MEXICO Law and Practice Contributed by: Héctor Kuri, Ricardo García, Lisandro Herrera and Xavier Careaga, Galicia Abogados, S.C.
offence. The LGCFD provides the legal basis for sports governance and empowers federations to adopt dis - ciplinary measures. Criminal law provisions on fraud, bribery, or corruption may also apply to match-fixing scenarios. The Mexican Football Federation ( Federación Mexi - cana de Fútbol or FMF) established an Integrity Code and Disciplinary Regulations addressing betting and match manipulation offences, with sanctions ranging from temporary suspensions to lifetime bans. Mexican federations affiliated with international bodies such as FIFA, FIBA and World Athletics must also comply with their regulations. In February 2023, the FMF sanctioned players from the Liga de Expansión MX and Liga Premier for match manipulation based on irregular betting patterns, with In Mexico, betting is legal and primarily governed by the LFJS and its Regulations, under the oversight of the Ministry of the Interior ( Secretaría de Gobernac- ión or SEGOB). Licensed operators must partner with Mexican permit holders to offer online services. Ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the government faces pressure to modernise these regulations to increase transparency and protect consumers. Sports governing bodies, notably the FMF, maintain integrity through codes of conduct prohibiting players, coaches, and officials from betting on their own sports or sharing inside information. They collaborate with international monitoring agencies and licensed opera - tors who must report suspicious wagering patterns. In late 2024 and early 2025, the FMF issued multi-year bans to Liga Expansión MX players after irregular bet - ting activity linked to match-fixing was flagged. 1.4 Disciplinary Framework At the national level, the LGCFD provides an adminis - trative sanctioning framework. CONADE identifies and sanctions conduct based on: • the damages that have occurred or may occur; • the intentionality of the action or omission consti - tuting the offence; suspensions of up to 16 years. 1.3 Betting-Related Offences
• the seriousness of the offence; and • the recidivism of the offender.
Disciplinary proceedings typically follow this pathway: (i) detection or report; (ii) preliminary investigation; (iii) notification to the athlete; (iv) provisional measures where permitted; (v) a hearing; (vi) a reasoned deci - sion; and (vii) an appeal process.
2. Commercial Rights 2.1 Sports-Related Rights
In Mexico, there are no specific regulations for mer - chandising, hospitality, and ticketing; these rights are governed by commercial and civil law through private agreements. The Statute for Public Shows in Mexico City ( Ley para la Celebración de Espectáculos Públicos en la Ciudad de México ) prohibits street ticket sales, price altera - tions, and scalping. A 2022 proposal to amend the Federal Consumer Protection Law ( Ley Federal de Protección al Consumidor or LFPC) to address mass ticket purchases for profit remains pending. The Con - sumer Protection Regulator ( Procuraduría Federal del Consumidor or PROFECO) has announced forthcom - ing guidelines on advertising, information disclosure, and ticket commercialisation for concerts, festivals, and live events, mandating advance disclosure of venue, date, schedule, seating map, availability, and total price per section at least 24 hours prior to sale. 2.2 Sponsorship Terms Sponsors commonly seek brand placement visible during sports event broadcasts, including naming rights, jersey placements, in-venue placements, bill - boards, sponsored segments, social content, and ath - lete endorsements. Beyond logo exposure, sponsors seek activation opportunities, including player appearances, experi - ential activations, and digital initiatives with perfor - mance metrics. Broadcast exposure plays a central role in sponsorship value. There is no specific spon - sorship legislation in Mexico; general rules of the Fed - eral Civil Code apply.
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