Serie A de Ecuador

Infobox football league
name = Primera Categoría Serie A

pixels =
country = Ecuador
confed = Federación Ecuatoriana de Fútbol
founded = 1957
folded =
divisions =
teams = 12
feeds =
promotion =
relegation = Serie B
levels = 1
domest_cup = Copa Pílsener
confed_cup = Copa Libertadores
Copa Sudamericana
champions = LDU Quito
season = 2007
most successful club = Barcelona (13)
El Nacional (13)
tv =
website = http://www.ecuafutbol.org
current = Serie A 2008

The Primera Categoría Serie A (shorten to Serie A or Primera A) is the top level of professional football in Ecuador. The clubs in this level play are the only clubs that play in the country's top football tournament, Campeonato Ecuatoriano de Fútbol Serie A.

Current teams

There are currently 12 teams in Serie A. The teams were determined at the end of the 2007 season, and are as follows (home city in parenthesis):
*Barcelona Sporting Club (Guayaquil)
*Centro Deportivo Olmedo (Riobamba)
*Club Deportivo Cuenca (Cuenca)
*Club Deportivo El Nacional (Quito)
*Club Deportivo ESPOLI (Quito, but plays home games in Latacunga)
*Club Deportivo Técnico Universitario (Ambato)
*Club Deportivo Universidad Católica del Ecuador (Quito)
*Club Social y Deportivo Macará (Ambato)
*Club Sport Emelec (Guayaquil)
*Deportivo Azogues (Azogues)
*Liga Deportiva Universitaria de Quito (Quito)
*Sociedad Deportivo Quito (Quito)

Campeonato Ecuatoriano de Fútbol Serie A

infobox football tournament
name = Copa Pílsener Serie A
logo =
caption =
founded =
region = Ecuador
number of teams = 12
current champions = LDU Quito
most successful club = Barcelona (13)
El Nacional (13)
broadcasters =
motto =
website =
current = Serie A 2008The Campeonato Ecuatoriano de Fútbol Serie A, also known as Copa Pílsener Serie A for sponsorhip reasons, is the most important football competition of the Federación Ecuatoriana de Fútbol, the football federation of Ecuador. The winner of the tournament is crowned the Ecuadorian Champions. It is the only national tournament in the clubs of Serie A take part.

The tournament has been held 50 times on a yearly basis since 1957 (except 1958 & 1959), and twice in 2005. Eight different teams have been crowned Ecuadorian champions, but four teams have a combined total of 45 championships. The most successful clubs are Barcelona Sporting Club and Club Deportivo El Nacional, each with 13 championsips. The defending champion is Liga Deportiva Universitaria de Quito.

History

The Ecuadorian Football Championship was first held in 1957. The title was contested between the tops finishers of the Campeonato Profesional Interandinos (Quito & Ambato) and Campeonato Profesional de Fútbol de Guayaquil. The 1957 tournament was contested by Barcelona Sporting Club, Club Sport Emelec, Sociedad Deportivo Quito, and Sociedad Deportiva Aucas. Emelec won, and became the first Ecuadorian champions.

No championship was held in 1958 & 1959. The tournament return in 1960 using the same format as in 1957. This time the field grew from four teams to eight teams. The format continued into 1967. That same year, a second level of Ecuadorian football (Segunda División) was put into play and a system of relegation and promotion began. Teams contesting the national championship from 1968 onwards were now part of the Primera División.

In 1971, the Primera Categoría was divided into two series: Serie A & Serie B. Serie A was to be the top level of club football, while Serie B was the second, and Segunda the third. Between, 1983-1988, Serie B was merged into Segunda, but Serie A continued. Serie B was brought back in 1989, and has stayed as the second level since.

In 2005, the Campeonato Ecuatoriano was divided into two tournaments to crown two champions in one year. The two tournaments were called "Torneo Apertura" (opening tournament) and "Torneo Clausura" (closing tournament). The tournament returned to its year-long format in 2006.

Promotion & relegation

While the format changes slightly from year-to-year, the teams usually play in two double round-robin stages (etapas), with a Liguilla Final at the end of the season to crown the champions. The teams who finish last after the second stage are relegated to Serie B, while the winners of Serie B are promoted to Serie A. Teams from both levels do not play each other during the season. Teams from Serie A also play to participate in Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana.

Champions by year

Titles by club

External links

* [http://www.ecuafutbol.org Federación Ecuatoriana de Fútbol]
* [http://www.futbol.ec Futbol Ecuatoriano Ecuador Futbol]