The 2025 Categoría Primera A season (officially known as the 2025 Liga BetPlay Dimayor season for sponsorship purposes) will be the 78th season of the Categoría Primera A, Colombia's top-flight football league. The season is scheduled to begin on 23 January and end on 14 December 2025.[1]
| Season | 2025 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 23 January – 14 December 2025 |
← 2024 2026 → | |
Two tournaments (Apertura and Finalización) will be played in the season, each one of them being an independent championship.
Format
editThe competition format for this season was approved by the Extraordinary Assembly of DIMAYOR held on 16 December 2024, which decided to keep the same system used in the previous seasons, with two tournaments (Apertura and Finalización) of three stages each: a first stage in which the 20 teams play each other once (with an additional match against a regional rival and reversed fixtures for the Finalización tournament), a semi-final stage (cuadrangulares) played by the top eight teams from the previous stage in which the eight teams are split into two groups of four and the top two teams from the first stage will be seeded in different groups, and a double-legged final series played by the winners of both semi-final groups.[2]
For this season, the regional derbies matchday in the first stage of each tournament was reinstated after being scrapped in 2024 due to scheduling constraints, whilst the distribution of international berths was kept: both season champions as well as the top two non-champion teams in the aggregate table will qualify for the Copa Libertadores, with the next best three teams in the aggregate table as well as the Copa Colombia champions qualifying for the Copa Sudamericana.[1]
Teams
edit
20 teams will take part in the season, the top 18 teams in the relegation table of the previous season as well as the 2024 Primera B champions Unión Magdalena and runners-up Llaneros. Both teams clinched promotion on 14 December 2024, following the 2024 Primera B's Grand Final.[3] The promoted teams will replace Jaguares and Patriotas, the bottom two teams in the relegation table of the 2024 season, who were relegated to Primera B after nine and one year in the top flight, respectively.[4]
Stadia and locations
editPersonnel and kits
edit| Team | Manager | Kit manufacturer | Main shirt sponsor(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Águilas Doradas |  Pedro Depablos
|
Aerosport | Alcaldía de Sincelejo |
| Alianza |  Hubert Bodhert
|
Pin-Go | Gobernación del Cesar, Pool, Fundación Universitaria San Mateo |
| América de Cali |  Jorge da Silva
|
Le Coq Sportif | Colanta, Águila, BetPlay |
| Atlético Bucaramanga |  Gustavo Florentín
|
Lotto | Rivalo, Súper Bodega Bogotá, Clinisports |
| Atlético Nacional |  Efraín Juárez
|
Nike | Betsson |
| Boyacá Chicó | Juan Carlos Álvarez
|
Geus | |
| Deportes Tolima | David González
|
TBA | BetPlay, Mercacentro, Pool |
| Deportivo Cali | Alfredo Arias
|
TBA | Wplay, Pastas La Muñeca, Constructora Cosenza |
| Deportivo Pasto |  Vacant
|
Boman | Aguardiente Nariño, Banco AV Villas |
| Deportivo Pereira | Luis Fernando Suárez
|
Oto | Rivalo, Ukumarí |
| Envigado | Andrés Orozco
|
Kappa | Pool, Colanta |
| Fortaleza | Sebastián Oliveros
|
Kimo | BetPlay, Colanta, Pool, Gencell Pharma |
| Independiente Medellín | Alejandro Restrepo
|
Adidas | Colanta, Wplay |
| Junior | César Farías
|
Adidas | Olímpica, Águila, Tecnoglass |
| La Equidad | Alexis García
|
Attle | Cootrafa, BetPlay |
| Llaneros | Jaime de la Pava
|
Soniza Sports | Aitabü Hotel Campestre, Movilco, Gobernación del Meta |
| Millonarios | Alberto Gamero
|
Adidas | Cerveza Andina |
| Once Caldas | Hernán Darío Herrera
|
Boman | Colanta, BetPlay, Wakate |
| Santa Fe | Pablo Peirano
|
Fila | Colanta, BetPlay |
| Unión Magdalena | Jorge Luis Pinto
|
Aerosport | Pool, Mega Tiendas |
Managerial changes
edit| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in table | Incoming manager | Date of appointment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Torneo Apertura | ||||||
| Deportivo Cali | Sergio Herrera
|
Demoted to assistant manager | 14 November 2024 | Pre-season | Alfredo Arias
|
20 October 2024[5] |
| Águilas Doradas | Juan Pablo Buch
|
Sacked | 21 November 2024[6] | Pedro Depablos
|
17 December 2024[7] | |
| Atlético Bucaramanga | Rafael Dudamel
|
Resigned | 27 November 2024[8] | Gustavo Florentín
|
18 December 2024[9] | |
| Deportivo Pasto | Gustavo Florentín
|
13 December 2024[10] | ||||
| Llaneros | Pedro Depablos
|
Signed by Águilas Doradas | 16 December 2024[11] | Jaime de la Pava
|
16 December 2024[12] | |
Torneo Apertura
editThe Torneo Apertura (officially known as Liga BetPlay Dimayor 2025–I) will be the first tournament of the 2025 season. It is scheduled to begin on 23 January and end on 28 June 2024.[1]
