Leones Negros de la Universidad de Guadalajara continues to refuse to buy a spot in Liga MX. The club's executive president, Alberto Castellanos, has reaffirmed they will not pay any fee to earn promotion, a stance they are defending before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

"No, we will not pay a single peso to be in Liga MX," Castellanos stated. "At our University we are convinced that sporting merit, competition, promotion and relegation are the only way to obtain what our Mexican football really needs."

This declaration comes as Liga MX's franchise system remains without promotion and relegation. League president Francisco Iturbide has defended the current model, which allows entry via administrative requirements and the purchase of affiliation certificates. A recent example was Atlante's return, which bought Mazatlán's spot with league approval.

Active legal strategy

Leones Negros, alongside other Expansion MX clubs, maintains an active legal strategy to restore the sporting promotion system. The club awaits the date of its hearing before CAS, sport's highest arbitral body. Their fight is part of a broader controversy in Mexican football, where several teams have protested on the pitch with messages on their jerseys demanding the return of promotion.

The club's stance is core to its identity and its fanbase, which sees sporting merit as the only legitimate path to the top division. This institutional battle contrasts with the current sporting situation of Club Necaxa, who sit 17th in the Liga MX standings with 8 points from 10 games. Their recent form is concerning, with five matches without a win and three consecutive losses.

Necaxa's next fixture is a tough away match against CF Pachuca on October 11th. Pachuca currently occupies 11th place, adding pressure to a team in urgent need of points. The squad, led in goals by Julián Carranza with six, will look to break their poor run in that game. The full schedule is available on our fixtures page.

Meanwhile, Leones Negros' fight to change the rules of the game continues. Their case before CAS represents hope for clubs aspiring to earn promotion on their own merits, without depending on financial transactions. The outcome of this legal process could redefine the future of the Mexican football pyramid. The hearing is expected in the coming weeks.

First reported at Infobae