Mexican club Atlante has announced that they will continue as a club either as an Ascenso team or a Liga MX team, and are in talks to do just that. The Clausura 2020 season ended, and all signs point to the Ascenso (the equivalent of Mexico’s second division) will cease to exist and be replaced by a developmental league. The financial problems the COVID-19 emergency supposedly forced this, although because of money troubles the league changed from an 18 club league to a 12 club league for the 2020 Clausura season. Atlante is probably the most historic team in Ascenso, and although the announcement talks being about keeping the Ascenso, it ends with talks about history, almost saying that they would move to Liga MX if there is no more Ascenso.
Atlante is one of the most historic clubs in Mexican football. Founded in 1916, it’s about to celebrate its 104th anniversary. The club was one of the most popular clubs in Mexico at one point, but their popularity waned as time passed. After years of poor attendance, the club moved to Cancun from Mexico City in 2007 and proceeded to win their last Liga MX title. They would later win their last major title when the won the 2009 CONCACAF Champions League. Unfortunately for them, the club started to struggle and their attendance problems continued. In 2014 the club got relegated to Ascenso, where it remains to this day. The club tried to get back to the first division, but it seems they are destined to do so through the administration with the Ascenso’s probable end on the horizon. There were no words on whether Atlante was going to remain in Cancun, but there is speculation from many that they would return to Mexico City because of the attendance problems in Cancun this past year’s Ascenso tournament.