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2025 LigaPro Serie A

Football league season From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The 2025 Campeonato Ecuatoriano de Fútbol Serie A was the 67th season of the Serie A, Ecuador's top tier football league, and the seventh under the management of the Liga Profesional de Fútbol del Ecuador (or LigaPro). The season began on 14 February and ended on 21 December 2025.[1][2] The fixture for the first stage of the season was released on 16 January 2025.[3]

Season2025
Dates14 February – 21 December 2025
ChampionsIndependiente del Valle (2nd title)
RelegatedVinotinto Ecuador
El Nacional
Quick facts Season, Dates ...
LigaPro Serie A
Season2025
Dates14 February – 21 December 2025
ChampionsIndependiente del Valle (2nd title)
RelegatedVinotinto Ecuador
El Nacional
Copa LibertadoresIndependiente del Valle
LDU Quito
Barcelona
Universidad Católica (via Copa Ecuador)
Copa SudamericanaOrense
Libertad
Macará
Deportivo Cuenca
Matches311
Goals789 (2.54 per match)
Top goalscorerDaniel Valencia (21 goals)
Biggest home winAucas 8–0 Delfín
(10 November)
Biggest away winMushuc Runa 0–5 Barcelona
(22 June)
El Nacional 0–5 Mushuc Runa
(27 September)
Highest scoringU. Católica 6–2 Aucas
(3 August)
Aucas 8–0 Delfín
(10 November)
← 2024
2026 →
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In this season Independiente del Valle won their second league title, clinching the Serie A championship with three matches left after a 1–1 draw with Libertad and a defeat for LDU Quito against Orense on 6 December 2025.[4] LDU Quito were the defending champions for the second season in a row.

Format changes

On 27 September 2024, the Council of Presidents of LigaPro approved changes to the format of competition for the 2025 season, aiming to have more matches played in the season.[5] The tournament, which had 72 additional matches, had two stages: a first stage in which the 16 participating teams played each other twice (once at home and once away), and a final stage in which the teams were split into two hexagonals and one quadrangular group according to their placements in the first stage. In the first hexagonal, the top six teams from the first stage played each other twice to decide the season champions as well as three Copa Libertadores berths and three Copa Sudamericana ones, while in the second hexagonal the next six teams played for the last berth to the Copa Sudamericana. The top team at the end of the first stage was assured of qualification for the Copa Libertadores group stage as Ecuador 2. Relegation was decided in a group that involved the four lowest-placed teams in the first stage, with the bottom two being relegated to the second tier at the end of the season. Points from the first stage were carried over to the final stage.[6]

Teams

Team changes

Sixteen teams competed in the season, the top 14 teams from the 2024 Ecuadorian Serie A and the top two teams of the 2024 Ecuadorian Serie B. Imbabura and Cumbayá were relegated from Serie A after finishing in the bottom two places of the aggregate table of the previous season and were replaced by the second tier champions Cuniburo and runners-up Manta. Cuniburo clinched a first-ever promotion to the top flight with three matches to go after a 2–0 loss for Guayaquil City against San Antonio on 13 October 2024,[7] whilst Manta ensured a return to Serie A for the first time since 2021 with one match left on 24 October, after a 6–1 thrashing of Vargas Torres.[8]

On 7 November 2024, it was announced that Cuniburo would change its name to Vinotinto Ecuador starting from this season.[9] The name change, approved by the Ecuadorian Ministry of Sports, was made after the club was acquired by the owners of Segunda Categoría club Vinotinto prior to the start of the 2024 season, and aimed to have the club reach out to the Venezuelan expatriate community in Ecuador.[10]