First stage
editStandings
edit| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Águilas Doradas | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Advance to the semi-finals |
| 2 | Alianza | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 | América de Cali | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 4 | Atlético Bucaramanga | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 5 | Atlético Nacional | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 6 | Boyacá Chicó | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 7 | Deportes Tolima | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 8 | Deportivo Cali | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 9 | Deportivo Pasto | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 10 | Deportivo Pereira | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 11 | Envigado | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 12 | Fortaleza | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 13 | Independiente Medellín | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 14 | Junior | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 15 | La Equidad | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 16 | Llaneros | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 17 | Millonarios | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 18 | Once Caldas | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 19 | Santa Fe | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 20 | Unión Magdalena | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Rules for classification: 1) Points, 2) Goal difference, 3) Goals for, 4) Away goals for, 5) Away goals against, 6) Yellow cards, 7) Red cards, 8) Drawing of lots.
Relegation
editA separate table is kept to determine the teams that are relegated to the Categoría Primera B for the next season. This table is elaborated from a sum of all first stage games played in the three most recent seasons (including the 2023–I, 2023–II, 2024–I, 2024–II, 2025–I, and 2025–II tournaments), with the points earned being averaged per match played. The bottom two teams of the relegation table at the end of the season will be relegated to Categoría Primera B.
| Pos |
Team | 2023 Pts |
2024 Pts |
2025 Pts |
2025 GF |
2025 GA |
2025 GD |
Total Pld |
Total Pts |
Avg. | Relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Millonarios | 68 | 66 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 78 | 134 | 1.72 | |
| 2 | Deportes Tolima | 61 | 72 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 78 | 133 | 1.71 | |
| 3 | América de Cali | 69 | 62 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 78 | 131 | 1.68 | |
| 4 | Águilas Doradas | 83 | 46 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 78 | 129 | 1.65 | |
| 5 | Independiente Medellín | 68 | 58 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 78 | 126 | 1.62 | |
| 6 | Atlético Nacional | 68 | 56 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 78 | 124 | 1.59 | |
| 7 | Santa Fe | 50 | 71 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 78 | 121 | 1.55 | |
| 8 | Junior | 58 | 60 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 78 | 118 | 1.51 | |
| 9 | Atlético Bucaramanga | 46 | 66 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 78 | 112 | 1.44 | |
| 10 | La Equidad | 52 | 55 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 78 | 107 | 1.37 | |
| 11 | Deportivo Pereira | 44 | 61 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 78 | 105 | 1.35 | |
| 12 | Fortaleza | — | 51 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 51 | 1.34 | |
| 13 | Deportivo Pasto | 54 | 49 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 78 | 103 | 1.32 | |
| 14 | Once Caldas | 42 | 60 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 78 | 102 | 1.31 | |
| 15 | Alianza | 58 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 78 | 91 | 1.17 | |
| 16 | Deportivo Cali | 51 | 38 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 78 | 89 | 1.14 | |
| 17 | Boyacá Chicó | 49 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 78 | 82 | 1.05 | |
| 18 | Envigado | 33 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 78 | 62 | 0.79 | |
| 19 | Unión Magdalena | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Relegation to Categoría Primera B |
| 20 | Llaneros | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Source: Caracol Radio[13]
Rules for classification: 1) average, 2) 2025 points, 3) 2025 goal difference, 4) 2025 goals scored, 5) 2025 away goals scored, 6) 2025 away goals against, 7) 2025 wins, 8) 2025 yellow cards, 9) 2025 red cards, 10) drawing of lots.
