2025 Categoría Primera A season

Liga BetPlay Dimayor
Season2025
Dates23 January – 14 December 2025
← 2024
2026 →

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]

Two tournaments (Apertura and Finalización) will be played in the season, each one of them being an independent championship. Atlético Nacional will enter the season as defending champions, having won the 2024 Finalización tournament.

Format

The 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

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Locations of the 2025 Categoría Primera A teams
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Locations of the 2025 Primera A teams in Bogotá
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Locations of the 2025 Primera A teams in Medellín

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

Team City Stadium Capacity
Águilas Doradas Sincelejo Arturo Cumplido Sierra 10,000
Alianza Valledupar Armando Maestre Pavajeau 11,000
América de Cali Cali Pascual Guerrero 38,588
Atlético Bucaramanga Bucaramanga Américo Montanini 28,000
Atlético Nacional Medellín Atanasio Girardot 44,863
Boyacá Chicó Tunja La Independencia 20,630
Deportes Tolima Ibagué Manuel Murillo Toro 28,100
Deportivo Cali Palmira Deportivo Cali 42,000
Deportivo Pasto Pasto Departamental Libertad 18,000
Deportivo Pereira Pereira Hernán Ramírez Villegas 30,297
Envigado Envigado Polideportivo Sur 14,000
Fortaleza Bogotá Metropolitano de Techo 10,000
Independiente Medellín Medellín Atanasio Girardot 44,863
Junior Barranquilla Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez 46,692
La Equidad Bogotá Metropolitano de Techo 10,000
Llaneros Villavicencio Bello Horizonte – Rey Pelé 15,000
Millonarios Bogotá Nemesio Camacho El Campín 39,512
Once Caldas Manizales Palogrande 31,611
Santa Fe Bogotá Nemesio Camacho El Campín 39,512
Unión Magdalena Santa Marta Sierra Nevada 16,000

Personnel and kits

Team Manager Kit manufacturer Main shirt sponsor(s)
Águilas Doradas Venezuela Pedro Depablos Aerosport Alcaldía de Sincelejo
Alianza Colombia Hubert Bodhert Pin-Go Gobernación del Cesar, Pool, Fundación Universitaria San Mateo
América de Cali Uruguay Jorge da Silva Le Coq Sportif Colanta, Águila, BetPlay
Atlético Bucaramanga Paraguay Gustavo Florentín Lotto Rivalo, Súper Bodega Bogotá, Clinisports
Atlético Nacional Mexico Efraín Juárez Nike Betsson
Boyacá Chicó Colombia Juan Carlos Álvarez Geus
Deportes Tolima Colombia David González TBA BetPlay, Mercacentro, Pool
Deportivo Cali Uruguay Alfredo Arias TBA Wplay, Pastas La Muñeca, Constructora Cosenza
Deportivo Pasto Vacant Boman Aguardiente Nariño, Banco AV Villas
Deportivo Pereira Colombia Luis Fernando Suárez Oto Rivalo, Ukumarí
Envigado Colombia Andrés Orozco Kappa Pool, Colanta
Fortaleza Colombia Sebastián Oliveros Kimo BetPlay, Colanta, Pool, Gencell Pharma
Independiente Medellín Colombia Alejandro Restrepo Adidas Colanta, Wplay
Junior Venezuela César Farías Adidas Olímpica, Águila, Tecnoglass
La Equidad Colombia Alexis García Attle Cootrafa, BetPlay
Llaneros Colombia Jaime de la Pava Soniza Sports Aitabü Hotel Campestre, Movilco, Gobernación del Meta
Millonarios Colombia Alberto Gamero Adidas Cerveza Andina
Once Caldas Colombia Hernán Darío Herrera Boman Colanta, BetPlay, Wakate
Santa Fe Uruguay Pablo Peirano Fila Colanta, BetPlay
Unión Magdalena Colombia Jorge Luis Pinto Aerosport Pool, Mega Tiendas

Managerial changes

Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position in table Incoming manager Date of appointment
Torneo Apertura
Deportivo Cali Colombia Sergio Herrera Demoted to assistant manager 14 November 2024 Pre-season Uruguay Alfredo Arias 20 October 2024[5]
Águilas Doradas Colombia Juan Pablo Buch Sacked 21 November 2024[6] Venezuela Pedro Depablos 17 December 2024[7]
Atlético Bucaramanga Venezuela Rafael Dudamel Resigned 27 November 2024[8] Paraguay Gustavo Florentín 18 December 2024[9]
Deportivo Pasto Paraguay Gustavo Florentín 13 December 2024[10]
Llaneros Venezuela Pedro Depablos Signed by Águilas Doradas 16 December 2024[11] Colombia Jaime de la Pava 16 December 2024[12]

Torneo Apertura

The 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

Standings

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
First match(es) will be played: 23 January 2025. Source: Dimayor
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

A 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

  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ "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.
  3. ^ "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.
  4. ^ "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.
  5. ^ "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.
  6. ^ "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.
  7. ^ "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.
  8. ^ "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.
  9. ^ "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.
  10. ^ "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.
  11. ^ "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.
  12. ^ "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.
  13. ^ "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.