Liga Premier is a professional association football league in Mexico and the third level of the Mexican football league system. Formerly known as Segunda División de México (1950–2017). The league is contested by 48 participating clubs, organized into three subdivisions (Primera Premier with 18 clubs, Premier A with 20 clubs and Premier B with 10 clubs). The season consists of an annual tournament, and the champions are decided by a final knockout phase in each subdivision. The winners of Primera Premier are crowned Liga Premier champions, the winners of Premier A and Premier B are the secondary champions of the league.
The league has held 101 editions. The inaugural edition was the 1950–51 season, with Zacatepec crowned as the first champions.
From 1950 to 1994, it was the second level of Mexican football. Premier A clubs, Premier B clubs and teams affiliated with clubs from the highest levels, which are known as "filiales" are not eligible for promotion.
Sixty-six clubs have won the title at least once. Zacatepec is the most successful club with five titles, Irapuato, Tampico Madero and Universidad del Fútbol with four titles each, Loros UdeC, Atlas, Alacranes de Durango and Pachuca Juniors with three titles each.
History Segunda División de México (1950–2017) Founded in 1950 as the second level division, it was one of the three divisions originally created for the Mexican football league system, along with the Primera División and Tercera División. The inaugural season had seven founding clubs: Irapuato, Morelia, Pachuca, Querétaro, Toluca, Zacatepec and Zamora. The champions of the 1993–94 Segunda División season was the last to be promoted to the Primera División. In 1994–95 season, the FMF created the Primera División "A" as an intermediate league Between 2009 and 2011 the league was named Liga de Ascenso. with 15 clubs from the Segunda División, and all other clubs remained in the league as the new third level division of Mexican football. Each season divided into groups by geographic location, with the matches predominantly among the clubs from the same group.
From 1994, it became the third level division of Mexican football, after the creation of the Primera División "A" de México as an intermediate league between the Primera División and Segunda División, which was later abolished in 2019. However, it continued as the third level, after the creation of the Liga de Expansión MX in 2020 as the new intermediate league. Two short tournaments were played during two periods (1997–2018, 2021–2023), and also the 2024–25 season.
In 2008, the FMF, with the approval of the chairmen of the clubs in the second and third levels, change the competition format dividing the league into two subdivisions (Liga Premier de Ascenso and Liga de Nuevos Talentos). The champions could earn promotion to Primera División "A", provided their stadium and financial stability met the licensing requirements of the second level division. From 2011 to 2016, no clubs were relegated to Liga Premier, promotion still occurred during these years provided the club was licensed to participate. In June 2016, Ascenso MX announced they would resume relegating clubs. Since that year only Loros UdeC in 2017 and Murciélagos in 2018 were relegated from the Ascenso MX.
Liga Premier (2017–present) In June 2017, the league announced its rebranding as Liga Premier; its two subdivisions were also rebranded as Serie A and Serie B. In Serie A, clubs with the best infrastructure could continue to participate, while Serie B would be for clubs in sporting and economic development.
In 2020, the Ascenso MX was replaced by Liga de Expansión MX, two clubs from the Segunda División were invited (Tepatitlán and Tlaxcala), both clubs won their promotion but were rejected in the second level for not meeting the requirements to participate. Since that year, the requirements to be admitted to the second level have been tightened, only three clubs were promoted in the following years, Durango in 2022, Jaiba Brava in 2024, Irapuato in 2025.
In 2026 the league was divided into three branches with the introduction of the Primera Premier, which included the 18 Serie A teams best positioned to be promoted to the Liga de Expansión. Meanwhile, Serie A became an intermediate league, and Serie B remained as a category for developing teams.
Promotion and relegation would be formalized between the leagues. Primera Premier would promote one club to Liga de Expansión MX. Additionally, one Serie A club could promote to Primera Premier and one club would be promoted from Premier B to Premier A each year.. Promotion/relegation between leagues B is covered in Section M on pages 28-29 in Articles 61-63. Four clubs would be promoted from Liga TDP provided they meet the Serie requirements of Article 57.
Competition format Regular phase One tournament is played per season, throughout the FIFA's world footballing calendar, the 48 clubs are divided into three subdivisions (Primera Premier, Premier A and Premier B). Primera Premier includes clubs with the best economic and sporting infraestructure to compete for promotion to Liga de Expansión MX. It has 18 participating clubs.
Premier A includes clubs of medium level and infrastructure that can aspire to promotion in the medium term. It has 20 participating clubs.
Premier B includes developing clubs with less infrastructure, but committed to improving in order to aspire to participate in Premier A. It has 10 participating clubs in a single group.
The teams known as "filiales" also participate, which are the reserve teams affiliated with clubs at higher levels (Liga MX and Liga de Expansión MX). These clubs are not eligible for promotion, however, they qualify for its own final knockout phase for the affiliated teams title, known as Torneo Talento Premier Filiales.
Final phase The final phase of Primera Premier and Premier A consists of eight clubs, the top four clubs from each group for the final knockout phase. The Primera Premier champions are crowned officially as the Liga Premier champions, and also will be eligible to participate in a certification audit for obtain the promotion to Liga de Expansión MX, provided that the club meets the requirements for the stadium and financial stability.
The final phase of Premier B consists of four clubs, the four highest-placed from the group of ten qualify for the final knockout phase. The Premier B champions cannot be promoted to Liga de Expansión MX, but they can participate in Premier A depending on improvements to their infrastructure.
Starting with the 2026–27 season, a single play–off stage, will be held for reserves teams, regardless of whether they compete in Premier A or Premier B, featuring the top two reserves teams from both branches; they will play semifinals and a final to determine the champion among this type of clubs. This trophy is named Torneo Talento Premier Filiales.
Participating clubs
2026–27 season The 2026–27 Primera Premier season has the following 18 participating clubs.
