This Friday, January 16, marks the long-awaited start of the BetPlay I-2026 League, an edition that promises emotions from the first minute.

The opening day will feature two key matches: the duel between Deportivo Pereira and Llaneros, followed by the confrontation between Fortaleza and Alianza.

This season is especially significant, since the calendar has been adjusted to meet the times leading up to the big World Cup event in North America.

The curtain will officially rise in the capital of Risaralda at 6:00 pm, when Deportivo Pereira hosts the newly promoted Llaneros de Villavicencio.

The “Matecaña” team arrives at this debut under a complex panorama, since due to administrative crises and ongoing investigations, the team will not be able to count on new additions to face the tournament, which forces the coaching staff to bet on the existing base.

The action will continue in the second hour, at 8:30 pm, at the Estadio Metropolitano de Techo.

Roll the ball: This Friday the BetPlay I-2026 League begins with a new format

There, Fortaleza will play at home against Alianza de Valledupar in a clash that closes Friday’s activity.

This start of the league reflects Dimayor’s urgency to speed up the calendar, seeking for the competition to end before June 10, thus guaranteeing an adequate time margin before the start of the World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Due to the busy international schedule, the tournament format has undergone drastic changes for this semester.

On this occasion, fans will not enjoy the traditional day of classics and the semi-final home runs will be eliminated.

Instead, the championship will be defined by the Playoff or “mata-mata” system, a direct elimination structure that promises maximum tension on the road to the mid-year star.

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