Stadia and locations

Locations of the 2025 Serie A clubs.
More information Team, City ...
Team City Stadium Capacity
Aucas Quito Cooprogreso Gonzalo Pozo Ripalda 21,689
Barcelona Guayaquil Monumental Banco Pichincha 57,267
Delfín Manta Jocay 21,000
Deportivo Cuenca Cuenca Banco del Austro Alejandro Serrano Aguilar 18,549
El Nacional Quito Olímpico Atahualpa 35,258
Emelec Guayaquil George Capwell Banco del Austro 40,020
Independiente del Valle Quito Banco Guayaquil 12,000
LDU Quito Quito Rodrigo Paz Delgado 41,575
Libertad Loja Reina del Cisne 14,935
Macará Ambato Bellavista Universidad Indoamérica 16,467
Manta Manta Jocay 21,000
Mushuc Runa Ambato COAC Mushuc Runa[i] 8,200
Orense Machala Banco de Machala 9 de Mayo 16,456
Técnico Universitario Ambato Bellavista Universidad Indoamérica 16,467
Universidad Católica Quito Olímpico Atahualpa 35,258
Vinotinto Ecuador Quito Olímpico Atahualpa 35,258
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Notes
  1. [i]
    Mushuc Runa played most of their home matches at Estadio Olímpico Fernando Guerrero in Riobamba as Estadio COAC Mushuc Runa was closed for failing to meet legal requirements.[11][12]

Personnel and kits

More information Team, Manager ...
Team Manager Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor
Aucas Colombia Juan Pablo Buch Lotto
Barcelona Spain Ismael Rescalvo Marathon Pilsener
Delfín Argentina Juan Zubeldía Baldo's Hotel Oro Verde Manta
Deportivo Cuenca Ecuador Norberto Araujo Lotto Banco del Austro, Chubb Seguros
El Nacional Ecuador Juan Carlos Pérez Lotto ANDEC, Teojama Comercial
Emelec Argentina Guillermo Duró Adidas Zapping
Independiente del Valle Spain Javier Rabanal Marathon Ecuabet, Banco Guayaquil, MG Motor, Chubb Seguros
LDU Quito Brazil Tiago Nunes Puma Banco Pichincha
Libertad Ecuador Juan Carlos León Macón Sport Grand Aviation
Macará Uruguay Guillermo Sanguinetti Boman San Francisco COAC Ltda.
Manta Ecuador Javier Carvajal Jasa Evolution Atún Isabel, Terminal Portuaria de Manta, Tadel S.A.
Mushuc Runa Ecuador Paúl Vélez Boman Mushuc Runa COAC
Orense Argentina Raúl Antuña Elohim Banco de Machala, IncarPalm
Técnico Universitario Colombia Alejandro Cortez (caretaker) Vaz Sport San Francisco COAC Ltda.
Universidad Católica Ecuador Diego Martínez Umbro Fundación Crisfe
Vinotinto Ecuador Argentina Gabriel Schürrer Astro Panolini
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Managerial changes

