After dramatic victories in the final round of the Segunda Liga this weekend, CD Tondela and FC Alverca have officially secured promotion to the Primeira Liga, Portugal’s top football division. While Alverca returns to the elite after more than two decades, Tondela completed their comeback just three years after relegation. For both sets of fans, last Friday night was definitely a special one.
Late Goals for CD Tondela in Leiria
Playing away against União Leiria, CD Tondela was close to miss out an automatic promotion. With the score still 0:0 in the 80th minute, a place in the promotion playoffs seemed the most likely scenario. However, Tondela’s striker Miro finally scored in the 83rd minute and deep into stoppage time, Rodrigo sealed the win (90+4′).
Apart from this important victory that guaranteed the promotion of CD Tondela, it also crowned them as the champions of the Segunda Liga. Fans who had travelled 1,5 hours to support their team in Leiria, turned the stadium into a sea of green and yellow. After three years in the second division, CD Tondela coach Luís Pinto and his team managed the comeback to Primeira Liga.
Alverca’s long-awaited Return and Vinicius Jr’s Support
For Alverca, it was also a night of history. Their 2:1 victory against Portimonense saved the second place and secured a long-awaited return (after more than 20 years) to the Primeira Liga. The club which has been rebuilding patiently, made headlines earlier this year when Vinicius Jr from Real Madrid acquired a stake in the club in February 2025.
Right after the promotion, Vinicius uploaded a story on social media to congratulate the team. It will be interesting to see how FC Alverca will position themselves in the Primeira Liga next season and the role Vinicius Jr might play in the future.
FC Vizela Playoff Battle against Aves still ahead
In the third match, FC Vizela did their part with a 2:1 win over Marítimo, but it wasn’t enough for automatic promotion. This means that they now face a tense playoff battle against the 16th of the first division which will be Aves.
With the regular season over, the spotlight now shifts to the playoff drama, but for CD Tondela and FC Alverca, celebrations have already started. Especially for CD Tondela, the party just began when the team bus arrived at the Estádio João Cardoso in Tondela this weekend. In contrast to these succesfull promotions, traditional club Boavista Porto and Farense relegated to the second Portuguese division by finishing 18th and 17th in Primeira Liga.
Cover photo from Instagram: @cdtondela