Primera Premier clubsGroup IGroup II Cordobés Irapuato La Piedad Lobos ULMX
Purépechas Tigres de Álica Tritones Vallarta Zacatepec Atlético Celaya
Deportiva Venados Inter Playa del Carmen Jaguares Montañeses Pioneros de Cancún Racing de Veracruz Tapachula
The 2026–27 Liga Premier A season has the following 20 participating clubs.
Premier A clubsGroup IGroup II Correcaminos PremierAffiliate team of Correcaminos UAT. Guerreros de Autlán Héroes de Zaci
Mineros de FresnilloAffiliate team of Mineros de Zacatecas. Real Apodaca Saltillo Soccer Santiago Vaqueros Reynosa Zapotlanejo Acámbaro Artesanos Metepec Cañoneros Calor Club de Ciervos
Dragones de Oaxaca Guerreros del Pacífico Halcones Negros Real Refineros CDS
The 2026–27 Liga Premier B season has the following 10 participating clubs.
Premier B clubs Atlético Celaya BAffiliate team of Atlético Celaya. Atlético Hidalgo Ayense Cruz Azul Lagunas Gorilas Héroes de Zaci BAffiliate team of Héroes de Zaci. Huracanes Izcalli Internacional Laguna Irapuato BAffiliate team of Irapuato. Racing de Veracruz BAffiliate team of Racing de Veracruz.
On hiatus Aguacateros CDUAffiliate team of Atlético Morelia. Caja Oblatos Cimarrones de Sonora Colima Dragones Toluca Ensenada Gavilanes de Matamoros Halcones Neza Poza Rica Sporting Canamy Tecos Tuzos UAZ Zitácuaro
Performances
RankClubTitles Winning years1Zacatepec531950–51, 1962–63, 1969–70, 1977–78, 1983–842Irapuato481953–54, 1984–85, 2020–21, Cla–2025Tampico Madero431993–94, Cla–2016, Cla–2023, 2023–24Universidad del Fútbol40Cla–2008, Cla–2009, , Bic–20105Loros UdeC32Cla–2015, Cla–2018, 2018–19Alacranes de Durango31Inv–1998, Ver–1999, Ape–2021Atlas301954–55, 1971–72, 1978–79Pachuca Juniors30Cla–2004, , Ape–20079Ciudad Madero/Refinería Madero231964–65, 1972–73Pachuca231966–67, 1991–92Monterrey221955–56, 1959–60Unión de Curtidores22, 1982–83Zitácuaro22Inv–1997, Ver–200121, Cla–2005Tlaxcala21, Cla–2017Celaya201957–58, Ind–2010San Luis201970–71, 1975–76Atlante201976–77, 1990–91Cobras de Juárez/Cobras de Querétaro201985–86, 1987–88Tulancingo20, Cla–2012Potros UAEM20, Ape–201522Zamora131956–57Cihuatlán13Inv–2001La Piedad121951–52Cruz Azul Hidalgo121994–95Gallos de Aguascalientes12Ver–1998Tepic12Ape–2002Tampico111958–59Nuevo León111965–66Laguna111967–68Tigres UANL111973–74Atlético Morelia111980–81León111989–90Atlético Bachilleres111996–97Cuautitlán11Inv–1999Marte Morelos11Ver–2000Chivas Rayadas11Rev–2011Murciélagos11Ape–2012Tuzos UAZ11Ape–2022Aguacateros de Peribán11Ape–2024Toluca101952–53Nacional101960–61Pumas UNAM101961–62Cruz Azul101963–64Torreón101968–69Tecos101974–75Atletas Campesinos101979–80Oaxtepec101981–82Correcaminos UAT101986–87Potros Neza101988–89Toros UTN101992–93Tigrillos UANL101995–96Águilas de Tamaulipas10Inv–2000Astros de Ciudad Juárez10Ver–2002Delfines de Coatzacoalcos10Cla–2003Lobos BUAP10Ape–2003Delfines B10Ape–2005Pegaso Anáhuac10Cla–2006Cruz Azul Jasso10Cla–2007Mérida B10Ape–2008Ballenas Galeana Morelos10Cla–2013Linces de Tlaxcala10Ape–2013Atlético Coatzacoalcos10Cla–2014Tepatitlán10Ape–2017Mazorqueros10Cla–2022Deportiva Venados102025–2667Tapatío05—Poza Rica03—Tecamachalco03—San Sebastián02—Cuautla02—Gallos Blancos UAQ02—02—Puebla01—Veracruz01—Leones Negros UdeG01—Tecnológico de Celaya01—Osos Grises01—Jalisco01—Atlético Yucatán01—Inter de Tijuana01—Delfines de Xalapa01—Real de La Plata01—América Coapa01—Guerreros de Autlán01—Cachorros UdeG01—Pumas Naucalpan01—01—Necaxa Rayos01—Tiburones Rojos de Córdoba01—Dorados de Los Mochis01—Altamira01—Nuevo Laredo01—Cimarrones de Sonora01—Cafetaleros01—Los Cabos United01— Notes Currently in Liga MX. Currently in Liga de Expansión MX. Currently in Liga TDP. Currently on hiatus. Defunct.
Cup tournament Copa de la Liga Premier de Ascenso was a domestic cup tournament for clubs in the Liga Premier. Formerly known as Copa México de la Segunda División (1950–1964, 1970–1972, 1995–96) and Copa Presidente de la Segunda División (1964–1970).
The tournament was held 27 editions. The inaugural edition was the 1950–51 season, with Irapuato crowned as the first champions. The final edition was the Clausura 2015 tournament, with Tecos crowned as the last champions.
Twenty clubs won the title at least once. Poza Rica was the most successful club with five titles, Irapuato with three titles and Pachuca with two titles.
Performances