# 2025 Categoría Primera A season

The 2025 Categoría Primera A season (officially known as the 2025 Liga BetPlay Dimayor season for sponsorship purposes) is the 78th season of the Categoría Primera A, Colombia's top-flight football league. The season began on 24 January and is scheduled to end on 14 December 2025.
Two tournaments (Apertura and Finalización) will be played in the season, each one of them being an independent championship. Atlético Nacional entered 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.
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.

## Teams

20 teams 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, who were promoted after a one-year absence and runners-up Llaneros, who were promoted for the first time in their history. Both teams clinched promotion on 14 December 2024, following the 2024 Primera B's Grand Final. The promoted teams replaced 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.
For this season, Águilas Doradas returned to Rionegro, Antioquia to play their home matches, after the agreement with the Sincelejo Municipality expired at the end of 2024 and was not renewed.

### Stadia and locations

| Team | City | Stadium | Capacity |
| Águilas Doradas | Rionegro | Alberto Grisales | 14,000 |
| 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 |

#### Notes

* ↑ Atlético Bucaramanga will host some home matches in the Torneo Apertura at Estadio Álvaro Gómez Hurtado in Floridablanca due to refurbishment works at their regular stadium Estadio Américo Montanini ahead of their participation in the 2025 Copa Libertadores.

### Personnel and kits

| Team | Manager | Kit manufacturer | Main shirt sponsor(s) |
| Águilas Doradas | Pedro Depablos | Aerosport | |
| Alianza | Hubert Bodhert | Pin-Go | Gobernación del Cesar, Pool, Fundación Universitaria San Mateo |
| América de Cali | Jorge da Silva | Le Coq Sportif | Águila, BetPlay |
| Atlético Bucaramanga | Andrey Moreno (caretaker) | Lotto | Rivalo, Súper Bodega Bogotá, Clinisports |
| Atlético Nacional | Javier Gandolfi | Nike | Betsson |
| Boyacá Chicó | Roberto Torres | Geus | Pool |
| Deportes Tolima | Ismael Rescalvo | Umbro | BetPlay, Pool, Mercacentro |
| Deportivo Cali | Alfredo Arias | Hillside | Wplay, Pastas La Muñeca, FluoCardent |
| Deportivo Pasto | Camilo Ayala | Boman | Aguardiente Nariño, Banco AV Villas |
| Deportivo Pereira | Luis Fernando Suárez | Oto | Rivalo, Aeropuerto Internacional Matecaña, Gobernación de Risaralda |
| Envigado | Andrés Orozco | Aleta | Pool, Colanta |
| Fortaleza | Sebastián Oliveros | Go Rigo Go | Stake |
| Independiente Medellín | Alejandro Restrepo | Adidas | Colanta, Wplay |
| Junior | César Farías | Adidas | Olímpica, Águila, Tecnoglass |
| La Equidad | Jhon Jairo Bodmer | Attle | Colanta, BetPlay |
| Llaneros | José Luis García | Aerosport | Maxi Cola, Aitabü Hotel Campestre, Gobernación del Meta |
| Millonarios | David González | Adidas | Cerveza Andina |
| Once Caldas | Hernán Darío Herrera | Boman | Colanta, BetPlay, Wakate |
| Santa Fe | Francisco López Róbinson Zapata (caretakers) | Fila | Colanta, BetPlay |
| Unión Magdalena | Alexis García | Aerosport | Colanta, Pool, Águila, 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 | Sergio Herrera | Demoted to assistant manager | 14 November 2024 | Pre-season | Alfredo Arias | 20 October 2024 |
| Águilas Doradas | Juan Pablo Buch | Sacked | 21 November 2024 | Pre-season | Pedro Depablos | 17 December 2024 |
| Atlético Bucaramanga | Rafael Dudamel | Resigned | 27 November 2024 | Pre-season | Gustavo Florentín | 18 December 2024 |
| Deportivo Pasto | Gustavo Florentín | Resigned | 13 December 2024 | Pre-season | Camilo Ayala | 30 December 2024 |
| Llaneros | Pedro Depablos | Signed by Águilas Doradas | 16 December 2024 | Pre-season | Jaime de la Pava | 16 December 2024 |
| Millonarios | Alberto Gamero | Resigned | 31 December 2024 | Pre-season | David González | 4 January 2025 |
| Deportes Tolima | David González | Resigned | 31 December 2024 | Pre-season | Ismael Rescalvo | 4 January 2025 |
| Atlético Nacional | Efraín Juárez | Resigned | 14 January 2025 | Pre-season | Javier Gandolfi | 20 January 2025 |
| La Equidad | Alexis García | Sacked | 22 February 2025 | 18th | Juan Mahecha | 22 February 2025 |
| Boyacá Chicó | Juan Carlos Álvarez | Sacked | 23 February 2025 | 11th | Roberto Torres | 23 February 2025 |
| Santa Fe | Pablo Peirano | Mutual agreement | 26 February 2025 | 14th | Francisco López Róbinson Zapata | 26 February 2025 |
| La Equidad | Juan Mahecha | End of caretaker spell | 5 March 2025 | 20th | Jhon Jairo Bodmer | 5 March 2025 |
| Llaneros | Jaime de la Pava | Resigned | 9 March 2025 | 12th | José Luis García | 9 March 2025 |
| Unión Magdalena | Jorge Luis Pinto | Resigned | 12 March 2025 | 19th | Alexis García | 13 March 2025 |
| Atlético Bucaramanga | Gustavo Florentín | Sacked | 14 March 2025 | 17th | Andrey Moreno | 14 March 2025 |

