Recommended
Mexico's National Antitrust Commission announced on Monday that it has opened an investigation into possible monopolistic practices in national soccer, following fan complaints about anti-competitive conduct.
The CNA's inquiry (the commission's acronym) centers on the absence of a promotion and relegation system. Second-division clubs and players have been protesting for weeks, demanding the right to move up to the top category, as was the case in the past.
Several lower-tier clubs even turned to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) last year.
Although the Mexican Football Federation (FMF) suspended promotion in 2019 through an agreement to restore it by 2026, there are currently no plans in place to reinstate the system.
The owners of the 18 first-division teams voted to suspend promotion and relegation for six seasons, arguing that it would help stabilize second-division clubs.
The FMF maintains that lower-tier teams can be promoted, but it applies strict operational criteria, including stadium capacity thresholds that even some first-division clubs do not meet.
"After analyzing the events that occurred in recent months, the Investigative Authority determined that it has sufficient evidence to formally open an ex officio investigation into possible monopolistic practices in the professional soccer market in Mexico," the CNA said in a statement.
The agency emphasized that the investigation does not prejudge guilt. However, it warned that if liability for anti-competitive behavior is proven, the FMF could face fines of up to 10% of its annual revenue and would have to correct any detected monopolistic practice.
[Publicidad]