La Liga play-offs
Region | Spain |
---|---|
Number of teams | 4 |
2023 Segunda División play-offs |
The La Liga play-offs are an annual series of football matches to determine the final promotion places within Segunda División and La Liga. In its current format, it involves the four teams that finish directly below the automatic promotion places from Segunda División to the top tier. These teams meet in a series of play-off matches to determine the final team that will be promoted. Reserve teams are not eligible for promotion.
The play-offs were first introduced in 1929 and have been staged at the conclusion of every season since, except between 2000 and 2010. Until 1999, it consisted in games between teams from both leagues, but when it was reinstated, it only involved four teams from Segunda División.
Results
1929
The first edition of La Liga and Segunda División finished with a promotion/relegation playoff between the champion of Segunda División and the last qualified team of La Liga. It was played with a double-leg format and Racing Santander remained in the top tier.[1]
Season | Winners | Losers |
---|---|---|
1929 | Racing Santander | Sevilla |
1935–1936
In 1934, the Segunda División was expanded into three groups of 10 teams. The two first qualified teams of each group would play a final stage with a round-robin format. The two top teams, promoted to La Liga.
Season | Winner | Runner-up | Third | Fourth | Fifth | Sixth |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1935 | Hércules | Osasuna | Celta Vigo | Sabadell | Murcia |
Valladolid |
1936 | Celta Vigo | Zaragoza | Arenas | Murcia |
Girona | Xerez |
1940–1950
Just after the Spanish Civil War, the 1939–40 Segunda División was expanded into five groups where the winners joined the final stage. The champion promoted directly while the runner-up played a single-game to promote to La Liga.
In the next season, the Segunda División was reduced to two groups of 12 teams where the two top teams joined a final group. In this one, the winner and the runner-up promoted directly while the 3rd and 4th qualified played against the two last qualified teams in La Liga. The two winners achieved the spot for the top tier's next season. From 1945 (one year after the reduction of Segunda División to one only group) to 1947, there was only one promotion/relegation game.
All games were played in a neutral venue.
Season | Winners | Losers |
---|---|---|
1940 | Celta Vigo | Deportivo La Coruña |
1941 | Castellón | Zaragoza |
Deportivo La Coruña | Murcia
| |
1942 | Barcelona | Murcia
|
Oviedo | Sabadell | |
1943 | Español | Real Gijón |
Granada | Valladolid | |
1944 | Deportivo La Coruña | Constancia
|
Español | Alcoyano | |
1945 | Celta Vigo | Granada |
1946 | Español | Gimnástico |
1947 | Real Sociedad | Murcia
|
1950 | Alcoyano | Gimnástico |
Murcia |
Oviedo |
1951–1956
For the leagues of the 1950s, when the Segunda División was divided into two groups, a new promotion/relegation system was created. The second and third qualified of each group and the 13th and 14th of La Liga, played by 16 teams, joined a round-robin group where the two top teams would promote to the next La Liga season.[2]
Season | Winner | Runner-up | Third | Fourth | Fifth | Sixth |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1951 | Las Palmas | Zaragoza | Málaga | Murcia |
Sabadell | Salamanca |
1952 | Mestalla[N 1] |
Real Gijón | Real Santander | Alcoyano | Logroñés | Ferrol |
1953 | Deportivo La Coruña | España Industrial[N 2] | Celta Vigo | Atlético Tetuán | Avilés |
Hércules |
1954 | Málaga | Hércules | Osasuna | Baracaldo | Lérida | Jaén
|
1955 | Español | Real Sociedad | Oviedo | Atlético Tetuán | Zaragoza | Granada |
1956 | España Industrial[N 3] | Zaragoza | Oviedo | Murcia |
Real Betis | Alavés |
1959–1968
In 1958 the RFEF re-adopted the promotion/relegation play-offs system between teams from La Liga and Segunda División. Teams qualified in positions 13 and 14 of La Liga would face against the 3rd and 4th qualified in Segunda División. The two winners achieved the spot for the top tier's next season.
1987–1999
In 1987 the
In 1997, for reducing the number of teams in La Liga from 22 to 20, there was only one play-off game between the 18th qualified in La Liga and the third one of Segunda.
In gold, teams from La Liga and in silver, teams from Segunda División.
2011–present
For the
Fifth placed faces against the fourth, while the sixth positioned team faces against the third. The final is also two-legged. The best positioned team always plays at home on the second leg.
Since the second edition, a new rule was established: in case of a tied eliminatory there were
Season | Promoted | Finalist | Semi-finalists |
---|---|---|---|
2011 | Granada | Elche | Celta Vigo and Valladolid |
2012 | Valladolid | Alcorcón | Córdoba and Hércules |
2013 | Almería | Girona | Alcorcón and Las Palmas |
2014 | Córdoba | Las Palmas | Murcia and Sporting Gijón
|
2015 | Las Palmas | Zaragoza | Girona and Valladolid |
2016 | Osasuna | Girona | Córdoba and Gimnàstic |
2017 | Getafe | Tenerife | Cádiz and Huesca |
2018 | Valladolid | Numancia | Sporting Gijón and Zaragoza |
2019 | Mallorca | Deportivo La Coruña | Albacete and Málaga |
2020 | Elche | Girona | Almería and Zaragoza |
2021 | Rayo Vallecano | Girona | Almería and Leganés |
2022 | Girona | Tenerife | Eibar and Las Palmas |
2023 | Alavés | Levante | Albacete and Eibar |
Notes
- ^ Despite being the reserve team of Valencia, Mestalla played the tournament achieving a promotion spot. Finally, the RFEF did not allow the club to play in La Liga and Real Santander occupied its berth.
- ^ Despite being the reserve team of Barcelona, España Industrial played the tournament achieving a promotion spot. Finally, the RFEF did not allow the club to play in La Liga and Celta Vigo occupied its berth.
- ^ For playing La Liga's next season, the club changed its name to CD Condal.
- ^ Due to the La Liga expansion to 22 teams, Albacete remained in La Liga despite losing the play-offs.
References
- ^ "1929: El Racing de Santander, verdugo del Sevilla, por dos veces" (in Spanish). CIHEFE. 14 February 2015. Retrieved 13 June 2016.
- ^ "Dos liguillas de promoción malditas" (in Spanish). Real Oviedo Info. Retrieved 13 June 2016.
- ^ "Vuelve la promoción y se retorna a Primera" (in Spanish). RealOviedo.info. Retrieved 13 June 2016.
- ^ "Noticias de la temporada 1999/2000" (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 June 2016.
- ^ "Un playoff decidirá el tercer ascendido en el próximo curso" (in Spanish). As.com. 16 June 2010. Retrieved 13 June 2016.
- ^ "No habrá penaltis en los 'playoffs' de ascenso" (in Spanish). Marca. 6 July 2011. Retrieved 13 June 2016.