bought the team that was headed for relegation and then introduced the rule so there would no longer be relegation. "What's that?"
the director of Fundación Telmex quipped in a YouTube interview in February 2023. Despite an institutional crisis that affected the La Laguna team on the sporting front, the founder of Orlegi acquired Real Sporting de Gijón, a team in the Spanish second division, in 2006.
Guaranteed opening of the 2026 World Cup in Mexico City: Brugada
Sandra Hernández García
La Jornada Newspaper, Wednesday, July 16, 2025, p. a10
The opening of the 2026 World Cup in Mexico City is guaranteed, said Mayor Clara Brugada, dismissing any speculation that casts doubt on its hosting in the nation's capital.
He described it as regrettable that there is speculation about the holding of the Cup without any official source to support the doubts.
"These are lies, and it's unacceptable for the media to promote this unless they rely on truthful information, because all they're doing is exactly what we don't want to happen: distrust. The World Cup is guaranteed to be held in Mexico City."
"The opening match, on June 11, 2026, will be in Mexico, and we'll be preparing, as we do every day, to host the World Cup. We want to make that clear.
We call on the Mexican media, which appears to have an interest in preventing this event from taking place, to rely on objective sources and not fabrications
, the local leader emphasized.
During his press conference, he showed a video of FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who emphasized that Mexico is a country with a significant football tradition. He also emphasized that the opening match of the 2026 World Cup will be held at the Azteca Stadium, where figures such as Pelé (1970) and Maradona (1986) shone.
Infantino noted that it will be a milestone in the history of football for the capital to host the inaugural match; having Mexico host the World Cup for the third time is a way of thanking the country for its tremendous and unique contribution to the greatness of the World Cup and football in general
.
As part of the world's top football competition, 13 matches will be held in the country.
▲ Women's football is here to stay, and the numbers prove it. This is more than a tournament, it's a movement, says Nadine Kessler, UEFA's general manager of women's football. Nearly half a million people attended the group stage matches, breaking the previous record of 357,993 for Euro 2022. Photo: AFP
AP and AFP
La Jornada Newspaper, Wednesday, July 16, 2025, p. a11
Lausanne. Women's soccer continues to rise, and this time it's Switzerland that's highlighting this trend. The European Championship, being held in the picturesque Alpine country, has become a colorful festival with fans dancing both in the streets and in the stands, and records continue to be broken on and off the field. The tournament continues today with the start of the quarterfinals, where Norway will face Italy in search of a spot in the semifinals.
Nearly half a million people attended the group stage matches (461,582), breaking the record of 357,993 set at Euro 2022, which was held in England. Furthermore, the average attendance per match in the last edition was 18,544, while this tournament already stands at 19,233.
If it wasn't clear before, it's undeniable now: women's football is unstoppable and here to stay. Before the ball even started rolling, more than 600,000 tickets had already been sold, a milestone that speaks volumes about the growing passion for women's football
, said Nadine Kessler, UEFA's Director General of Women's Football.
Other records include the largest attendance at a group stage match not involving the host nation (34,165 for Germany-Denmark) and the largest number of fans at a Swiss women's national team match (34,063 against Norway).
Millions more are following the action around the world through social media and live streams. This is more than a tournament; it's a movement, and the response from across Europe and beyond shows that women's football is not only here to stay, but is setting the standard
, Kessler added.
The third European Championship in the 16-team format has generated record amounts for broadcasters and sponsors. Total tournament revenue, close to $152 million, will more than double the previous edition. The prize money has also doubled, to $48 million, from $18.75 million in the most recent edition.
The number of goals scored in the group stage (89) surpassed the mark of 78 set in 2022. Seven more would need to be recorded to break the all-time record of 95, also set that year.
Vero Boquete admitted to feeling a bit of healthy envy
commentating on matches on television instead of actually playing them. The 38-year-old Spanish legend, recently signed by Como, is enjoying La Roja at the European Championship, 20 years after his international debut.
“Back then, the games weren't broadcast on television. It was unimaginable that they would take away the news—as they did with the European Championship—for our game. Absolutely everything has changed; this is a different world. Tournament organization has evolved enormously in 20 years, and the future will undoubtedly be better,” he commented.
Boquete was the biggest star of Spanish football before the current golden age crowned by the 2023 World Cup title and four consecutive Ballon d'Ors; Alexia Putellas (2021 and 2022) and Aitana Bonmatí (2023 and 2024).
She was the first Iberian champion of the Champions League, in 2015 with Frankfurt, and the first nominee for best world player, a year earlier.
But her international career was cut short when former coach Jorge Vilda excluded her from the squad for leading protests about the team's performance during the 2015 World Cup in Canada, her final international competition.
