There must be fair competition and teams must be promoted: Paola Longoria

▲ Representatives of second-division teams requested compliance with the 2019 CAS ruling. Photo @AlbCastellanos

Alberto Aceves

La Jornada Newspaper, Tuesday, July 1, 2025, p. a11

The Expansion League clubs demanding the reinstatement of the promotion and relegation system in Mexican soccer—Leones Negros, Tepatitlán, Atlético La Paz, Cancún FC, Mineros, and Venados—presented a report to the Chamber of Deputies' Sports Commission regarding the noncompliance with agreements and maneuvers directed by the Mexican Football Federation (FMF) to invalidate the principle of sporting merit. In a meeting lasting more than an hour in Congress, the second-division directors requested compliance with the 2019 ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which established that the suspension of the old competition system would be for only six seasons.

The only thing we've asked of the Federation is to tell us when promotion and relegation will return. The ruling is very clear and states that after six seasons, the old system must automatically return to Mexico. "It's not a matter of debate ," explained Leones Negros president Alberto Castellanos. With the process opened last month before the CAS, the FMF withdrew the so-called Improvement Fund from the clubs—a program that grants 20 million pesos annually to each franchise in the circuit since 2020—and requested that the Disciplinary Commission investigate Castellanos and Cancún FC president Giovanni Solazzi for alleged violations of the organization's code of ethics.

They withheld resources like the Improvement Fund. Then, they sent it to the Disciplinary Commission. "The federation is trying to subdue us, but we continue our fight ," recalled the UdeG boss upon leaving the meeting with a series of documents organized in a folder. One of them establishes the FMF's commitment to open promotion and relegation in six years, starting in 2019, and not in the 2020-21 season, as the federation members maintain. The demands of the second circuit teams—represented by Samuel Hernández (Atlético La Paz), Eduardo López (Mineros), Bruno Marioni (Tepatitlán FC), as well as Castellanos and Solazzi—found support in the Legislative Branch.

In sports, there must be fair competition, where teams can advance and not be affected by the families who fill the stadiums every weekend. We're less than a year away from the World Cup, and this can't continue to happen , declared Paola Longoria, a multi-time world racquetball champion and head of the Sports Commission in the Chamber of Deputies. Maintaining a closed league is depriving girls and boys of the dream of being professional soccer players, the hope of representing Mexico in other types of competitions like the Olympic Games. We can't aspire to have better athletes if everything is concentrated in the Liga MX .

Tripartite dialogue

Longoria formally requested a visit from the FMF commissioner and president, Mikel Arriola and Ivar Sisniega, respectively, to hold a tripartite dialogue. As part of the actions the commission can take to resolve the conflict, the Potosí native did not rule out developing an initiative related to promotion and relegation in professional soccer.

Any representative or legislator can submit a proposal proposing the return of the Liga de Ascenso (Ascent League). So far, none have been submitted, but it is a possibility. As president, I notified the federation that we would like to hear their version and find a way for the clubs to reach a direct agreement.

On June 3, the FMF reported in a statement that the withdrawal of the financial subsidy to the dissident Expansión clubs corresponds to the agreement signed in 2020, one of the clauses of which states that when someone sues the federation, they will not receive financial support while the process remains open. Regarding the implications of this measure, the former Olympic racquetball player left the resolution in the hands of the CAS. "Any budget cut affects athletes and owners, both in terms of paying salaries, technical equipment, and stadium infrastructure ," she emphasized. "We are seeking to reach a form of conciliation through dialogue. Why not bring both parties together?"

Ap

La Jornada Newspaper, Tuesday, July 1, 2025, p. a11

Geneva. The extreme heat players faced at the Club World Cup in the United States could become an even bigger problem at the upcoming 2026 World Cup, the global union for professional footballers, FIFPRO, has warned.

The current month-long tournament is being played amid a heat wave gripping 11 US cities. While union leaders praised the cooling measures during matches, they also denounced FIFA's failure to adopt its recommendation to consider postponing kickoff times by several hours on the hottest days.

Six of the 16 World Cup venues next year in the United States, Mexico, and Canada are considered by FIFPRO to be at extremely high risk for heat stress for players from the 48 national teams. The highest-risk locations are Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Miami, and Monterrey, although some have indoor, air-conditioned stadiums.

We anticipate this issue will become more crucial in the coming years , said Vincent Gouttebarge, FIFPRO's medical director.

The 2030 World Cup will be co-hosted in June and July by Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, where there are fewer indoor and air-conditioned stadiums, and temperatures in some cities reached or exceeded 38 degrees yesterday.

Gouttebarge warned that by 2030 the hot weather outlook for the tournament may be even worse than what we have faced so far .

FIFPRO suggested that additional heat mitigation measures could include 20-minute halftime breaks instead of 15 to help reduce players' body temperatures, and in-game cool-down periods every 15 minutes.

During the World Cup , FIFA insisted on cooling breaks and water stations, as well as placing more towels around the edge of the pitch. We're partly happy because the authorities were quite receptive once the tournament was underway , noted Alex Phillips, FIFPRO general secretary.

The union, with national affiliates representing players in some 70 countries, also favors better shaded benches for substitutes and more hydration breaks. "All of these practical things are something we need to do better ," said Alexander Bielefeld, FIFPRO's director of strategy.

The union submitted its research to FIFA ahead of the Club World Cup kickoff on June 14, based on weather trends in host cities since 2014. Seven of the 11 were deemed high risk, with Philadelphia and Washington at the highest end.

▲ Photo @miseleccion

La Jornada Newspaper, Tuesday, July 1, 2025, p. a11

Mexican national team midfielder Luis Chávez underwent anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction surgery on his right knee yesterday at a hospital in Guadalajara, Jalisco, led by Dr. Rafael Ortega, who has been part of the national team's coaching staff since last March.