Tercera División de El Salvador
Salvadoran association football league
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Tercera División de El Salvador,[1] commonly known as Tercera División, and officially known as Electrolit Tercera División for sponsorship reasons, is the men's third professional association football division of the Salvadoran football league system. Administered by Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional, it is contested by 40 teams, with the top two teams plus the winner of a play-off promoted to Segunda division and replaced by the three lowest-placed teams in that division.
| Founded | 1970 |
|---|---|
| Country | El Salvador |
| Confederation | CONCACAF |
| Number of clubs | 40 |
| Level on pyramid | 3 |
| Promotion to | Segunda División |
| Relegation to | ADFAS |
| Domestic cup | Copa Presidente |
| Current champions | Centro Oriente CD Neo Pipil Centro Occidente CD Talleres Jr. (2025 Clausura) |
| Most championships | TBD ( titles each) |
| Broadcaster(s) | Canal 58 |
| Website | www |
| Current: 2025 Clausura | |
Structure
There are 40 clubs in Tercera Division divided into 4 groups of 10. They play in Apertura and Clausura. The clubs play every team in each group twice. The top four teams from each group, 16 teams in total, qualify for play-offs to determine the winner of the apertura and clausura title. The winners will be promoted to the Segunda División de El Salvador.
Similarly, the four clubs that finish at the bottom of Tercera Division are relegated to ADFA and are replaced by the top four clubs.
Third Division Of Football Season 2024 Clubs
The following teams are competing in the 2025–26 Tercera División season.qq
Academia BP
Aruba
Atlas
Atlas
Buenos Aires F.C.
Buenos Aires Morazan
Estrellas del Sur
Independiente
Izalco
Neo Pipil
Sal Y Mar
San Marcos
San Rafael Cedros
San Rafael Obrajuelo
Santa Clara
Santo Tomás
Sensunte Cabañas
SESSA
Talleres Jr.
Location of teams in 2024–2025 Tercera División de El Salvador
All participants for the 2025/26 season
| Team | Location | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Academia BP | Nuevo Cuscatlán, La Libertad | Estadio Cancha Municipal La Florencia | 5,000 |
| Ancla de Oro | TBD | Estadio | TBD |
| Atletico Belén | TBD | Estadio | TBD |
| Atletico San Simon | San Simon, Morazán | Estadio Municipal San Simón | 5,000 |
| Atletico Verapaz | Verapaz, San Vicente | Estadio Verapaz | 5,000 |
| Audaz | Apastepeque, San Vicente | Estadio Municipal La Coyotera | 5,000 |
| Buenos Aires FC | Acajutla, Sonsonate | Cancha Cristobal Aleman Alas | 1,000 |
| CD Buenos Aires | Osicala, Morazán | Estadio Municipal de Osicala | 10,000 |
| Brasil FC | Quelapa, San Miguel | Estadio Municipal de Quelapa | 5,000 |
| Brasilia F.C. | TBD | Estadio | 1,000 |
| El Roble | Ilobasco, Cabañas | Estadio Municipal de Ilobasco | 10,000 |
| El Vencedor | Santa Elena, Usulután | Estadio Jose German Rivas Lozano | 5,000 |
| Estrellas del Sur | Chirilagua, San Miguel | Estadio Municipal Carlos Moon | 5,000 |
| FORFUT | Ilobasco, Cabañas | Estadio Municipal de Ilobasco | 10,000 |
| Izalco | Izalco, Sonsonate | Estadio Salvador Mariona | 5,000 |
| Juventud Candelareño | Candelaria de La Frontera, Santa Ana | Estadio Municipal de Candeleria | 5,000 |
| La Hachaudura | TBD | Estadio | 000 |
| Marte Soyapango | Soyapango, San Salvador | Cancha Jorgito Melendez | 5,000 |
| Municipal | TBD | Estadio | 000 |
| Nacional de Las Magaritas | TBD | Estadio | 000 |
| Nonualco | TBD | Estadio | 000 |
| Once Municipal | TBD | Estadio | 000 |
| Racing | TBD | Estadio | 000 |
| Real Sociedad | TBD | Estadio | 000 |
| Sal Y Mar | Canton Los Jiotes, San Alejo, La Unión | Estadio Marcerlino Imbers | 0000 |
| San Marcos | Jiquilisco, Usulután | Cancha San Marcos Lempa | 0000 |
| San Rafael Obrajuelo | San Rafael Obrajuelo, La Paz | Estadio José Borjas Castillo | 0000 |
| Santo Tomás | Tejutla, Chalatenango | Cancha Óscar Julián Regalado | 0000 |
| Santos | Ciudad Arce, La Libertad | Cancha Santa Rosa | 5,000 |
| SESSA | Guadalupe, San Vicente | Cancha Vista al Volcán | 10,000 |
| Sonics International Club | TBD | Estadio | 1,000 |
| Tenancingo | Tenancingo, Cuscatlán | Cancha Santa Cruz Michapa | 5,000 |
| Vendaval | Apopa, San Salvador | Estadio Joaquín Gutiérrez | 10,000 |
| Vista Hermosa | San Francisco Gotera, Morazán | Estadio Luis Amilcar Moreno | 10,000 |
Current directors of the third Division
Management
| Name | Title | Ref. |
|---|---|---|
| Walter Carabantes López | President | [2] |
Past champions in Tercera División de Fútbol Salvadoreño Trophy
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2026–27 teams
Changes from the previous season
Teams promoted to Segunda División de Fútbol Salvadoreño
Teams relegated to ADFA- Apertura 2026
failed to register for the Clausura 2025
- A.D. Santa Clara (Apertura 2024 Centro Occidente Champion)
- Atlas F.C.