More information Team, Outgoing manager ...
Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position in table Incoming manager Date of appointment
First stage
Universidad Católica Argentina Jorge Célico End of contract 5 December 2024[13] Pre-season Ecuador Diego Martínez 20 December 2024[14]
El Nacional Argentina Marcelo Zuleta 10 December 2024[15] Argentina Omar Asad 23 December 2024[16]
Independiente del Valle Argentina Javier Gandolfi Sacked 17 December 2024[17] Spain Javier Rabanal 21 December 2024[18]
Delfín Ecuador Javier Carvajal 2 January 2025[19] Argentina Nicolás Chietino 6 January 2025[20]
Emelec Colombia Leonel Álvarez 22 January 2025[21] Argentina Jorge Célico 23 January 2025[22]
Técnico Universitario Ecuador Paúl Vélez 20 March 2025[23] 16th Colombia José Eugenio Hernández 20 March 2025[24]
Orense Colombia Santiago Escobar 20 March 2025[25] 11th Argentina Raúl Antuña 24 March 2025[26]
Macará Spain Alex Pallarés Mutual agreement 14 April 2025[27] 11th Uruguay Guillermo Sanguinetti 14 April 2025[28]
Delfín Argentina Nicolás Chietino Resigned 20 April 2025[29] 14th Ecuador Patricio Urrutia 24 April 2025[30]
LDU Quito Argentina Pablo Sánchez Sacked 26 May 2025[31] 6th Ecuador Patricio Hurtado[i] 26 May 2025[31]
Ecuador Patricio Hurtado End of caretaker spell 6 June 2025 4th Brazil Tiago Nunes 6 June 2025[32]
Barcelona Ecuador Segundo Castillo Mutual agreement 19 June 2025[33] 3rd Spain Ismael Rescalvo[ii] 20 June 2025[35]
El Nacional Argentina Omar Asad Resigned 21 June 2025[36] 12th Ecuador Juan Carlos Pérez[iii] 24 June 2025[38]
Técnico Universitario Colombia José Eugenio Hernández Sacked 22 June 2025[39] 16th Ecuador Geovanny Cumbicus 25 June 2025[40]
Emelec Argentina Jorge Célico 27 June 2025[41] 14th Argentina Cristian Nasuti[i] 27 June 2025[41]
Mushuc Runa Paraguay Ever Almeida 22 July 2025[42] 15th Argentina Fabián Frías 22 July 2025[43]
Emelec Argentina Cristian Nasuti End of caretaker spell 22 July 2025 10th Argentina Guillermo Duró 22 July 2025[44]
Mushuc Runa Argentina Fabián Frías Sacked 7 August 2025[45] 16th Ecuador Paúl Vélez 7 August 2025[46]
Vinotinto Ecuador Argentina Juan Grabowski Resigned 18 August 2025[47] 15th Argentina Gabriel Schürrer 20 August 2025[48]
Manta Ecuador Efrén Mera Sacked 2 September 2025[49] 13th Ecuador Javier Carvajal 2 September 2025[50]
Aucas Argentina Gabriel Pereyra 30 September 2025[51] 9th Argentina Ezequiel Tartaglia[i] 1 October 2025[52]
Final stages
Aucas Argentina Ezequiel Tartaglia End of caretaker spell 6 October 2025 4th, second hexagonal Colombia Juan Pablo Buch 6 October 2025[53]
Técnico Universitario Ecuador Geovanny Cumbicus Mutual agreement 11 November 2025[54] 2nd, relegation group Colombia Alejandro Cortez[i] 17 November 2025[55]
Delfín Ecuador Patricio Urrutia Resigned 12 November 2025[56] 6th, second hexagonal Argentina Juan Zubeldía 21 November 2025[57]
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Notes
  1. [i]
    Caretaker manager.
  2. [ii]
    Pablo Trobbiani was the caretaker manager for the first stage 17th round match against Mushuc Runa.[34]
  3. [iii]
    Originally as caretaker manager, appointed on a permanent basis on 15 July 2025.[37]

First stage

The first stage began on 14 February and ended on 28 September 2025.[3]

Standings

More information Pos, Team ...
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Independiente del Valle 30 18 10 2 55 23 +32 64 Advance to First hexagonal and qualification for Copa Libertadores group stage
2 Barcelona 30 16 6 8 46 33 +13 54 Advance to First hexagonal
3 LDU Quito 30 14 9 7 48 31 +17 51
4 Universidad Católica 30 13 10 7 58 39 +19 49
5 Orense 30 13 8 9 34 32 +2 47
6 Libertad 30 12 10 8 42 36 +6 46
7 Deportivo Cuenca 30 13 7 10 35 29 +6 46 Advance to Second hexagonal
8 Emelec 30 11 9 10 30 34 −4 42
9 Aucas 30 11 8 11 38 41 −3 41
10 Macará 30 9 11 10 32 30 +2 38
11 El Nacional 30 9 7 14 32 46 −14 34
12 Delfín 30 6 13 11 26 42 −16 31
13 Técnico Universitario 30 7 7 16 26 46 −20 28 Advance to Relegation group
14 Vinotinto Ecuador 30 7 6 17 34 43 −9 27
15 Mushuc Runa 30 7 6 17 38 50 −12 27
16 Manta 30 5 11 14 34 53 −19 26
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Source: LigaPro, Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) Points, 2) Goal difference, 3) Goals for, 4) Away goals for, 5) Head-to-head record, 6) Drawing of lots.

