Ecuador - National Amateur Championship 1940-1949

This was the first 'national' football championship of Ecuador, but it involved provincial selections rather than club teams.

The Olimpiada de Riobamba held in 1926 can be considered a precursor. It involved five provincial selection, viz. those of Chimborazo, Guayas, Pichincha, Azuay and Tungurahua; Chimborazo, home side, won the tournament unbeaten.

Year  Venue        Champion              Runners-up
1940  Guayaquil    Guayas                Pichincha 
1941  -            -                                 (1)
1942  Quito        Pichincha             Tungurahua
1943  Portoviejo   Manabí                Guayas      (2)
1944  Ambato       Guayas                Tungurahua
1945  Cuenca       Pichincha             Azuay
1946  Riobamba     Pichincha             Guayas      (3)
1947  Guayaquil    -                                 (4)
1948  Quito        Pichincha             Guayas
1949  Guayaquil    Guayas and Tungurahua   -         (5)

(1) The tournament not held due to war with Peru.
(2) The final match between Manabí and Guayas was abandoned at 2-2;
    the frightened referee had left the stadium and there was no
    agreement on his substitution; when no agreement was reached,
    Guayas withdrew and left the Congress to resolve the case; it 
    was then decided to award Manabí the title because Guayas had
    withdrawn.
(3) The final match finished Pichincha 3-1 Guayas.
(4) The tournament was not held due to the 20th Copa América held
    in Guayaquil.
(5) The final series of the championship ended with three teams tied
    on points, but the Congress of the tournament declared Guayas
    and Tugurahua joint champions due to the withdrawal of Pichincha.


Total Championships (9; runners-up finishes (7) between brackets)

 4 [1] Pichincha 

 3 [3] Guayas 

 1 [2] Tungurahua
 1     Manabí

 - [1] Azuay

The tournament was discontinued after 1949, as 1950 saw the foundation of the Asociación de Fútbol del Guayas in Guayaquil, and professional football inaugurated in Ecuador. In 1953, the Asociación de Fútbol no Amateur (AFNA) of Pichincha was founded, which then also organised its first professional tournament in the next year.

The first national championship for club teams was held in 1957.

About this document

Source: [Nar -]

Prepared and maintained by Fernando Espinoza Añazco for the Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation

Author: Fernando Espinoza Añazco (nanoespinoza@hotmail.com)
Last updated: 20 Jun 2007