Overview of the 2023 Promotion Championship and the Road to the Premier League
Sixteen clubs are in the running for a shot at the Premier League after a full schedule of 30 rounds, played in a double round-robin format where every team faces all the others twice. The season marks the 74th edition of the Promotion Championship, which began on February 10.
The tournament brought notable changes with the return of Deportes La Serena and Antofagasta, each back in the top division after long absences—three years and eleven years respectively. Also returning to the First B is San Marcos de Arica, champions of the Second Division who rejoined the second tier after a one-year absence.
Bravos del Morro reclaimed their place in the second tier following a setback in 2021 that stemmed from a disciplinary penalty involving attacker Zederick Vega. That sanction involved a substantial 23-point deduction issued by the ANFP Disciplinary Court, which affected their position in the standings at the time.
The competition spans two rounds of 15 matchdays each, operating entirely as a round-robin. The team that finishes first after the regular phase is crowned champion and earns immediate promotion. In the event of a tie in points for the top spot, the league stipulates that the champion will be decided in a single, decisive match scheduled by the organizing board, including the venue and time.
Promotion to the top tier is further decided by a second phase known as the Liguilla de Ascenso. This mini-tournament features teams that finish from third to eighth place, who play home-and-away ties to determine the final positions. The three victors from those brackets join the runner-up in forming the four-team knockout structure for the semi-finals. The ultimate winner earns the right to compete in the Division of Honor in 2024. Conversely, the team that ends last after the season is relegated to the Second Division, making way for the promoted entrant from below.
- Deportes La Serena
- San Luis
- Sports Iquique
- Sports Temuco
- Santiago Morning
- Santa Cruz Sports
- Sports Antofagasta
- Copiapó
- Tarapacá
- Unión San Felipe
- Sports Recoleta
- Santiago Wanderers
- Rangers
- Sports Puerto Montt
- San Marcos de Arica
- University of Concepción
Note: The information above reflects standings and format updates reported by Goal at the time of publication (Goal).