Atlas Outspent Everyone in Liga MX: $40.68 Million on Signings

Forty million dollars. That's the blunt message Atlas sent to the rest of Liga MX this transfer window: nobody spent more. Not America, not Monterrey, not any other club came close to what the Rojinegros shelled out to build their roster for the Apertura 2026.

The exact figure is $40.68 million, and it's no coincidence that it comes right after a change in ownership. Grupo Orlegi, the group led by Alejandro Irarragorri that had run the club for years, stepped away from Atlas's management on July 1. Taking its place was Grupo PRODI, owned by Mexican businessman Jose Miguel Bejos, with a clear idea from day one: spend big on the roster to compete at the top again.

And spend they did. That money brought in names like Elias Montiel, Luis Esteves, Kevin Zenon, Adonis Frias, Ryan Mmaee, Jorge Sanchez, Florian Monzon, Duk, Milton Valenzuela, Juan Jose Sanchez Purata and Jordy Caicedo. Eleven reinforcements, an investment that breaks any recent precedent for the club, all aimed at one clear goal: competing for the Liga MX title again, something Atlas hasn't done since the Clausura 2022, when it completed back-to-back titles by beating Pachuca.

So, is that investment showing up on the field yet? Not entirely. After eight matchdays, Atlas sits in ninth place in the overall standings with 13 points, the same total as Puebla, Tijuana, Leon and Queretaro. Goal difference is what currently leaves the Rojinegros below those direct rivals.

Above America and Monterrey

What stands out is that this spending wasn't just high in absolute terms, it also left clubs with traditionally heavier payrolls well behind. America, which also reinforced its roster notably this season, spent $25.49 million, about $15 million less than Atlas. Monterrey came in as the third-biggest spender, with $24.75 million, and Toluca was the only other team to top $10 million, with $17.36 million. The rest of the league fell below that mark.

Who's Behind Grupo PRODI?

Grupo PRODI (Grupo Promotor de Desarrollo e Infraestructura) appears in Mexico's Public Registry of Commerce as owned by Controladora Central de Participaciones S.A. de C.V. and Controladora de Empresas Prestadoras de Servicios Publicos S.A. de C.V., companies tied to Jose Miguel Bejos and partners including Diego Jose Palafox Castillo, Eduardo Corzo Osorio and Alejandro Salgado Ordonez. This isn't the group's first foray into sports: back in 2018, it completed the purchase of the Pericos de Puebla, a team in the Mexican Baseball League. Now the challenge is bigger, and it plays out at Estadio Jalisco.