# Ascenso MX

Ascenso MX, also known as Ascenso BBVA MX for sponsorship reasons, was a professional association football league in Mexico and the second level of the Mexican football league system. Formerly known as Primera División A de México (1994–2009) and then as Liga de Ascenso (2009–2012). The champions of the competition was promoted to Liga MX (top level), and the bottom team was relegated to Liga Premier (third level).
In 2012, the league rebranded its name and competition format as Ascenso MX, the major changes (clubs do not need a FMF certification to be promoted and that the competition no longer used group stages). Ascenso MX was replaced by Liga de Expansión MX on April 17, 2020.

## History

In 1994, the FMF upgraded the Segunda División de México to Primera División A de México to bring closer the level of play in the two divisions. The project was under the direction of José Antonio García Rodríguez, then president of the then top level Primera División. He envisioned the new division to be joined by the best teams of the Segunda División and include teams from the United States (Los Angeles Salsa and San Jose Black Hawks expressed a desire to join). FIFA declined the integration but established a new league with the best Segunda División sides. The founding clubs of the inaugural 1994–95 season were: Acapulco, Atlético Celaya, Atlético San Francisco, Atlético Yucatán, Caimanes de Tabasco, Coras de Tepic, Gallos de Aguascalientes, Halcones de Querétaro, Inter Tijuana, Irapuato, Reboceros de La Piedad, Marte, Pachuca, San Luis, and Zacatepec. Cobras de Ciudad Juárez declined to participate due to financial problems.
In 2006, the number of teams increased from 20 to 24, and geographically separated into two groups for preliminary competition (A and B).
In 2009, the major changes were: the name change from Primera División A to Liga de Ascenso. The league was reduced to 17 teams and the groups were eliminated. The Apertura 2010 tournament had 18 teams participating. In 2012 the league was rebranded as Ascenso MX. Alebrijes de Oaxaca was the 16th team of Ascenso MX in 2013. Alebrijes was partly formed by consolidating Segunda División side Tecamachalco which had won promotion to Ascenso MX in 2012, but did not fulfill infrastructural requirements set by the Mexican Football Federation. In August 2013, Zacatepec was promoted to Ascenso MX in place of relegated Pumas Morelos.
From 2011 to 2016, there was no relegation to the Segunda División de México. On June 6, 2016, returned the relegation for the 2016–17 season. Loros UdeC and Murciélagos were relegated in the next two seasons. In 2018–19 season, C.D.S. Tampico Madero finished last in the relegation table, but remained in Ascenso MX after paying a bail.

### Abolition

On April 13, Liga MX and Ascenso MX President Enrique Bonilla announced the termination of the remainder of the Clausura 2020 season. Two reasons were the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic and the league's lack of financial resources. Its U-17 and U-20 youth systems and the Liga MX Femenil are also at risk.

## Participating clubs

The 2019–20 season had 14 clubs competing. However, the Clausura 2020 tournament had only 12 teams competing after the dissolution of Potros UAEM and Loros UdeC.
| Club | City | Stadium | Capacity |
| Atlante | Cancún, Quintana Roo | Andrés Quintana Roo | 17,289 |
| Cafetaleros | Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas | Víctor Manuel Reyna | 29,001 |
| Celaya | Celaya, Guanajuato | Miguel Alemán Valdés | 23,182 |
| UAT | Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas | Marte R. Gómez | 10,520 |
| UdeG | Guadalajara, Jalisco | Jalisco | 55,020 |
| Oaxaca | Oaxaca City, Oaxaca | Tecnológico de Oaxaca | 14,598 |
| Sinaloa | Culiacán, Sinaloa | Banorte | 20,108 |
| Sonora | Hermosillo, Sonora | Héroe de Nacozari | 18,747 |
| Tampico Madero | Tampico / Ciudad Madero, Tamaulipas | Tamaulipas | 19,667 |
| Venados | Mérida, Yucatán | Carlos Iturralde | 15,087 |
| Zacatecas | Zacatecas City, Zacatecas | Carlos Vega Villalba | 20,068 |
| Zacatepec | Zacatepec, Morelos | Agustín "Coruco" Díaz | 24,313 |

