El Nacional counts down to an imminent drop to Ecuador’s second tier

El Nacional is nine matches away from a relegation that would mark one of the darkest periods in its history.

The Quito club has won only two of its 23 Liga Pro Serie B matches this season, against 22 de Julio and 9 de Octubre. It has also recorded six draws and 15 defeats, including a 3-0 loss at Gualaceo on August 29.

That result strengthened Gualaceo’s position in the fight for survival. Gualaceo has 26 points and a goal difference of plus six, while El Nacional has nine points and a goal difference of minus 20. With 27 points still available, the gap between the teams stands at 17 points.

El Nacional’s remaining schedule includes home matches against Liga de Portoviejo and 22 de Julio, followed by an away game against Deportivo Santo Domingo. To avoid relegation, Gualaceo would have to collect no more than nine of its remaining 27 points while El Nacional won every match. Another route would require El Nacional to win six of its nine games and Gualaceo to win none.

If relegated, El Nacional would become the second national champion to play in Pichincha’s Segunda Categoría. Deportivo Quito, a five-time Ecuadorian champion, has competed at that level since 2017. El Nacional first reached Ecuador’s top division in 1964, suffered its first relegation in 1979, returned in 1980 and stayed there until 2020. It returned to the top flight in 2023 and remained there through 2025.