Liga BetPlay Finals 2026 in Colombia

GUIDES · COLOMBIA

Colombia’s league title will be decided in two groups of four and a two-legged final, after a season that was pushed back by the 10 August earthquake. Here is how the format works, what is fixed and how a visitor from the United States can follow it.

The Liga BetPlay finals 2026 will crown Colombia’s second champion of the year, with eight clubs going through to the group stage known locally as the cuadrangulares once the 19-round regular season ends. The league body, Dimayor, has moved the last regular round to Thursday 12 November 2026, according to its revised calendar as reported by Infobae.

For US fans, this is the top domestic competition of a country with a large diaspora in Florida, New York and New Jersey, and the title race runs through the big clubs of Bogotá, Medellín and Cali. Dates for the group stage and the final have not been published yet, so travel plans should stay flexible until Dimayor releases its fixture.

What the Liga BetPlay Finals Are and Why They Matter

Colombia plays two short championships a year, the Liga I in the first half and the Liga II in the second, and each produces its own champion. The 2026-II edition began after the break for the World Cup, and it carries places in South American club competitions for 2027.

The final stage is where the money and the crowds are, with sold-out stadiums in the bigger cities and live coverage across the region. For a visiting fan, a group-stage night in Bogotá, Medellín or Cali is one of the best ways to see Colombian football at full volume.

This season also had an unusual break. The magnitude 7.4 earthquake of 10 August, centred in Chocó and felt across the Pacific coast and the coffee region, forced Dimayor to postpone games and redraw the calendar.

At an extraordinary assembly on 19 August, the clubs voted to keep the existing league format and to shorten the domestic cup instead. Dimayor said in its official statement that the Liga BetPlay II-2026 would continue under the system set at the start of the season.

How the Format Works

All 20 clubs play each other once in Phase I, and the top eight move on to Phase II, two groups of four called Group A and Group B. The groups play home and away, so each club has six games in the group stage.

Under the Dimayor regulations, the clubs that finish first and second in the regular season head the two groups and play at home on the last group matchday. The clubs placed third to eighth are drawn into Group A or Group B, and Dimayor also draws the fixture order.

The winner of each group goes to the final, which is played over two legs. If the two clubs are level on goal difference after the second leg, the title is decided on penalties, with no away-goals rule.

One detail matters for anyone betting on a favourite or booking a trip. If the top two seeds finish level on points with a rival in their group, the regulations send the seeded club through to the final.

Schedule and Kick-Off Times

Dimayor publishes kick-off times and TV channels round by round, usually a few days ahead. For round 14 it lists, for example, Junior against Internacional de Bogotá on Saturday 10 October at 6:10 pm, and América de Cali against Independiente Medellín on Sunday 11 October at 8:15 pm, both Colombia time.

Colombia stays on UTC minus 5 all year and does not use daylight saving time. Until Sunday 1 November, US Eastern Time is one hour ahead, so an 8:15 pm kick-off in Cali is 9:15 pm ET; after that date the clock time is the same in Colombia and on the US East Coast.

Two round-14 games have been pushed back, Atlético Nacional against Deportivo Pasto on Thursday 22 October at 8 pm and Independiente Santa Fe against Atlético Bucaramanga at El Campín on Monday 26 October at 8:05 pm. These delayed games and other pending fixtures could still change the top eight, which is why the final round on 12 November is likely to decide several places.

Dimayor has not published dates for the six group matchdays or for the two legs of the final. Colombian radio station Radioacktiva expects the group stage to start in late November and the final to be played in mid-December, as in recent seasons, but these are estimates, not an official schedule.

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Who Is in the Race

Dimayor’s official table on the morning of 10 October had América de Cali on top with 27 points from 12 games, ahead of Deportivo Cali on 24. Atlético Nacional and Atlético Bucaramanga followed on 23 points each, both with a game in hand on most of the field.

Millonarios and Independiente Santa Fe, the two big Bogotá clubs, had 22 points each, with Independiente Medellín and Deportes Tolima on 20. Once Caldas, on 16, was the closest club outside the top eight, while Junior of Barranquilla sat 17th with nine points and needs a run of wins to get back into contention.

For a US visitor, the most likely host cities are therefore Cali, Medellín, Bogotá and Bucaramanga, all of which have direct or one-stop flights from Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Houston, Atlanta or New York. If you are also following the Mexican or Argentine title races, see our guides to Liga MX Liguilla 2026 Dates, Tickets and TV and the Argentine League Final 2026 in La Plata.

Tickets

There is no central ticket sale for the finals: each home club sells tickets for its own games through its official ticket partner and announces the sale on its website and social media. The Dimayor regulations set aside an allocation for visiting supporters and fix how boxes and seats are handled in the group stage and the final.