## Performances

| Club | Titles | Runners-up | Winning editions |
| Sinaloa | 4 | 6 | Apertura 2003, Clausura 2007, Clausura 2015, Apertura 2016 |
| León$^1$ | 4 | 3 | Clausura 2003, Clausura 2004, Clausura 2008, Clausura 2012 |
| Irapuato$^2$ | 4 | 2 | Invierno 1999, Verano 2000, Apertura 2002, Clausura 2011 |
| Necaxa$^1$ | 4 | 2 | Apertura 2009, Bicentenario 2010, Apertura 2014, Clausura 2016 |
| Querétaro$^1$ | 3 | 0 | Clausura 2005, Clausura 2006, Apertura 2008 |
| La Piedad$^2$ | 2 | 3 | Verano 2001, Apertura 2012 |
| Pachuca$^1$ | 2 | 1 | 1995–96, Invierno 1997 |
| San Luis$^4$ | 2 | 1 | Verano 2002, Apertura 2004 |
| Atlético San Luis$^1$ | 2 | 1 | Apertura 2018, Clausura 2019 |
| UANL$^1$ | 2 | 0 | Invierno 1996, Verano 1997 |
| Mérida/Atlético Yucatán | 2 | 0 | Invierno 1998, Clausura 2009 |
| Puebla$^1$ | 2 | 0 | Apertura 2005, Apertura 2006 |
| Oaxaca | 2 | 0 | Apertura 2017, Apertura 2019 |
| Tijuana$^1$ | 1 | 2 | Apertura 2010 |
| UAT | 1 | 2 | Apertura 2011 |
| Juárez$^1$ | 1 | 2 | Apertura 2015 |
| Tigrillos UANL$^4$ | 1 | 1 | Verano 1998 |
| Veracruz$^4$ | 1 | 1 | Invierno 2001 |
| Indios CDJ$^4$ | 1 | 1 | Apertura 2007 |
| UdeG | 1 | 1 | Apertura 2013 |
| Toros Neza$^4$ | 1 | 1 | Clausura 2013 |
| BUAP$^4$ | 1 | 1 | Clausura 2017 |
| Celaya$^4$ | 1 | 0 | 1994–95 |
| Unión de Curtidores$^4$ | 1 | 0 | Verano 1999 |
| Gallos de Aguascalientes$^4$ | 1 | 0 | Invierno 2000 |
| Tecos$^2$ | 1 | 0 | Clausura 2013 |
| Tapachula$^4$ | 1 | 0 | Clausura 2018 |
| Cruz Azul Hidalgo$^4$ | 0 | 3 | – |
| Zacatepec$^2$ | 0 | 3 | – |
| Atlante | 0 | 2 | – |
| Coras$^2$ | 0 | 1 | – |
| Salamanca$^3$ | 0 | 1 | – |
| Atlético Hidalgo$^4$ | 0 | 1 | – |
| Atlético Mexiquense$^4$ | 0 | 1 | – |
| Chivas Tijuana$^4$ | 0 | 1 | – |
| Cobras$^4$ | 0 | 1 | – |
| Gallos de Hermosillo$^4$ | 0 | 1 | – |
| RS Zacatecas$^4$ | 0 | 1 | – |
| Tapatío | 0 | 1 | – |

### Notes

* Clubs currently in the Liga MX.
* Clubs currently in the Liga Premier.
* Clubs currently in the Liga TDP.
* Defunct clubs.

