Background and Relevance of Tapatío and Chivas
Tapatío, the affiliate of Chivas participating in Liga de Expansión, clinched the Campeón de Campeones title for the 2024-25 season by defeating Leones Negros de la Universidad de Guadalajara (UDG) with a global score of 3-1. This victory has solidified Tapatío’s position as the leading winner of this Liga de Expansión trophy, which holds sole economic and pride value.
The Road to Victory
- On May 31, Tapatío won the first leg 1-0 against Leones Negros, with Francisco Méndez scoring the only goal.
- The return match, held on June 7, saw Tapatío secure another victory with a 2-1 score, thanks to goals from Diego Delgadillo and Benjamín Sánchez.
- The matches took place at the Jalisco Stadium, drawing over 22,000 spectators for a regional clash.
Tapatío’s Ascension in the Campeón de Campeones
With this win, Tapatío became the sole leader in the Campeón de Campeones trophy’s history, which was first contested at the end of the 2020-21 season and has been ongoing since.
Tapatío claimed its first Campeón de Campeones title in 2023, defeating Atlante with a global score of 3-2. The matches were played at the Jalisco Stadium, with Tapatío winning the first leg and securing the second in Ciudad de los Deportes.
The Impact on Players and Future Prospects
Gerardo Espinoza, who coached Tapatío to their first Campeón de Campeones title in 2023, later became Chivas’ Liga MX and Concachampions coach, though he was dismissed after a short tenure.
Current coach Arturo Ortega expressed his hope that several Tapatío champions could find opportunities and consistency in the first division.
“The important thing is not to send them back; the important thing is for them to stay, as happened in the previous tournament. I believe that our best players have shown great potential in these last two regular season games. It’s not up to me, but rather our technical team to prepare them.”
Several players who won the Campeón de Campeones with Tapatío in the 2022-23 season, such as Jesús Orozco Chiquete, Luis Olivas, Mateo Chávez, and Hugo Camberos, later joined Chivas’ first team but are now playing for other Liga MX clubs.
“Sometimes, winning makes us believe we deserve everything. It’s a process, and I want it to be understood externally: there are young players who still lack tools. We’re a young team that has been working for six months and had already been working for a year in the previous tournament. We secure the title, and eight players move up while two join another team. Now, it’s about maintaining momentum for them,” Ortega added.
Economic Value and Lack of Ascension Mérito
The Campeón de Campeones of Liga de Expansión replaced the old promotion final, which was contested between the kings of the two short-term tournaments in a season, either in Primera ‘A’ or Liga de Ascenso.
Currently, there is no sporting merit for aspiring to reach Liga MX after winning this series, especially for affiliate teams like Chivas.
- According to reports from Récord and Goal, the Campeón de Campeones winner only aspires to a monetary prize of 10 million pesos, along with the pride of winning, as there is no stipulation for promotion.
- Tepatitlán won the inaugural Campeón de Campeones title in 2021, followed by Atlante in 2022, Tapatío in 2023 and 2025, and Cancún FC in 2024.
Tension Between Liga de Expansión and Federación Mexicana de Fútbol (FMF)
The relationship between Liga de Expansión and the Federación Mexicana de Fútbol (FMF) has been strained recently, as both parties have been embroiled in a series of press releases following a lawsuit against the Tribunal de Arbitraje Deportivo (TAS).
Ten clubs from Liga de Expansión filed the lawsuit, seeking to reopen the promotion and relegation process to Liga MX.
- Atlante, Tampico Madero, and Alebrijes de Oaxaca withdrew from the lawsuit.
- The lawsuit is currently supported by Atlético La Paz, Cancún FC, Atlético Morelia, Cimarrones de Sonora, Mineros de Zacatecas, Venados de Mérida, and Leones Negros.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the Campeón de Campeones trophy? It’s a one-off match contested by the winners of Liga de Expansión’s two short-term tournaments, with no sporting merit for Liga MX promotion.
- Who are Chivas and Tapatío? Chivas is a prominent Mexican football club based in Guadalajara, Jalisco. Tapatío is Chivas’ affiliate team participating in the Liga de Expansión.
- What are the implications of winning the Campeón de Campeones? The winner receives a monetary prize of 10 million pesos and gains pride, but there is no direct path to Liga MX promotion.
- Why is there tension between Liga de Expansión and FMF? The tension stems from a lawsuit filed by ten Liga de Expansión clubs against the FMF, seeking to reopen the promotion and relegation process to Liga MX.
