In most domestic league systems around the world, there are promotions and relegations. It’s only in a handful of leagues, including MLS, where the same teams compete at their respective country’s highest standard.
So, if you’re unfamiliar with the concept, you’re probably wondering what promotion is and how promotion works in soccer?
So, what is a promotion in soccer?
A promotion is when a team moves from one division of soccer into a higher division within that league’s system after a successful season.
Think of a league system as a ladder, a word that is frequently used metaphorically to describe soccer tiers; each step further up the ladder is like a division of a higher standard. If you are promoted, then it’s like climbing to the next step up and getting ever closer to the top.
Once you’re in the top division, further promotion is no longer possible unless you’re relegated back down to a lower division.
How do you get promoted to a soccer league?
Promotion usually occurs when you’re competing in a division below the top level by accumulating more points than all or most of your divisional rivals. In most league systems, an automatic promotion place is offered to the outright winners of a division. Some leagues have an additional one or even two automatic places up for grabs.
Another common route for promotion is through a team finishing below the automatic promotion spots but gaining enough points to qualify for a playoff berth.
Not all divisions have a playoff system, but those that do might have four teams who’ve qualified, for example, contesting semi-finals and then a subsequent final to see who will be promoted.
Is promotion in soccer a good thing?
Yes, if you achieve promotion, this is considered a good thing for your club.
It indicates that you have gained enough points throughout the season to finish above all or most of your divisional rivals or your club has successfully navigated its way through the playoffs.
Whether the very concept of promotion is a good thing or not depends on your preference. If you grew up in the USA, then you might prefer the exclusive format and guarantees that come with it. However, if you’re European, you might prefer the promotion and relegation system.
There are those who feel that promotion is fair because it gives clubs in lower divisions the opportunity to dream, compete at the top level, and potentially develop into a bigger outfit.
Others argue that because promotion and relegation are intrinsically linked, the potential for swapping between divisions creates too much volatility relating to player wages, external investors, season ticket sales, etc., risking the club’s existence.
How many teams get promoted each year?
Every league system is different, so that totally depends on the league your side is competing in. Leagues usually have a fixed number of promotion spots, or at least a fixed format for the number of clubs that could be promoted each season, which rarely changes.
For example, three clubs get promoted from the Championship to the Premier League in England every season. The same applies in Spain.
Whereas, in Italy and Germany, there could be either two or three promoted clubs each season, depending on the winner of the playoff between a relegation candidate in the top division and a promotion hopeful in the second tier.
Interestingly though, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in several soccer leagues reconsidering the best approach for their sustainability.
The most publicized example of this is in France. Normally, those who finish in 1st and 2nd in Ligue 2, France’s second tier, move up to Ligue 1. There could be third promotion, too, if Ligue 2’s playoff representative is successful in the final.
However, a near-unanimous outcome from votes cast by all clubs competing under the LFP (French professional league) license means it was agreed that Ligue 1 would be reduced from 20 to 18 teams from the 2023/24 season onwards. The league simply couldn’t sustain itself anymore in its existing format. Therefore the move was taken so fewer clubs would take on extensive operating costs.
This has a direct impact on the promotion hopes of Ligue 2 clubs. For this to work, four teams would need to be relegated this season from Ligue 1, and only two would be promoted from Ligue 2. There will be no relegation/promotion playoff at the end of this season.
Closer to MLS, though, Mexico’s Liga MX has currently suspended teams being promoted to the division because of the collapse of Mexico’s second tier due to financial instability.
A temporary second division has since been set up, but Liga MX has stated that none of those second division clubs will be eligible for promotion to Liga MX.
Can you get promoted to the MLS?
No, you can’t be promoted to MLS. MLS positions are exclusively reserved for the same competing teams every season.
Franchises have dissolved in the past and have been replaced by other franchises, but this isn’t considered a promotion for the club entering MLS.
A league expansion also doesn’t mean that teams have qualified for MLS through promotion. The added teams are almost always brand-new clubs, with the odd exception of renamed franchises returning from hiatus.
There doesn’t appear to be much appetite by MLS owners to change this either. Why would there be? There is stability and certainty in knowing which division you’ll be in every season. Investors can be safe in the knowledge that their injected capital is not at risk thanks to no promotion or relegation system.
There are some calls, however, to implement a more European style of league system. Clubs competing in the USL, the USA’s de facto second tier, cite the unfair nature of not being afforded the opportunity to play at the perceived highest standard.
It remains to be seen whether there will be a shift in mentality.
What happens after a promotion in soccer?
After gaining promotion, the club will now compete in a higher division. This new division will likely contain teams of a higher standard, making the job of finishing in a high position more difficult.
Frequently when professional clubs are promoted, but not always, there will be clauses triggered in players’ contracts increasing their salaries. The club will need to consider this within their budgets for the upcoming season.
It’s also likely that professional clubs moving up a division can now attract players perceived to be of a higher standard, which might change the approach in the transfer market.
Clubs promoted from England’s Championship to the Premier League can expect to receive a financial windfall of roughly $200 million spread over a three-year period.
Financial income in the English second tier doesn’t come close to that of the Premier League, which is why you might have heard the Championship playoff final referred to as the world’s most lucrative game.
These financial rewards might prompt clubs to go on spending sprees to overhaul their squads with new faces, as we’ve seen with Aston Villa, Fulham, and Nottingham Forest in recent summers. There are risks to this strategy, but the safety net of financial assistance should clubs get relegated puts owners’ minds at ease.
What does relegated mean in soccer?
When a club is relegated, it means they are demoted from one division into a lower division because they didn’t accumulate enough points to escape the relegation zone.
Relegated clubs will then have to compete in the division below. Relegation and promotion are often bound together in soccer; without a club being relegated, a club can’t be promoted.
You can read our informative piece explaining relegation if you want to know any more about it.
Five tips to help your team get promoted
Whether you’re looking to get promoted at the amateur or professional level, these aspects are crucial:
- Squad harmony – a happy and connected squad, is far more likely to achieve success.
- Sensible investment – whether it’s on players or facilities, spend your money wisely.
- Set targets – smaller aims, or targets to hit over shorter periods, can help you strive towards a much bigger goal.
- Trust your colleagues – whether they’re your teammates or staff, they’re there because they’re capable and can help you.
- No unnecessary pressure – a win-or-bust mentality might not motivate some. Choose and deliver your message carefully.
Recap: Understanding promotion in soccer
Promotion is a wonderful feeling. It’s a vindication of the hard work that you’ve put in all season, and the reward is your skill being recognized through advancing up the soccer pyramid.
There’s no single correct way to achieve promotion; many sides have done it differently for decades.
Although there is no promotion system to MLS, after reading this article, you can now keep an eye out elsewhere for clubs vying to climb their league’s system.