### Campeón de Ascenso

| Club | Titles | Runners-up | Winning editions |
| Sinaloa | 2 | 2 | 2004, 2017 |
| Irapuato | 2 | 1 | 2000$^1$, 2003 |
| Querétaro | 2 | 1 | 2006, 2009 |
| Necaxa | 2 | 1 | 2010$^1$, 2016 |
| La Piedad | 2 | 0 | 2001, 2013 |
| San Luis | 2 | 0 | 2002, 2005 |
| León | 1 | 3 | 2012 |
| Puebla | 1 | 1 | 2007 |
| UANL | 1 | 0 | 1997$^1$ |
| Pachuca | 1 | 0 | 1998 |
| Unión de Curtidores | 1 | 0 | 1999 |
| Indios CDJ | 1 | 0 | 2008 |
| Tijuana | 1 | 0 | 2011 |
| UdeG | 1 | 0 | 2014 |
| BUAP | 1 | 0 | 2017 |
| Tapachula | 1 | 0 | 2018 |
| Atlético San Luis | 1 | 0 | 2019$^1$ |
| Mérida/Atlético Yucatán | 0 | 2 | – |
| Tigrillos UANL | 0 | 1 | – |
| Gallos de Aguascalientes | 0 | 1 | – |
| Veracruz | 0 | 1 | – |
| UAT | 0 | 1 | – |
| Toros Neza | 0 | 1 | – |
| Tecos | 0 | 1 | – |
| Juárez | 0 | 1 | – |
| Oaxaca | 0 | 1 | – |

#### Notes

* Clubs gained automatic promotion as they won both tournaments.

## Sponsorship

BBVA México was the league's sponsor, and used the brand name Ascenso BBVA MX. The official match ball is manufactured by Voit.

## Promotion and relegation

| Club | Promotions to Primera División/Liga MX | Relegations to Segunda División/Liga Premier |
| Pachuca | 2 (1995–96, 1997–98) | – |
| La Piedad | 2 (2000–01, 2012–13$^3$) | – |
| San Luis | 2 (2001–02, 2004–05) | – |
| Sinaloa | 2 (2003–04, 2014–15) | – |
| Querétaro | 2 (2005–06, 2008–09) | – |
| Necaxa | 2 (2009–10, 2015–16) | – |
| Irapuato | 2 (1999–00, 2002–03) | 1 (2005–06) |
| Celaya | 1 (1994–95) | – |
| UANL | 1 (1996–97) | – |
| Unión de Curtidores | 1 (1998–99$^1$) | – |
| Veracruz | 1 (2001–02$^2$) | – |
| Puebla | 1 (2006–07) | – |
| Indios CDJ | 1 (2007–08) | – |
| León | 1 (2011–12) | – |
| UdeG | 1 (2013–14) | – |
| BUAP | 1 (2016–17) | – |
| Atlético San Luis | 1 (2018–19) | – |
| Tapachula | 1 (2017–18$^5$) | – |
| Tijuana | 1 (2010–11) | 1 (2007–08) |
| Tabasco | – | 1 (1994–95) |
| Coras | – | 1 (1995–96) |
| Inter de Tijuana | – | 1 (1996–97) |
| Marte | – | 1 (1997–98) |
| Atlético San Francisco | – | 1 (1998–99) |
| Gavilanes de Nuevo Laredo | – | 1 (2002–03) |
| Trotamundos de Tijuana | – | 1 (2003–04) |
| Altamira | – | 1 (2004–05) |
| Dorados de Tijuana | – | 1 (2005–06) |
| Monarcas Morelia "A" | – | 1 (2006–07) |
| Pumas Morelos | – | 1 (2012–13) |
| Zacatepec | – | 1 (2013–14)$^4$ |
| UdeC | – | 1 (2016–17) |
| Murciélagos | – | 1 (2017–18) |
| Halcones de Querétaro | – | 2 (1999–00, 2000–01) |
| Jaguares de Tapachula | – | 2 (2003–04, 2008–09) |

### Notes

* Puebla bought Unión de Curtidores and took over its spot.
* Veracruz gained automatic promotion due to expansion in the Primera División.
* Veracruz bought La Piedad and took over its spot.
* Zacatepec bought Cruz Azul Hidalgo and took over its spot in Ascenso MX.
* Tapachula were not certified to be promoted to Liga MX.

