Mexico. Hosting the 1986 World Cup led to changes in the domestic championship – the top league played two short championships, one counted in the 1985, and the other – in the spring of 1986, counted for the same year. Second Division, though, was not affected and played its normal 1985-86 season. Thus, there was no promotion-relegation in the 1985 short championship of the First Division, the same teams appeared in the short 1986 championship, and only then a team was relegated. Meantime Second Division went through its own season and the winner was promoted to the top league for the 1986-87 normal season. How much attention the Second Division got this season is hard to tell, for the whole interest was focused on the World Cup, so it would suffice to say that at the end Cordoba and San Mateo Atenco were relegated to Segunda Division ‘B’, the third level. As for the winner of the championship, Cobras (Queretaro) and Pachuca reached the final. Cobras won 2-0 at home and managed a 1-1 tie in Pachuca.
Pachuca tried to climb back to first division, but was unable at the end. Most unfortunate, for they were the strongest team during the season.
Cobras played their best when mattered most and triumphed with promotion – their first! In the Mexican context, their victory was easily understood: it was a new club – or franchise – founded in 1983. That meant there was solid financial back-up and clear aim to go higher. For the moment, at least. As long as money was plentiful, success was guaranteed. Long-term existence was another matter – Queretaro did not have top league team at the moment, but had older club playing in the second division: UA Queretaro. It was not bad – for a second division team – and chances were locals preferred the long established team to the newcomers. As many newly created clubs, Cobras tried to attract fans – not only with the name, thought attractive, but also with their uniforms, which were noted for provocative and avantgarde designs. But it was not enough and eventually the franchise had to relocate to another city – but this happened in the future. Presently, the plan worked fine: the new club won the Second Division championship and was going to debut in the Primera Division in the 1986-87 championship.