Round 4 of League III Season 2026 produced plenty of drama in Group B, with several of the leading teams dropping points while the teams at the bottom continued to fight their way upward. With a 50-round season, there is still a huge amount of football to be played, but the early promotion picture is beginning to develop.
Violette Athletic Club Hold the Summit
Violette Athletic Club remain the team to beat after defeating FC Dinamo Bucuresti 2–1. Sitting in 1st place, Violette currently occupy the most valuable position in Group B: the automatic promotion spot to League II.
The victory also came against a Dinamo side sitting 9th, meaning the result was particularly valuable in the promotion race. Dinamo remain inside the playoff positions despite the defeat.
Celta Vigo Stay in the Playoff Hunt
RC Celta de Vigo picked up an important 3–2 victory over BFC Daugavpils. Celta are currently 5th, keeping them comfortably inside the 2nd–9th promotion playoff positions.
Daugavpils fall to 7th, but remain in the playoff zone despite the narrow defeat. It is a sign of how competitive the upper half of the table is becoming.
Internacional Suffer a Major Setback
One of the biggest surprises of the round came in Bogotá, where Royal Charleroi defeated Internacional de Bogotá 3–2.
Internacional entered the round sitting 2nd, but the defeat leaves them vulnerable in the promotion race. Charleroi, meanwhile, move up to 19th, although they still have significant ground to make up before reaching the playoff positions.
Cúcuta Win a Five-Goal Thriller
Cúcuta Deportivo continued their strong start with a 3–2 victory over FC Helsingør. Cúcuta currently sit 6th, placing them firmly inside the promotion playoff field.
Helsingør remain 20th, but the narrow margin shows that they are capable of competing with teams much higher in the standings.
Aguilas Doradas Held to a Draw
Águilas Doradas were unable to take all three points after a 2–2 draw with Súper Nonova.
Águilas currently occupy 8th, meaning they hold the final playoff position. Súper Nonova are 12th, just outside the playoff places and currently occupying one of the King's Cup qualification positions.
Monaco Climb Into the Playoff Picture
Monaco defeated Rēzeknes FA 2–1, improving their position to 14th. While Monaco are not currently in a qualification position, the victory keeps them within striking distance of the middle of the table.
Rēzeknes FA are 11th, just one position outside the playoff zone and currently holding the other King's Cup place.
Once Caldas and AC Horsens Share the Points
Once Caldas, currently 4th, were held to a 2–2 draw by AC Horsens.
The result costs Once Caldas an opportunity to challenge for the top spot, but they remain safely inside the playoff positions. Horsens sit 13th, meaning they are just outside the current cup qualification positions.
Villarreal Edge Africa Sports
Villarreal earned a narrow 3–2 victory over Africa Sports. Villarreal currently sit 10th, which is an important position because it qualifies for the Friendly Cup.
Africa Sports remain 26th after the defeat. However, there is no relegation from League III, so the club's challenge is simply to climb the table and potentially reach one of the qualification positions.
Other Results
Several other matches added further movement to the table:
- Deportes Concepción defeated Royal Antwerp 2–1, leaving Concepción 24th and Antwerp 16th.
- Independiente Medellín beat KAA Gent 2–1. Medellín are 23rd, while Gent sit 15th.
- Canadian FC and Hvidovre IF played out an entertaining 3–3 draw, with Canadian FC in 22nd and Hvidovre in 21st.
- Gloria Buzău and AFC Unirea Slobozia also shared the points in a 2–2 draw. Buzău are 21st, while Slobozia sit 18th.
- Benfica picked up a valuable 2–1 victory over Rayo Vallecano, but remain 25th. Rayo are 3rd, making this one of the more significant results of the round.
Group B Qualification Picture
After four rounds, the important positions are:
- 🥇 1st — Violette Athletic Club: Automatic promotion to League II
- 🏆 2nd–9th: Promotion playoffs
- 🤝 10th — Villarreal: Friendly Cup
- 👑 11th–12th: King's Cup
- 🚫 13th–26th: Currently outside qualification
- No relegation: Bottom positions remain safe
The current playoff field includes Internacional de Bogotá, Rayo Vallecano, Once Caldas, RC Celta de Vigo, Cúcuta Deportivo, BFC Daugavpils, and Águilas Doradas, along with the team currently occupying 9th, FC Dinamo Bucuresti.
A Wide-Open Promotion Race
The first four rounds have produced an intriguing Group B. Violette Athletic Club have established themselves as the early favorite for automatic promotion, but the battle immediately behind them is extremely tight.
Internacional, Rayo Vallecano, Once Caldas, Celta Vigo, Cúcuta Deportivo, Daugavpils and Águilas Doradas are all in the playoff race, while teams such as Rēzeknes FA, Súper Nonova and Villarreal are close enough to make a push for higher positions.
With 46 rounds still remaining, there is plenty of time for the entire table to change. Round 4 has provided an early snapshot, but Group B looks set for a long and fiercely contested promotion battle.
0 comments:
Post a Comment