Round 2 of the League III 2026 season delivered another busy slate of 13 matches, with all 26 Group A clubs in action. With a 50-round season, there is still a long way to go, but the early table is already beginning to show which teams could be contenders for promotion and the playoff places.
Remember, the League III qualification picture is:
- 🥇 1st: Automatic promotion to League II
- 🏆 2nd–9th: Promotion playoffs for the second League II spot
- 🟢 10th: Friendly Cup
- 👑 11th–12th: King's Cup
- 🚫 No relegation from the bottom positions
⚽ Round 2 Results
| Match | Result |
|---|---|
| AZ Alkmaar 🇳🇱 | 2–3 Toronto FC 🇨🇦 |
| Defence Force 🇹🇹 | 2–2 Atlético Ottawa 🇨🇦 |
| Raja Casablanca 🇲🇦 | 5–1 Excelsior Rotterdam 🇳🇱 |
| Coquimbo Unido 🇨🇱 | 2–2 SC Heerenveen 🇳🇱 |
| Corinthians 🇧🇷 | 2–1 Sparta Rotterdam 🇳🇱 |
| Viking FK 🇳🇴 | 4–3 AS Dakar Sacré-Cœur 🇸🇳 |
| FC Köln 🇩🇪 | 2–1 ASCE La Linguère 🇸🇳 |
| Union Berlin 🇩🇪 | 1–2 Akron Tolyatti 🇷🇺 |
| RB Leipzig 🇩🇪 | 1–0 Dynamo Moscow 🇷🇺 |
| Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao 🇨🇳 | 2–1 PFC CSKA Moscow 🇷🇺 |
| Shandong Luneng 🇨🇳 | 2–3 Pirata FC 🇵🇪 |
| Chaco Petrolero 🇧🇴 | 2–2 Audax Italiano 🇨🇱 |
| Deportivo Palestino 🇨🇱 | 3–4 Deportes Iquique 🇨🇱 |
🔥 Toronto FC Pull Off a Huge Away Win
One of the biggest results of the round came at AFAS Stadion, where Toronto FC defeated AZ Alkmaar 3–2.
The significance of the result is highlighted by the rankings shown on the match sheet: AZ entered the game around 18th, while Toronto were listed 1st. Toronto showed why they are considered an early promotion favorite, surviving a five-goal thriller and taking another valuable three points.
With automatic promotion reserved for the team finishing first, Toronto will be hoping results like this keep them at the top of the standings throughout the marathon 50-round campaign.
🇲🇦 Raja Casablanca Makes a Statement
Raja Casablanca produced arguably the most dominant performance of Round 2, crushing Excelsior Rotterdam 5–1.
Raja entered the match listed around 5th, while Excelsior were down near 19th, and the gulf in form was obvious. Five goals is an emphatic way to announce that Raja intends to compete for one of the coveted top-nine positions.
A top-nine finish would guarantee Raja a place in the promotion playoffs, while a first-place finish would send them directly to League II.
🇧🇷 Corinthians Hold Off Sparta
Corinthians defeated Sparta Rotterdam 2–1, earning another important victory in the early stages of the season.
It was a closely contested match, but Corinthians did enough to secure all three points. With 50 rounds ahead, consistently collecting points against teams around the middle of the table could prove extremely important when the playoff race begins to tighten.
🇳🇴 Viking Survive Seven-Goal Thriller
The most entertaining match of the round may have been at Viking Stadion.
Viking FK defeated AS Dakar Sacré-Cœur 4–3 in a wild seven-goal contest.
Neither defense could keep the opposition quiet, but Viking ultimately came out on top. The three points are particularly valuable in such a tightly packed league, where a single victory can make a major difference in the battle for the 2nd–9th playoff positions.
🇩🇪 German Clubs Enjoy a Strong Round
Germany's clubs also had plenty to celebrate.
FC Köln defeated ASCE La Linguère 2–1, while RB Leipzig edged Dynamo Moscow 1–0. Leipzig's victory was particularly important considering the rankings displayed, with Leipzig around 3rd and Dynamo Moscow around 8th.
Leipzig therefore picked up three points against another team positioned near the upper end of the table. Those are exactly the types of results that can make the difference between chasing automatic promotion and settling for the promotion playoffs.
Meanwhile, Union Berlin suffered a 2–1 home defeat to Akron Tolyatti, allowing the Russian side to leave Germany with a valuable three points.
🇨🇱 Chilean Clubs Produce Plenty of Drama
The Chilean sides were involved in several entertaining games.
Coquimbo Unido and SC Heerenveen drew 2–2, while Chaco Petrolero and Audax Italiano also finished 2–2.
The biggest Chilean result came in the final match of the round, where Deportes Iquique defeated Deportivo Palestino 4–3. Like Viking's game, it was a seven-goal thriller, with Iquique eventually claiming all three points.
🌏 Guangzhou Gets One Over on CSKA
Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao defeated PFC CSKA Moscow 2–1 in another important result.
CSKA entered the match listed around 13th, while Guangzhou were around 22nd, making this a significant upset based on the displayed rankings.
For Guangzhou, this could be an important early-season confidence booster. A team starting outside the top playoff positions has plenty of time to climb the table during a 50-round season.
📊 Round 2 Takeaways
🔥 Biggest win: Raja Casablanca 5–1 Excelsior Rotterdam
⚽ Most goals: Viking FK 4–3 AS Dakar Sacré-Cœur and Deportes Iquique 4–3 Deportivo Palestino
💥 Biggest statement: Toronto FC 3–2 AZ Alkmaar
🧤 Tightest win: RB Leipzig 1–0 Dynamo Moscow
🤝 Draws: Defence Force–Atlético Ottawa, Coquimbo Unido–SC Heerenveen, Chaco Petrolero–Audax Italiano
🏆 The Promotion Race Is Already Taking Shape
After only 2 of 50 rounds, it is far too early to make definitive predictions, but several clubs are already giving themselves a strong foundation.
Toronto FC, listed 1st on the match sheet, have the clearest prize in sight: automatic promotion to League II. Behind them, clubs such as RB Leipzig, Raja Casablanca, Dynamo Moscow, Corinthians and others will be targeting the top nine and a chance to fight for the second promotion place through the playoffs.
At the other end, teams currently sitting around the lower positions shouldn't panic. There is no relegation in League III, and with 48 rounds remaining, even clubs starting slowly have an enormous amount of time to climb toward the Friendly Cup, King's Cup, or promotion playoff positions.
Round 2 was full of goals, upsets and tight finishes—and with 48 rounds still to play, the League III promotion race is only beginning.
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