Wikipedia - Liga TDP

Liga TDP is a professional association football league in Mexico and the fourth level of the Mexican football league system. Formerly named Tercera División de México (1967–2017). The league has 240 participating clubs, organized into two zones (Zona A with 115 clubs and Zona B with 125 clubs), divided into 17 groups by geographic location. The season consists of one tournament per year, according to FIFA world football calendar. The champions are decided by a final knockout phase in each zone. The champions of Zona A and Zona B compete in the national final, known as Campeón de Campeones de la Liga TDP, the winners are crowned as the Liga TDP champions.

The inaugural edition was the 1967–68 season, with Zapata as the first champions in history. In all, sixty-five editions of the league have been held.

From 1967 to 1982, it was the third level division of Mexican football. The 17 groups consist of clubs eligible for four promotion spots to Liga Premier, teams affiliated with clubs from the highest divisions, which are known as "filiales" are not eligible for promotion.

Celaya, San Luis, Tecos, Atlético Tecomán, Cuautitlán, Cihuatlán and Héroes de Zaci are the most successful clubs with two titles each. In all, fifty-eight clubs have won the league at least once.

History

Tercera División de México (1967–2017)

Founded in 1967 as the third level division, it was one of the three divisions originally created for the Mexican football league system, along with the Primera División and Segunda División. The inaugural season had sixteen founding clubs: ADO, Cuautla, Cuautitlán, Chalco, Electra, Gutiérrez Zamora, Iguala, Las Brisas, Naucalpan, Querétaro, San Luis, San Marcos, UAEM, U de Puebla, UV de Coatzacoalcos and Zapata.

The participating clubs were divided into two zones of eight clubs by geographic location. Two phases of 14 rounds each were played, the two zone winners from each phase qualified for the final championship group, which consisted of a round-robin format with six rounds played.

From 1982, it became the fourth level division of Mexican football, after the creation of the Segunda División "B" de México as an intermediate league between the Segunda División and Tercera División, which was later abolished in 1994. However, it continued as the fourth level, after the creation of the Primera División "A" de México in 1994 as an intermediate league between the Primera División and Segunda División.

Since the 1992–93 season, teams affiliated with Primera División clubs have been integrated into the Tercera División, which are commonly known as "filiales". From 2001 to 2008, two short tournaments were played per season.

Liga TDP (2017–present)

In 2017, the league was rebranded as Liga TDP, it had 215 participating clubs divided into two zones with 13 groups by geographic location. The final phase included 72 clubs and consisted of seven stages.

Since the 2020–21 season, the competition format has been modified and the clubs have been divided into two zones with 17 groups by geographic location, both zones were renamed as Zona A and Zona B. A final phase with 32 clubs is contested in each zone with a trophy awarded to the champions of each zone, and they also advance to the national final for the overall Liga TDP title, which was also renamed as Campeón de Campeones de la Liga TDP.

The Mexico Liga TDP (Tercera División Profesional) is a prominent football league in Mexico that serves as a vital platform for developing young talent and fostering competitive soccer at the grassroots level. As the third tier of Mexican professional football, Liga TDP features numerous teams from across the country, providing opportunities for aspiring players to showcase their skills and progress toward higher divisions. Known for its passionate fan base and vibrant community support, the league emphasizes both athletic development and community engagement. With a focus on nurturing future stars, Mexico Liga TDP plays a crucial role in the country's football ecosystem, contributing to the growth and popularity of the sport nationwide.