“They were amateur teams. We went there two days before the first match, without playing any friendlies in six months, with really poor preparation, and barely any staff ,” he recalled. That led to demands for changes to compete on equal terms with the major powers
.
The wait is over: the first World Cup tickets will be released on September 10.
Ap
La Jornada Newspaper, Wednesday, July 16, 2025, p. a11
FIFA announced that the ticketing process for the 2026 World Cup, with Mexico, Canada, and the United States as host nations, will officially open on September 10 with the first match scheduled at the Azteca Stadium.
Due to the anticipated high demand on its website, the world governing body of football explained that tickets will be released in two phases. The first will begin in September with a random selection system.
To participate in this phase, interested parties must visit FIFA.com/tickets, register their profile, and create a FIFA FanID, which is a prerequisite for stadium access. He did not mention whether the dynamic pricing formula will be used, as was the case for the Club World Cup, where ticket prices fluctuated constantly.
"We want to welcome the world back to North America during the world's biggest sporting event, which will be held in Canada, Mexico, and the United States
," said FIFA President Gianni Infantino. "We encourage fans from all corners of the globe to prepare to secure one of the most coveted seats in world sport
."
The 2026 World Cup will be the largest edition in history. Forty-eight teams will participate, playing 104 matches. An estimated 6.5 million fans are expected to attend. So far, the three hosts and ten other teams—Australia, Iran, Uzbekistan, Jordan, South Korea, Japan, Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, and New Zealand—have secured their places in the tournament.
The group draw, scheduled for December, will determine the matches, venues, and schedules for each game. From then on, new ticket filters will be activated for the matches already scheduled. The only tickets available for now are premium tier tickets, which include exclusive experiences in addition to access to the matches.
Once all phases are open, World Cup ticket sales will continue until July 19 of next year, the date for the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The opening ceremony will take place at Azteca Stadium a month earlier, on June 11.
Controversial party of star Lamine Yamal under investigation
AFP
La Jornada Newspaper, Wednesday, July 16, 2025, p. a11
Madrid. The Spanish government has asked the Prosecutor's Office to investigate whether the law prohibiting shows that denigrate people with disabilities was violated at the 18th birthday party for Barcelona star Lamine Yamal.
The Ministry of Social Rights has asked the Attorney General's Office to investigate to determine whether the law and, therefore, the rights of people with disabilities have been violated
, the agency said yesterday, echoing a complaint from the Association of People with Achondroplasia (ADEE).
Specifically, the ministry aims to clarify whether people with dwarfism were denigrated at the Barça footballer's party. If so, the law, which does not impose penalties, would have been violated, although it has prohibited such activities for the past three years.
Several teammates attended the gathering, along with musical celebrities such as Bizarrap and Bad Gyal. Guests were not allowed to film, but a video on social media shows people with dwarfism arriving at the party.
No one disrespected us, we were allowed to work in peace
, one of the people with dwarfism told Catalan radio station RAC1, anonymously, claiming they were four artists who dance, serve drinks and perform magic tricks to entertain guests.
The ADEE announced that it will take legal and social action
against Yamal to safeguard the dignity of people with dwarfism
, as it denounced that their hiring as part of entertainment is prohibited by law.
Mexico has potential for more success stories
Juan Luis Barrios: I don't run out of nostalgia, but because I feel alive in every race.
Adriana Díaz Reyes
La Jornada Newspaper, Wednesday, July 16, 2025, p. a12
Thirty years after beginning his athletics career, Juan Luis Barrios still feels that tingling in his chest minutes before the start of a competition. The excitement remains, undiminished even though he now competes in the masters category and has traded middle-distance events for the marathon.
As I get older, I see things differently. At my peak, all I thought about was reaching the final of every competition I attended. Now that I look at everything from the outside, I understand that being among the best depends on many things, including the sports system in each country and the support for its athletes. It seems like we all have the same opportunities, but that's not always the case
, he shared.
At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Barrios achieved what has been his best athletic result: a seventh place in the 5,000 meters, a competition in which Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele broke the Olympic record for the event. Four years later, he finished eighth at the 2012 London Games.
I don't run out of nostalgia or to fulfill some unfinished business. I do it because I still can, because I enjoy it, and because I feel active and alive in every race
, he confessed.
Hunger for success
His hunger for success never ceases with the passing of the years. In addition to his Central American and Pan American medals, the 42-year-old athlete won gold in the masters category at the World Championships in Gothenburg last year.
Age is unforgiving. Sometimes your mind goes faster than your body, and there are difficult days when you just can't reach your goal. However, as long as my legs have the capacity to run, I'll do it because it's what I love.
In addition to staying active, Barrios created his own training group where he shares the knowledge passed down to him by the legendary Tadeusz Kepka.
