The Categoría Primera A 2013 was a season consisting of Apertura and Finalización of the highest Colombian league in men's football . The Apertura was the seventy-seventh and the Finalización the seventy-eighth edition of the Colombian Championship.
Two champions were determined, one for each half series. Every semi-series champion was automatically qualified for the Copa Libertadores . A third place was awarded to the club which, after adding up all the points and goals from phases 1 and 2 of the first and second semi-series championships, has the highest position. Since one club was able to win both semi-series championships, the second participant in the Libertadores was selected using the same procedure as the third participant. Two participants in the Copa Sudamericana were determined according to the same scheme as the third Libertadores participant: the two clubs that were behind this in the overall annual ranking were qualified. A third club was determined by the cup competition and a fourth by the Superliga de Colombia .
A direct relegation to the Categoría Primera B was determined by a separate relegation table, which was determined from the average of the past three seasons. The second last played a relegation against the second in the second division.
Attendees
The following clubs took part in the two half-series of the 2013 season, Apertura and Finalización .
1Alianza Petrolera is located in Barrancabermeja . The stadium was rebuilt, so the club played the Apertura in Yopal and the Finalización in Floridablanca.
2 Deportivo Cali is based in Cali, but the Estadio Deportivo Cali is located in the neighboring city of Palmira.
3 From the middle of the return series, Deportivo Cali played its home games at Pascual Guerrero due to renovation work on its own stadium.
Aperture
In the first phase, all 18 teams played against each other in league mode, in addition there was a game day with Clásicos , where games with a derby character were played. The first eight teams qualified for two semi-final groups. In the second phase, four teams each played in two groups with home and away games from two finalists who determined the champions.
In the first phase, all 18 teams played against each other in league mode, in addition there was a game day with Clásicos , where games with a derby character were played. The first eight teams qualified for two semi-final groups. In the second phase, four teams each played in two groups with home and away games from two finalists who determined the champions.
2 In the event of a tie, the table position of the league phase is decisive.
final
Atlético Nacional won the final for the championship in the Finalización. After a goalless draw in the first leg in Cali, the club won the home game 2-0, becoming the Colombian champions for the second time in 2013.
For the Reclasificación , all games of the 2013 season, both the league and the semi-finals as well as the finals, were added up in order to determine the other participants in addition to the respective champions of the semi-series in the continental competitions.
Participation in the Copa Libertadores 2014 and the Copa Sudamericana 2014 : Atlético Nacional (Master Apertura and Master Finalización as well as cup winners) and Deportivo Cali (second in the overall table and winner of the Superliga de Colombia)
For the relegation table, the series back and forth in 2011, 2012 and 2013 are added together. The total number of points is divided by the number of games played in the league phase and extrapolated to ensure equal opportunities for those who have been promoted over the past few years. Direct relegated is Deportes Quindío , while Cúcuta Deportivo had to play the relegation against the second in the Categoría Primera B , Fortaleza FC .
Fortaleza FC won the first leg 2-0 against Cúcuta Deportivo. Cúcuta could not catch up with this result in the second leg and was relegated to the second division. Fortaleza will play in the Colombian first division for the first time in 2014.