Mexico’s closed Liga MX under antitrust investigation into possible monopolistic practices | OneFootball

Mexico’s national antitrust commission has opened an investigation into possible anti-competitive and monopolistic practices in professional football, with the federation facing heightened scrutiny. The commission said in a statement on Monday that it had launched the probe.

There is deemed to be sufficient basis to open a formal case, but this is an investigation, not a trial. The structure of Liga MX is central to the inquiry.

In 2020, amid the Covid-19 pandemic, the federation scrapped promotion and relegation in the first division, moving to a closed league format.

Some clubs have benefited from permanent top-flight status and have lured big names in recent years, including Keylor Navas, Sergio Ramos, Anthony Martial, James Rodríguez and Aaron Ramsey.

Promotion and relegation were due to return this season, yet the federation kept the closed model. The decision sparked anger among supporters and July strikes by second-tier clubs who have been stuck outside Liga MX for years.

Source: L'Équipe

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