▲ At 42, the Mexican runner continues to rack up victories, including the gold medal in the masters category at the World Championships in Gothenburg. Photo @darth.barrios1
I was very pleased to run with members of my team in the Mexico City Half Marathon and also to share the miles with the children of my high-performance opponents. Teaching others is also a facet I truly enjoy
, added Barrios, who was part of pentathlete Emiliano Hernández's multidisciplinary team at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
A few days ago, he presented his book Sueño Olímpico (Olympic Dream) , a project to which he dedicated a couple of years and which he wrote with the collaboration of Jorge Cuevas and the prologue by former sprinter Alejandro Cárdenas.
You'll find pages that recall the Olympic cycles in Athens, Beijing, and London, the reality I experienced, and the daily life of a Mexican athlete. There are also many anecdotes I experienced in high performance and the challenges I faced.
I don't know if I was the best, but I was the one who most believed I could achieve it,
is one of the quotes from the book most treasured by the runner, considered by many to be the best long-distance runner in the history of Mexico.
I hope my story will inspire new generations, so they know what it's like to achieve a dream and that nothing is set in stone in sports.
Although international success in middle-distance events has been limited in recent years, Barrios is confident that Mexico has the talent to return to its glory days.
We have riders like José Luis Santana and Juan Joel Pacheco. We hope they can soon reach their full potential and create new success stories
.
▲ As team owners prepare to clash with players over a salary cap in the major leagues, Dominican outfielder Juan Soto signed with the New York Mets for a historic $765 million. AP Photo
Ap
La Jornada Newspaper, Wednesday, July 16, 2025, p. a12
Atlanta. Commissioner Rob Manfred and players' union chairman Tony Clark confirmed they are moving forward with plans to make the possibility of having Major League Baseball players at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics a reality.
I think it's an opportunity to promote the game on a truly global stage. Obviously, clubs will have to approve this. I mean, it's a big deal
, Manfred said at a meeting with the Baseball Writers' Association of America.
MLB met with Los Angeles organizers in Atlanta before the All-Star Game, and Manfred indicated that Olympic officials were in contact with the Major League Baseball Players Association.
"We know the players are interested in playing, whether for the U.S. national team or any other team around the world. There are many conversations that need to be had sooner rather than later to see how viable this is, but we're hopeful we can find a way to do it for the benefit of baseball
," Clark said.
The World Baseball Softball Confederation announced that the tournament will be played from July 15-20 at Dodger Stadium.
MLB eyes lockout
A likely lockout looms in Major League Baseball in December 2026 as team owners push to establish a salary cap, possibly resulting in the loss of regular-season games for the first time since 1995.
Nobody's talking about it, but we all know we're going to get stopped for it, and then we're going to lose time
, said New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso. We're definitely going to fight to not have a salary cap, and obviously the league isn't going to like that
.
Manfred and some owners have cited payroll disparity as a problem. At the same time, MLB is seeking to address declining revenue from regional sports networks. Unlike the NFL, NBA, and NHL, baseball has never had a salary cap because its players strongly oppose one.
The Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets have boosted payrolls to record levels. The last small-market MLB club to win a World Series recently was the Kansas City Royals in 2015.
After signing outfielder Juan Soto to a record-breaking $765 million contract, New York opened this season with a $326 million payroll, nearly five times Miami's $69 million, according to MLB figures.
Using luxury tax payrolls, the Dodgers led the way with $400 million and are on track to cover a record luxury tax of approximately $151 million, breaking the previous mark of $103 million set by Los Angeles last year.
The National League wins the All-Star Game; for the first time, four Mexicans
▲ The four Mexicans made history. Photo taken from social media.
From the editorial staff
La Jornada Newspaper, Wednesday, July 16, 2025, p. a30
Baseball players Alejandro Kirk, Jonathan Aranda, Andrés Muñoz, and Randy Arozarena made history at the Atlanta Braves' Truist Park: for the first time, four Mexicans participated in the Major League Baseball All-Star Game.
After a 6-6 tie after nine innings, the game was decided by a home run duel for the first time in history. The National League won 4-3 over the American League.
Kyle Schwarber of the Philadelphia Phillies hit three home runs in the tiebreaker. Mexicans Arozarena and Aranda batted for the American League, but came up short.
In the bottom of the eighth, Muñoz came on from Seattle with the mission of not allowing any more runs for the American League.
The most Tricolor representatives were selected to an All-Star Game in 1983, with two: Fernando Valenzuela of the Dodgers and Aurelio López of the Detroit Tigers. This record was matched in 1986, 2010, and 2024.
During the game, the late Hall of Famer Hank Aaron was honored by recreating his 715th home run using projection mapping and pyrotechnics.
The scene from April 8, 1974, at the old Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium was projected onto the infield and also on the screen.
Teams returned to their regular-season jerseys after four years of heavily criticized special uniforms.
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