Results

More information Home \ Away, AUC ...
Home \ Away AUC BSC DEL CUE NAC EME IDV LDQ LIB MAC MAN MUS ORE TEC CAT VIN
Aucas — 2–0 2–1 1–3 1–0 1–2 1–2 1–0 2–0 1–4 1–1 2–0 0–0 4–1 2–1 2–2
Barcelona 1–1 — 2–0 0–0 1–0 2–0 0–4 0–1 3–3 0–2 1–2 1–0 2–0 1–1 2–3 2–1
Delfín 1–1 0–1 — 0–0 0–3 2–0 1–1 0–4 0–0 0–0 2–0 3–1 0–0 0–1 1–0 3–3
Deportivo Cuenca 2–0 0–1 1–1 — 4–1 0–1 0–3 1–2 0–1 1–1 2–0 1–0 1–1 2–0 3–1 2–0
El Nacional 0–1 1–2 3–2 0–1 — 2–0 1–3 1–0 2–2 0–2 1–0 0–5 0–1 0–0 0–3 2–1
Emelec 0–1 0–4 2–2 1–1 4–0 — 0–1 1–0 1–1 0–0 1–1 1–0 1–0 0–1 0–4 2–0
Independiente del Valle 2–1 1–1 0–0 4–0 1–0 1–2 — 1–1 1–1 1–1 2–0 2–1 2–1 4–0 1–1 3–1
LDU Quito 3–1 3–1 3–0 2–2 2–2 2–0 1–1 — 1–1 1–1 1–1 2–1 4–0 3–2 2–4 0–0
Libertad 3–2 1–4 0–1 2–1 1–3 1–2 2–0 0–1 — 0–1 1–0 2–1 4–1 4–1 3–1 1–0
Macará 1–1 0–1 0–0 0–1 1–1 1–1 1–2 0–1 1–1 — 2–2 2–1 1–0 0–1 1–4 1–0
Manta 1–1 2–3 2–2 0–1 4–3 2–4 0–0 1–1 1–1 1–3 — 2–1 0–0 2–1 4–2 2–2
Mushuc Runa 1–0 0–5 2–0 3–1 2–3 1–1 2–2 1–0 1–2 4–3 2–0 — 2–5 0–1 1–1 1–2
Orense 2–1 3–1 3–1 1–0 1–1 0–0 1–2 2–1 0–1 1–0 2–1 3–1 — 2–1 1–1 0–0
Técnico Universitario 1–1 0–1 1–2 0–2 0–0 0–1 1–2 1–3 2–2 1–0 3–1 1–1 1–2 — 1–1 1–3
Universidad Católica 6–2 2–2 1–1 2–1 1–1 1–1 0–3 3–1 1–1 1–0 3–0 1–1 2–0 2–0 — 3–0
Vinotinto Ecuador 0–1 0–1 5–0 0–1 0–1 2–1 1–3 1–2 1–0 1–2 4–1 1–1 0–1 0–1 3–2 —
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Source: LigaPro, Soccerway
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Final stages

For the final stages, the teams were split into three groups according to their placement in the first stage. The top six teams in the first stage played the first hexagonal, in which the championship as well as most of the international berths were awarded, whilst the next six teams played the second hexagonal for the last Copa Sudamericana berth. The bottom four teams played the relegation group, where the two worst placed teams were relegated at the end of the season. Teams carried over their first stage records to the final stages.[6]

On 18 December 2025, LigaPro were notified of El Nacional's administrative relegation per ruling by the Ecuadorian Football Federation and announced that their last match against Delfín would not be played.[58]