Prices for the 2026-II group stage and final have not been published, and they usually appear only a few days before each game once the fixture is set. Buy only from the club or its named seller, as resale offers on social media are a common source of fake tickets in Colombia.

Keep your purchase confirmation and your passport with you on match day, as police and stewards may check identity at the gates. Arrive early, because entry queues at a sold-out final stage game can be long.

How to Watch in the US

In Colombia, Dimayor lists the league games on Win Sports+ and Win Sports, the domestic rights holders, in its round-by-round broadcast schedule. No US broadcaster or streaming service has announced the rights to the 2026-II group stage and final in a statement we could verify.

We will add the US channel or platform once the rights holder confirms it. Until then, check the listings of Spanish-language sports services in the US closer to the date, and be careful with unofficial streams.

Getting There

Bogotá’s El Dorado airport has the most direct flights from the United States, and El Campín is a short taxi or app ride from the hotel districts of Chapinero and Teusaquillo. Medellín’s José María Córdova airport in Rionegro is about an hour from the city, while the Atanasio Girardot stadium sits next to the Estadio metro station.

Cali’s Alfonso Bonilla Aragón airport lies in Palmira, outside the city, and the Pascual Guerrero stadium is in the San Fernando area south of the centre. On match nights, plan to arrive two hours before kick-off, as entry checks are slow and roads around the stadiums are often closed.

Colombia’s holiday calendar also affects flights and hotels in November. See our guide to Colombia’s holiday long weekends on 2 and 16 November, when domestic fares rise and roads out of the big cities are busy.

Safety and Costs for Visitors

The US State Department rates Colombia at Level 3, reconsider travel, in an advisory issued on 17 April 2025, citing crime, terrorism, civil unrest and kidnapping. It lists the departments of Arauca, Cauca (except Popayán) and Norte de Santander, plus the border region with Venezuela, as Level 4, do not travel.

That matters for this competition because Cúcuta Deportivo, which plays in Norte de Santander, is still mathematically in the race for the top eight. If Cúcuta qualifies, US visitors should follow the State Department advice and watch those games on TV rather than travel.

Violence around stadiums is a real concern this season. On 8 October Dimayor condemned repeated acts of violence and vandalism at grounds, after Independiente Santa Fe player Daniel Torres was attacked, and said that suspects had been identified and a criminal complaint filed.

Sit in the main or side stands rather than behind the goals, where the organised fan groups gather, and avoid wearing club shirts on public transport. Use app-based rides or registered taxis after the game, and keep your phone and cash out of sight in the crowd.

Costs for a short trip are moderate by US standards, and hotels near the stadiums in Bogotá and Medellín can be cheaper than in the main tourist districts. Book refundable rooms and flights, because the final dates may only be confirmed a couple of weeks ahead.

What Is Not Confirmed Yet

Dimayor has not yet published the dates of the six group matchdays or the two legs of the final, and the last regular round on 12 November has no kick-off times yet. The expected start in late November and a final in mid-December are estimates from Colombian media, not official dates.

Ticket prices, sale dates and sellers for the group stage and the final will only be known once the eight qualifiers and the fixture are set. No US broadcaster has confirmed coverage, and we found no prediction market with real trading on the title, so we do not show odds.

Even the date of the last regular round differs between sources, with Infobae reporting Thursday 12 November and Radioacktiva Wednesday 11 November. Check the Dimayor website for the final programme before you book anything.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Liga BetPlay 2026-II final?

Dimayor has not published the dates of the two-legged final yet. Colombian media expect it in mid-December 2026, after a six-round group stage that should start in late November.

How does the Colombian league final stage work?

The top eight clubs after 19 regular rounds are split into two groups of four that play home and away. The two group winners meet in a two-legged final, with penalties if they are level on goal difference.

Where can I buy tickets for the Liga BetPlay finals?

Each home club sells its own tickets through its official ticket partner, usually a few days before the game. Buy only from the club or its named seller, and bring the passport you used to buy the ticket.

Can I watch the Liga BetPlay finals in the United States?

We have not seen a rights holder confirm a US broadcaster or streaming service for the 2026-II finals so far. In Colombia the games are shown on Win Sports+ and Win Sports.

Sources: Dimayor, Liga BetPlay table · Dimayor, Liga BetPlay 2026 regulations · Dimayor, assembly decisions (19 August) · Dimayor, round 14 schedule and TV · Dimayor, statement on stadium violence · Infobae Colombia · Radioacktiva · US State Department, Colombia travel advisory

This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief