Ecuador football league structure comprises a network of interlinked leagues catering to clubs across the country, and it is overseen at the national level by the Federación Ecuatoriana de Fútbol.
Ecuador Football League Structure:
The Ecuadorian football league system is structured into two main categories, with the premier category further divided into two series. At the pinnacle stands Primera Categoría, Serie A, often abbreviated as Primera A, comprising the nation’s top-tier teams. Directly beneath them is Primera Categoría, Serie B, referred to as Primera B. Teams in the Primera Categoria operate independently, separate from the 18 provincial organizations that constitute the Segunda Categoria. The Segunda Categoria represents the tier immediately below Primera Categoria and is notably the largest level within the league system, encompassing numerous teams. In this tier, clubs compete within their respective provincial associations to earn qualification for a larger national tournament.
Promotion and Relegation:
Upon the conclusion of tournaments at the end of the calendar year, teams face potential promotion or relegation to different tiers. The two lowest-performing teams in Primera A are relegated to Primera B. Conversely, the top two teams from Primera B secure promotion to Primera A, while the bottom two Primera B teams face relegation to Segunda. The top two Segunda teams are promoted to Primera B, thereby maintaining a dynamic system of promotion and relegation that ensures the league’s competitiveness and vitality.
Current system
| Level | League(s)/Division(s) | |||||||||||
| 1 | Liga PRO Ecuador Banco Pichincha (Serie A) 16 clubs | |||||||||||
| ↓↑ 2 clubs | ||||||||||||
| 2 | Liga PRO Ecuador Banco Pichincha (Serie B) 10 clubs[ | |||||||||||
| ↓↑ 2 clubs | ||||||||||||
| 3 | Segunda Categoría 22 Champions and 42 Runners-up of regional leagues | |||||||||||
Ecuadorian Serie A
Liga Pro Bet593, commonly referred to as Liga Pro or Serie A, stands as Ecuador’s foremost professional football league. Positioned at the summit of the Ecuadorian football league hierarchy, it represents the nation’s premier football competition. Comprising sixteen clubs, this league employs a promotion and relegation system with Serie B, which constitutes the lower tier within the Primera Categoría. The league season spans from February to December and typically unfolds across multiple stages.
Standing 2023
First Round
Second Round
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Titles by club
| Rank | Club | Winners | Runners-up | Winning years | Runners-up years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Barcelona | 16 | 13 | 1960, 1963, 1966, 1970, 1971, 1980, 1981, 1985, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1995, 1997, 2012, 2016, 2020 | 1957, 1962, 1968, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1992, 1993, 2002, 2003, 2005 Apertura, 2014, 2022 |
| 2 | Emelec | 14 | 15 | 1957, 1961, 1965, 1972, 1979, 1988, 1993, 1994, 2001, 2002, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017 | 1960, 1963, 1966, 1967, 1970, 1989, 1996, 1998, 2006, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2016, 2018, 2021 |
| 3 | El Nacional | 13 | 7 | 1967, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1992, 1996, 2005 Clausura, 2006 | 1964, 1972, 1974, 1994, 1999, 2000, 2001 |
| 4 | LDU Quito | 11 | 6 | 1969, 1974, 1975, 1990, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2005 Apertura, 2007, 2010, 2018 | 1977, 1981, 2008, 2015, 2019, 2020 |
| 5 | Deportivo Quito | 5 | 3 | 1964, 1968, 2008, 2009, 2011 | 1985, 1988, 1997 |
| 6 | Deportivo Cuenca | 1 | 5 | 2004 | 1975, 1976, 2005 Clausura, 2007, 2009 |
| Olmedo | 1 | 1 | 2000 | 2004 | |
| Delfín | 1 | 1 | 2019 | 2017 | |
| Independiente del Valle | 1 | 1 | 2021 | 2013 | |
| Everest | 1 | — | 1962 | — | |
| Aucas | 1 | — | 2022 |
Ecuadorian Serie B
Serie B, also known as Primera Categoría Serie B or simply Primera B, stands as a professional football league in Ecuador. Positioned as the second tier within the Ecuadorian football league system, this league currently features ten competing clubs. It adheres to a promotion and relegation system, connecting with the top-tier Serie A and the lower-level Segunda Categoría. The season spans from February to December, structured into two distinct stages. Under sponsorship arrangements, it goes by the name LigaPro Banco Pichincha Pymes.
Manabí, Ecuador CoCo Bongo Hostel’s Home Teams
In the province of Manabí, Ecuador, where CoCo Bongo Hostel is situated, two notable football teams participate in and out of the Serie A (Primera Categoría). Delfín S.C., hailing from Manta, has clinched the Primera Categoría title on one occasion. Meanwhile, Liga Deportiva Universitaria de Portoviejo, representing the city of Portoviejo, is another prominent team in the region. These two teams share a heated rivalry, competing in what is known as El Clásico Manabita. This intense and historic matchup between Delfín S.C. and Liga Deportiva Universitaria de Portoviejo adds excitement and passion to the football scene in Manabí province.
The Astillero Classic – #bucketlistEcuador
The Astillero Classic stands as Ecuador’s most significant and time-honored football rivalry, pitting Barcelona against Emelec. Both teams hail from Guayaquil, the nation’s largest and most populous city, boasting approximately 2.3 million residents in the city itself and nearly 3.1 million in the metropolitan area. Guayaquil also serves as Ecuador’s primary port. This fierce derby is affectionately known as “El partido inmortal del fútbol Ecuatoriano” (English: The immortal Ecuadorian football match) due to its enduring legacy and cultural significance in Ecuador’s football history.