## Top goalscorers

| Year | Name | Team | Goals |
| 1994–95 | Marco de Almeida | Marte | 15 |
| 1995–96 | Lorenzo Sáez | Pachuca | 30 |
| Invierno 96 | Nílson Esidio Mora | UANL | 11 |
| Verano 97 | Ángel Lemus Carlos Pavón | Irapuato UAT | 12 |
| Invierno 97 | Niver Arboleda | Zacatepec | 17 |
| Verano 98 | Daniel Fasciolli Carlos Morales Valtencir Gomes | UAT Pachuca Tigrillos UANL | 12 |
| Invierno 98 | Cristián Ariel Morales | Irapuato | 19 |
| Verano 99 | Ángel Lemus | San Luis | 16 |
| Invierno 99 | Cristián Ariel Morales | Irapuato | 17 |
| Verano 2000 | Carlos Muñoz Emmanuel Sacramento | BUAP | 15 |
| Invierno 2000 | Christian Patiño | La Piedad | 16 |
| Verano 01 | Héctor Giménez | Gallos de Aguascalientes | 16 |
| Invierno 01 | Héctor Álvarez | Tampico Madero | 16 |
| Verano 02 | Ariel González | Querétaro | 15 |
| Apertura 02 | Héctor Álvarez | Zacatepec | 23 |
| Clausura 03 | Héctor Álvarez | Zacatepec | 16 |
| Apertura 03 | Héctor Álvarez | León | 17 |
| Clausura 04 | Mauro Gerk Francisco Bravo | Celaya Zacatepec | 18 |
| Apertura 04 | Ariel González | San Luis | 16 |
| Clausura 05 | Rubén Darío Gigena | Cruz Azul Hidalgo | 17 |
| Apertura 05 | Mauricio Romero | Coyotes de Sonora | 16 |
| Clausura 06 | Diego Olsina | Coatzacoalcos | 15 |
| Apertura 06 | Álvaro González | Puebla | 14 |
| Clausura 07 | Álvaro González | Puebla | 16 |
| Apertura 07 | Mauricio Romero | León | 14 |
| Clausura 08 | Freddy Bareiro | León | 17 |
| Apertura 08 | Mauro Gerk Raúl Enríquez | Querétaro Tijuana | 14 |
| Clausura 09 | Sebastián Maz | Sinaloa | 15 |
| Apertura 09 | Ariel González | Irapuato | 11 |
| Bicentenario 2010 | Ariel González Carlos Casartelli | Irapuato León | 11 |
| Apertura 10 | Eder Pacheco | Durango | 13 |
| Clausura 2011 | Blas Pérez | León | 14 |
| Apertura 11 | Nicolás Saucedo | UAT | 11 |
| Clausura 2012 | Sebastián Maz | León | 13 |
| Apertura 12 | Víctor Lojero Rodrigo Prieto | Necaxa Toros Neza | 11 |
| Clausura 2013 | Víctor Lojero | Necaxa | 12 |
| Apertura 2013 | Gustavo Ramírez | Oaxaca | 11 |
| Clausura 2014 | Roberto Nurse | UAT | 12 |
| Apertura 2014 | Diego Jiménez Giancarlo Maldonado | BUAP Atlante | 10 |
| Clausura 2015 | Roberto Nurse Leandro Carrijó | Sinaloa Atlético San Luis | 10 |
| Apertura 2015 | Carlos Garcés | Atlante | 10 |
| Clausura 2016 | Ismael Valadéz | Tapachula | 10 |
| Apertura 2016 | Roberto Nurse | Zacatecas | 16 |
| Clausura 2017 | Diego Jiménez | BUAP | 10 |
| Apertura 2017 | Luis Madrigal | Oaxaca | 12 |
| Clausura 2018 | Guillermo Martínez | Zacatecas | 11 |
| Apertura 2018 | Nicolás Ibáñez Roberto Nurse | Atlético San Luis Zacatecas | 8 |
| Clausura 2019 | Nicolás Ibáñez | Atlético San Luis | 11 |
| Apertura 2019 | Víctor Mañón | UdeC | 8 |