References
edit- ^ a b c "Así se jugarán la Liga, la Copa y el Torneo de Ascenso en Colombia durante 2025" [This is how the League, the Cup and the Promotion Tournament will be played during 2025 in Colombia] (in Spanish). El Espectador. 16 December 2024. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
- ^ "Formato de Liga BetPlay 2025: nuevas decisiones para la competición" [2025 Liga BetPlay format: new decisions for the competition] (in Spanish). Futbolred. 16 December 2024. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
- ^ "Unión Magdalena y Llaneros ascienden a la Liga BetPlay" [Unión Magdalena and Llaneros promote to the Liga BetPlay] (in Spanish). Diario AS. 14 December 2024. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
- ^ "Patriotas y Jaguares se fueron a la B: las matemáticas, ahora sí, dictaron sentencia" [Patriotas and Jaguares left for the second tier: mathematics, at last, passed sentence] (in Spanish). El Tiempo. 14 November 2024. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
- ^ "Oficial: Alfredo Arias regresa a Deportivo Cali" [Official: Alfredo Arias returns to Deportivo Cali] (in Spanish). Diario AS. 20 October 2024. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
- ^ "Equipo del fútbol colombiano sorprendió echando a su técnico" [Colombian football team surprised by sacking their manager] (in Spanish). BolaVip. 22 November 2024. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
- ^ "Águilas Doradas tiene nuevo entrenador: Pedro Depablos es el elegido" [Águilas Doradas have a new coach: Pedro Depablos is the chosen one] (in Spanish). Caracol Radio. 17 December 2024. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
- ^ "Fin del ciclo: Rafael Dudamel no seguirá siendo el técnico de Atlético Bucaramanga" [End of the cycle: Rafael Dudamel will no longer be the manager of Atlético Bucaramanga] (in Spanish). El Colombiano. 27 November 2024. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
- ^ "Gustavo Florentín fue anunciado como el nuevo entrenador de Atlético Bucaramanga" [Gustavo Florentín was announced as the new coach of Atlético Bucaramanga] (in Spanish). Vanguardia. 18 December 2024. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
- ^ "Gustavo Florentín no es más DT de Pasto" [Gustavo Florentín is no longer manager of Pasto] (in Spanish). Win Sports. 13 December 2024. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
- ^ "Primera decisión de Llaneros tras conseguir el ascenso: hay polémica" [First decision by Llaneros after earning promotion: there is controversy] (in Spanish). Antena 2. 16 December 2024. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
- ^ "Jaime de la Pava, nuevo entrenador de Llaneros" [Jaime de la Pava, new Llaneros coach] (in Spanish). Diario AS. 16 December 2024. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
- ^ "Tabla de descenso 2025: así inicia Deportivo Cali y otros equipos en la clasificación" [2025 relegation table: this is how Deportivo Cali and other teams start in the standings] (in Spanish). Caracol Radio. 15 December 2024. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
External links
edit- Dimayor's official website (in Spanish)