#### Notes

* 1 2 Caretaker manager.
* ↑ Caretaker managers.
* ↑ Carlos Silva was the caretaker manager for the Torneo Apertura 9th round match against Boyacá Chicó.

## Torneo Apertura

The Torneo Apertura, officially known as Liga BetPlay Dimayor 2025–I, is the first tournament of the 2025 season. It began on 24 January and is scheduled to end on 28 June 2024.

### First stage
#### Standings

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Independiente Medellín | 9 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 11 | 2 | +9 | 19 | Advance to the semi-finals |
| 2 | Atlético Nacional | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 18 | 6 | +12 | 17 | Advance to the semi-finals |
| 3 | América de Cali | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 16 | 5 | +11 | 17 | Advance to the semi-finals |
| 4 | Junior | 9 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 11 | 6 | +5 | 16 | Advance to the semi-finals |
| 5 | Millonarios | 9 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 13 | 10 | +3 | 16 | Advance to the semi-finals |
| 6 | Deportivo Pasto | 9 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 7 | +3 | 16 | Advance to the semi-finals |
| 7 | Santa Fe | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 14 | 6 | +8 | 15 | Advance to the semi-finals |
| 8 | Deportivo Cali | 9 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 7 | 4 | +3 | 14 | Advance to the semi-finals |
| 9 | Deportes Tolima | 8 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 4 | +4 | 13 | |
| 10 | Alianza | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 10 | −2 | 12 | |
| 11 | Once Caldas | 9 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 9 | 14 | −5 | 12 | |
| 12 | Deportivo Pereira | 9 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 10 | −3 | 11 | |
| 13 | Boyacá Chicó | 9 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 12 | −6 | 10 | |
| 14 | Llaneros | 9 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 10 | 14 | −4 | 8 | |
| 15 | Fortaleza | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 13 | −7 | 8 | |
| 16 | Envigado | 9 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 15 | −9 | 8 | |
| 17 | Atlético Bucaramanga | 8 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 9 | −6 | 6 | |
| 18 | Unión Magdalena | 9 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 12 | −6 | 5 | |
| 19 | Águilas Doradas | 8 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 9 | −4 | 4 | |
| 20 | La Equidad | 9 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 11 | −6 | 3 | |

#### Results

| Home \ Away | AGU | ALI | AME | BUC | NAC | BOY | TOL | CAL | PAS | PER | ENV | FOR | DIM | JUN | EQU | LLA | MIL | ONC | SFE | MAG |
| Águilas Doradas | — | — | | 0–1 | | — | — | — | — | | | — | — | — | 1–1 | | — | 0–1 | 0–0 | |
| Alianza | | — | — | | 3–2 | — | — | | | — | | | 1–1 | — | — | — | — | — | | 1–0 |
| América de Cali | — | 3–0 | — | — | — | | — | a | 1–1 | 2–0 | — | | | — | — | 4–3 | | — | 2–0 | — |
| Atlético Bucaramanga | — | 0–0 | 0–4 | — | | — | — | — | | 0–1 | | | | 1–1 | — | — | | — | — | — |
| Atlético Nacional | — | — | 1–0 | — | — | | | — | | 3–0 | — | — | a | | — | | — | 4–0 | — | |
| Boyacá Chicó | 1–1 | | — | 1–0 | — | — | | — | | — | | | — | 0–2 | — | 2–2 | — | | — | — |
| Deportes Tolima | | 3–1 | 0–0 | | — | — | — | — | 2–0 | — | — | — | — | | | | — | 2–0 | — | |
| Deportivo Cali | | — | a | 0–0 | | 0–0 | | — | — | — | 1–0 | — | — | — | | — | 3–1 | — | | — |
| Deportivo Pasto | | — | — | — | — | 3–0 | — | | — | — | — | | — | | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–1 | | — | 2–1 |
| Deportivo Pereira | — | 0–0 | — | — | — | | 0–0 | | | — | 2–0 | 2–0 | — | | | — | — | | — | — |
| Envigado | | — | | — | 0–0 | — | | — | 0–1 | — | — | — | 0–1 | — | — | | — | | 1–7 | |
| Fortaleza | 2–1 | — | — | — | 1–5 | — | 1–1 | 1–0 | — | — | 0–0 | — | | — | | | | — | — | |
| Independiente Medellín | | — | — | — | a | 3–0 | | 0–0 | 1–0 | | — | — | — | — | — | 3–0 | — | | — | 1–1 |
| Junior | 2–2 | | | — | — | — | — | 0–0 | — | — | 1–2 | | | — | — | — | 2–1 | 2–0 | — | |
| La Equidad | — | | | | 0–1 | 0–1 | — | — | — | — | 2–3 | | 0–0 | | — | — | — | — | | — |
| Llaneros | — | | — | | — | — | | 0–1 | — | | — | — | — | 0–1 | 1–0 | — | 2–2 | — | | 2–0 |
| Millonarios | 1–0 | | — | — | a | | 2–0 | — | — | | | — | 0–1 | — | 2–1 | — | — | — | | — |
| Once Caldas | — | 1–2 | | 2–1 | — | — | — | | — | 3–1 | — | 2–1 | — | — | | | | — | 0–1 | — |
| Santa Fe | — | — | — | | 2–2 | | 0–0 | — | | 2–1 | — | 2–0 | | | — | — | | — | — | — |
| Unión Magdalena | — | — | | | — | 1–1 | — | 2–2 | — | | — | — | — | 0–0 | 0–0 | — | 1–3 | | | — |

