Mazatlán FC Nears Exit From Liga MX as Atlante Prepares Top-Flight Return

Mazatlán FC is on the verge of becoming the latest short-lived project in Liga MX, as historic club Atlante moves closer to returning to Mexico’s top division ahead of the Apertura 2026 season. During the most recent Owners’ Assembly, league president Mikel Arriola confirmed that the purchase-and-sale process is already underway and could be finalized before the summer of 2026, pending regulatory approvals.

The move reflects a league environment that has increasingly normalized franchise relocations and administrative reshuffles, fueled in part by the absence of automatic relegation and the financial pressures facing several clubs. For Mazatlán FC, the announcement signals the beginning of the end after just five seasons in the first division, a run that rarely translated into sustained sporting relevance on or off the pitch.

From its controversial birth in 2020, when Monarcas Morelia was relocated to Sinaloa, Mazatlán FC struggled to establish a stable identity. The move occurred amid the COVID-19 pandemic and was accompanied by a complete rebrand, new stadium ambitions, and promises of growth. However, those expectations never fully materialized in competitive terms. Over ten Liga MX tournaments, the club surpassed the 20-point mark only four times, with its best campaign yielding 22 points in the Apertura 2023. That season ended in a Play-In loss to Santos Laguna, while the Clausura 2022 produced a repechaje appearance as the 12th seed and a penalty shootout defeat to Puebla—Mazatlán’s only postseason moments.

Mazatlán’s likely departure also underscores the economic logic of modern Liga MX, where survival is often dictated by fines tied to the coefficient table rather than sporting relegation. In recent seasons, the club repeatedly found itself paying the price for poor cumulative performance, keeping alive a broader debate about competitive incentives, long-term planning, and financial accountability in Mexican football.

On the opposite end of the narrative, Atlante’s anticipated return carries strong symbolic weight. Owned by Emilio Escalante, the Azulgrana club has spent years in the Liga de Expansión while its fanbase pushed for a pathway back to the top flight amid the suspension of promotion and relegation. With administrative doors now opening, Atlante’s comeback represents a form of institutional justice for a club deeply rooted in Liga MX history.

The Mazatlán–Atlante transaction fits into a broader pattern of fleeting projects in Mexican football. From Cobras de Querétaro’s rapid rises and relocations, to Colibríes de Morelos lasting just one top-flight tournament, and Indios de Juárez reaching a semifinal in 2009 only to be relegated and later dissolved, Liga MX has seen numerous examples where franchises vanished without leaving a lasting footprint. More recently, Lobos BUAP survived relegation through financial penalties before selling its place outright—another case of continuity decided in boardrooms rather than on the field.

As Atlante prepares to reclaim its seat among Mexico’s elite, Mazatlán FC appears destined to join that list of transient Liga MX experiments. The shift highlights a league still grappling with its identity, where tradition, market forces, and competitive integrity continue to collide in defining who truly belongs at the top.