Honduran Liga Nacional de Ascenso


Liga de Ascenso is the second division of Honduran football; it was founded on 17 December 1979 as Segunda División and renamed Liga de Ascenso on 21 July 2002. The league is divided into 4 groups: Zona Norte y Atlántica, Zona Norte y Occidente, Zona Centro y Sur, Zona Sur y Oriente. The top 2 teams of each group qualifies for the liguilla. Each season is divided into two tournaments, apertura and clausura. The champion of the opening and closing tournament, compete for the promotion to Liga Nacional de Fútbol de Honduras in a two-legged match.
Two teams are relegated to Liga Mayor de Futbol de Honduras. The last team of each group face off in a playoff.

History

From 1965 to 1979 the system of promotion to the Liga Nacional was ruled by the Extra-scholastic Sporting Federation of Honduras. It was played in amateur form and the champion of the Central, Southern, and Oriental zone would play against the champion of the North Western zone. The Winner was promoted to the Liga Nacional. In the first tournament of the Liga Nacional there wasn't any promoted or relegated since it was a draft tournament.
It was until 1980 when the second division was founded which nowadays it's called Liga Nacional de Ascenso de Honduras.
In that season, the league didn't have any relegated team since the players of the Honduras national football team needed to be in training at full-time. From the year on, the rules have been applied and there have been many promoted and relegated teams.
From 2004 on the league was split into two seasons, apertura and clausura. Promotion is decided by a two-legged match between apertura and clausura champion. In the case of the same team being champion in both tournaments, promotion is automatic.
In 2006 Hispano was relegated from first division but they bought Valencia's category in the league; this situation has occurred with other teams. In 2002 Victoria were relegated but acquired Honduras Salzburg's spot.
In 2009 Atletico Gualala earned promotion but decided to merge with that year's relegated club, Real Juventud and kept their history. In 2003 Real Maya merged with Patepluma to form Real Patepluma.

2016-17 clubs

Clubs from Zona Litoral Atlántica

Promotion

In 2004 the league format was changed into short tournaments splitting the season into two separate tournaments, apertura and clausura. Promotion was decided by a two-legged final until 2012, and is now contested in a single match between apertura champion and clausura champion. In the case that a same team is crowned champion both apertura and clausura, promotion is awarded automatically to said team.
SeasonPromoted teamOpponentObservations
2004–05Hispano0–0Deportes SavioHispano won 3–2 on penalty shootouts.
2005–06Atlético Olanchano3–2Lenca
2006–07Deportes Savio1–0Arsenal
2007–08Real Juventud–noneReal Juventud automatically promoted as winners of both Apertura and Clausura.
2008–09Atlético Gualala2–1NecaxaReal Juventud purchased Atlético Gualala's franchise.
2009–10Necaxa–noneNecaxa automatically promoted as winners of both Apertura and Clausura.
2010–11Atlético Choloma2–1Parrillas One
2011–12Real Sociedad2–0Parrillas One
2012–13Parrillas One1–1JuticalpaParrillas One won 5–4 on penalty shootouts.
2013–14Honduras Progreso–noneHonduras Progreso automatically promoted as winners of both Apertura and Clausura.
2014–15Juticalpa–noneJuticalpa automatically promoted as winners of both Apertura and Clausura.
2015–16Social Sol1–1Alianza BecerraSocial Sol won 7–6 on penalty shootouts.
2016–17UPNFM1–0Lepaera
2017–18Infop RNP–noneInfop RNP automatically promoted as winners of both Apertura and Clausura.
2018–19Real Sociedad1–1OlanchoReal Sociedad won 4–3 on penalty shootouts.

Relegation

In the current system, the last team of each group of the region play on a playoff.