- CD San Rafael Cedros
- Independiente FC
- Escuela futbol de Pasaquina
Teams promoted from ADFA - Apertura 2025
New Teams or teams that purchased a spot in the Tercera Division
- Sonics International Club (Purchased spot of CD Aruba)
- Once Municipal (Purchased spot of CD Malacoff)
- Los Laureles F.C.
- A.D. Municipal
- Brasilia F.C.
- Real Sociedad de Morazon (Purchased spot of Tiburones FC)
- La Hachadura F.C.
Teams that failed to register for the Apertura 2025
- Malacoff (Sold their spot to CD Once Municipal)
- Aruba (Sold their spot to Sonics International Club)
- Atlas (Sold their spot to Ancla de Oro FC)
- Tiburones (Sold their spot to (CD Real Sociedad)
- Santiagueno FC
- A.D. Puerto El Triunfo
Teams that failed to register for the Clausura 2026
Zona Centro Occidente
Group A
| Team namec | Founded | Hometown | Coaches |
|---|---|---|---|
| A.D. Municipal | 1963 |  Juayua, Sonsonate Department | Ricardo Antonio Lopez (*) |
| Buenos Aires | 19 | Acajutla, Sonsonate Department | Ricardo Navarro (*) |
| Izalco | 19 | Izalco, Sonsonate Department | Jose Alfredo Portillo (*) |
| Juventud Candelareño * | 1983 | Candelaria de La Frontera, Santa Ana Department | TBD |
| La Hachaudura | 2021 | La Hachadura, Sonsonate Department | Rafael Rizo (*) |
| Once Municipal | 1945 | Ahuachapán, Ahuachapán Department | Henry Rojas (*) |
| Santos | 19 | Ciudad Arce, La Libertad | Eduardo Preza (*) |
| Sonics International Club | 2019 | Sonsonate, Sonsonate Department | Enio Mendoza (*) |
Group B
| Team name | Founded | Hometown | Coaches |
|---|---|---|---|
| Academia BP* | 19 | Nuevo Cuscatlán, La Libertad | Justino Umana (*) |
| Atletico Belén | 1988 | Soyapango, San Salvador Department | TBD |
| Brasilia F.C. | 19 | Suchitoto, Cuscatlán | TBD |
| Marte Soyapango | 2023 | Soyapango, San Salvador Department | Lazaro Gutierez (*) |
| Nacional de Las Magaritas | 1988 | Soyapango, San Salvador Department | Osmaro Santos (*) |
| Santo Tomas | 19 | Tejutla, Chalatenango | Fabricio Trejo (*) |
| Vendaval | 1927 | Apopa, San Salvador | David Omar Sevilla (*) |
| AD Tenancingo | 19 | Tenancingo, Cuscatlán | Willie Rene Miranda |
Zona Centro Oriente
Grupo A
| Nombre del equipo | Founded | Hometown | Coaches |
|---|---|---|---|
| Audaz | 1948 | Apastepeque, San Vicente | Omar Vasquez (*) |
| Atlético Verapaz | 1938 | Verapaz, San Vicente | Amancio Matías Mendoza (*) |
| El Roble | 1989 | Ilobasco, Cabañas | Jorge Abrego (*) |
| El Vencedor | 1921 | Santa Elena, Usulután | Giovanni Trigueros (*) |
| FORFUT | 2016 | Ilobasco, Cabañas | Alex Pineda (*)/ Alonzo Aguilar (*) |
| Nonualco | 19 | Ilobasco, Cabañas | Marlo Gómez (*) |
| San Marcos | 1960 | San Marcos Lempa, Jiquilisco, Usulután | Sebastian Hernández (*) |
| San Rafael Obrajuelo | 1984 | San Rafael Obrajuelo, La Paz | Ever Aguirre |
| SESSA | 19 | Guadalupe, San Vicente |  Julio Zamora (*) |
Group B
| Team name | Founded | Hometown | Coaches |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ancla de Oro | 1963 | Canton Huisquil, Conchagua, La Unión Department | David Paz (*) |
| Atletico San Simon | 1989 | San Simón, Morazán | TBD |
| Brasil | 1936 | Quelepa, San Miguel | Roberto Mata (*) |
| Buenos Aires | 1970 | Osicala, Morazán | Victor Coreas |
| Estrellas del Sur | 1954 | Chirilagua, San Miguel. |  Luis Carlos Asprilla (*) |
| Racing | 19 | Gualuca, San Miguel | Ervin Loza (*) |
| Real Sociedad de Morazán | 1981 | Sociedad, Morazán | Marvin Blanco (*) |
| Sal Y Mar | 1955 | Cantón Los Jiotes, San Alejo, La Unión | Gorge Chara (*) |
| Vista Hermosa | 2013 | San Francisco Gotera, Morazán | Eliseo Salamanca (*) |
Clubs who have competed in the Tecera Division, but not currently
As of June 2025
Note: Any Teams that haven't competed in any division within the last five years will be labelled as Hiatus as clubs in El Salvador have a history of taking breaks from competing and coming back into competition; if longer than five years it will assumed the clubs have officially folded and will be labelled as Disbanded.
See also
- Football in El Salvador – overview of football sport