First hexagonal

More information Pos, Team ...
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification IDV LDQ BSC CAT ORE LIB
1 Independiente del Valle (C) 40 23 13 4 67 30 +37 82 Qualification for the Copa Libertadores group stage[a] — 0–0 1–0 0–2 0–0 1–1
2 LDU Quito 40 19 12 9 68 41 +27 69 2–1 — 3–0 2–0 4–0 3–1
3 Barcelona 40 19 10 11 56 47 +9 67 Qualification for the Copa Libertadores second stage 0–3 2–2 — 1–1 2–1 1–0
4 Universidad Católica 40 14 16 10 67 50 +17 58 Qualification for the Copa Libertadores first stage[b] 0–1 2–2 1–1 — 0–0 1–1
5 Orense 40 16 10 14 44 48 −4 58 Qualification for the Copa Sudamericana first stage 1–2 2–1 1–2 2–1 — 3–2
6 Libertad 40 14 14 12 54 51 +3 56 1–3 2–1 1–1 1–1 2–0 —
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Source: LigaPro, Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) Points, 2) Goal difference, 3) Goals for, 4) Away goals for, 5) Head-to-head record, 6) Drawing of lots.
(C) Champions
Notes:
  1. [a]
    Since the first stage winners Independiente del Valle ended up winning the league championship, the Copa Libertadores group stage awarded to the first stage winners was passed to the season runners-up.
  2. [b]
    Universidad Católica qualified for the Copa Libertadores first stage as 2025 Copa Ecuador champions.

Second hexagonal

More information Pos, Team ...
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation MAC CUE AUC EME DEL NAC
1 Macará 40 17 11 12 53 35 +18 62 Qualification for the Copa Sudamericana first stage — 0–1 3–2 3–0 3–0 2–0
2 Deportivo Cuenca 40 17 8 15 51 41 +10 59 0–2 — 1–2 5–1 0–0 5–0
3 Aucas 40 16 10 14 59 54 +5 58 0–2 2–1 — 0–0 8–0 3–3
4 Emelec 40 15 10 15 42 49 −7 55 0–2 3–1 0–2 — 1–0 5–0
5 Delfín 40 8 15 17 33 62 −29 39 0–4 2–0 0–1 0–1 — 2–2
6 El Nacional[a] (R) 40 12 9 19 44 70 −26 36 Administrative relegation to Serie B 2–0 0–2 3–1 2–1 0–3[b] —
Close
Source: LigaPro, Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) Points, 2) Goal difference, 3) Goals for, 4) Away goals for, 5) Head-to-head record, 6) Drawing of lots.
(R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. [a]
    El Nacional were deducted nine points as punishment for failing to meet debt payment deadlines twice.[59] On 16 December 2025, the Ecuadorian Football Federation ordered El Nacional's relegation to Serie B due to a third breach.[60]
  2. [b]
    Match awarded 0–3 to Delfín due to El Nacional's administrative relegation.

Relegation group

More information Pos, Team ...
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Relegation MAN MUS TEC VIN
1 Manta 36 9 12 15 46 59 −13 39 — 3–0 2–0 3–1
2 Mushuc Runa 36 9 9 18 42 55 −13 36 1–1 — 1–0 2–1
3 Técnico Universitario 36 8 9 19 31 54 −23 33 2–3 0–0 — 1–1
4 Vinotinto Ecuador (R) 36 8 8 20 40 51 −11 32 Relegation to Serie B[a] 2–0 0–0 1–2 —
Close
Source: LigaPro, Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) Points, 2) Goal difference, 3) Goals for, 4) Away goals for, 5) Head-to-head record, 6) Drawing of lots.
(R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. [a]
    Originally, the bottom two teams of the relegation group would be relegated to Serie B. However, due to El Nacional's administrative relegation, only the team placing last in the group was relegated.[61]

Top scorers

More information Rank, Player ...
Rank Player Club Goals
1 Ecuador Daniel Valencia Manta 21
2 Argentina Claudio Spinelli Independiente del Valle 20
3 Ecuador Djorkaeff Reasco El Nacional 18
Ecuador Byron Palacios Universidad Católica
Argentina Rafael Monti Vinotinto Ecuador
6 Ecuador Eber Caicedo Libertad 15
Ecuador Janner Corozo Barcelona
8 Argentina Federico Paz Macará 13
Ecuador Michael Estrada LDU Quito
10 Paraguay Brian Montenegro Aucas 12
Bolivia Bruno Miranda Aucas
Ecuador Alejandro Tobar Deportivo Cuenca
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Source: Besoccer

See also

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