### Top scorers

    As of 16 March 2025
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
| 1 | Hugo Rodallega | Santa Fe | 6 |
| 2 | Rodrigo Holgado | América de Cali | 5 |
| 3 | Edwin Cardona | Atlético Nacional | 4 |
| 3 | Bayron Garcés | Envigado | 4 |
| 3 | Jairo Molina | Boyacá Chicó | 4 |
| 3 | Kevin Viveros | Atlético Nacional | 4 |
| 7 | Michael Barrios | Once Caldas | 3 |
| 7 | Bryan Castrillón | Junior | 3 |
| 7 | Leonardo Castro | Millonarios | 3 |
| 7 | Leyser Chaverra | Independiente Medellín | 3 |
| 7 | Gonzalo Lencina | Deportes Tolima | 3 |
| 7 | Alfredo Morelos | Atlético Nacional | 3 |
| 7 | Dayro Moreno | Once Caldas | 3 |
| 7 | Emiliano Rodríguez | Deportivo Cali | 3 |
| 7 | Luis Sandoval | Independiente Medellín | 3 |
Source: Soccerway

## 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 | 16 | 13 | 10 | 3 | 87 | 150 | 1.724 | |
| 2 | América de Cali | 69 | 62 | 17 | 16 | 5 | 11 | 86 | 148 | 1.721 | |
| 3 | Deportes Tolima | 61 | 72 | 13 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 86 | 146 | 1.698 | |
| 4 | Independiente Medellín | 68 | 58 | 19 | 11 | 2 | 9 | 87 | 145 | 1.667 | |
| 5 | Atlético Nacional | 68 | 56 | 17 | 18 | 6 | 12 | 86 | 141 | 1.640 | |
| 6 | Santa Fe | 50 | 71 | 15 | 14 | 6 | 8 | 86 | 136 | 1.581 | |
| 7 | Águilas Doradas | 83 | 46 | 4 | 5 | 9 | –4 | 86 | 133 | 1.547 | |
| 8 | Junior | 58 | 60 | 16 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 87 | 134 | 1.540 | |
| 9 | Atlético Bucaramanga | 46 | 66 | 6 | 3 | 9 | −6 | 86 | 118 | 1.372 | |
| 10 | Deportivo Pasto | 54 | 49 | 16 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 87 | 119 | 1.368 | |
| 11 | Deportivo Pereira | 44 | 61 | 11 | 7 | 10 | −3 | 87 | 116 | 1.333 | |
| 12 | Once Caldas | 42 | 60 | 12 | 9 | 14 | −5 | 87 | 114 | 1.310 | |
| 13 | Fortaleza | — | 51 | 8 | 6 | 13 | −7 | 46 | 59 | 1.283 | |
| 14 | La Equidad | 52 | 55 | 3 | 5 | 11 | −6 | 87 | 110 | 1.264 | |
| 15 | Alianza | 58 | 33 | 12 | 8 | 10 | −2 | 86 | 103 | 1.198 | |
| 16 | Deportivo Cali | 51 | 38 | 14 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 87 | 103 | 1.184 | |
| 17 | Boyacá Chicó | 49 | 33 | 10 | 6 | 12 | −6 | 87 | 92 | 1.057 | |
| 18 | Llaneros | — | — | 8 | 10 | 14 | −4 | 9 | 8 | 0.889 | |
| 19 | Envigado | 33 | 29 | 8 | 6 | 15 | −9 | 87 | 70 | 0.805 | Relegation to Categoría Primera B |
| 20 | Unión Magdalena | — | — | 5 | 6 | 12 | −6 | 9 | 5 | 0.556 | Relegation to Categoría Primera B |
Updated to match(es) played on 16 March 2025. Source: Dimayor 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.