Zacatecoluca FC

Zacatecoluca
Full nameZacatecoluca Fútbol Club
Founded2023
GroundEstadio Anna Mercedes Campos
Capacity10,000
Chairman Julian Acevedo
Manager Lazaro Gutierrez
LeaguePrimera División de Fútbol Profesional
2026 ClausuraOverall: 12th (Relegated)
Playoffs: Did not qualify

Zacatecoluca Fútbol Club is a Salvadoran professional football club based in Zacatecoluca, La Paz department, El Salvador.

The club will debut in the Primera División de Fútbol de El Salvador series since the Apertura 2025 tournament.[1]

History

Zacatecoluca FC won the Apertura 2023, Tercera Division de Fútbol Salvadoreño centro-oriente title defeating C.D. Audaz 2–0, thanks to goals from Ken Mejía and Eduardo Merino.[2] Zacatecoluca FC followed by winning Clausura 2024 Tercera Division de Fútbol Salvadoreño centro-oriente title defeating Sensunte Cabañas on penalties.

The club continued their success in the second division, the first won the Apertura 2024 title defeating Fuerte Aguilares, and then won the Clausura 2025 title by again defeating Fuerte Aguilares 1-0 on aggregate. The club was promoted to the Primera Division for the first time in the club history.[3]

On the 6th of December, 2025 the new owners of Zacatecoluca FC, Colombian Élite Field Holdings ownership, announced that the team will be moving to San Salvador, the club will play in the Estadio Cuscatlan.[4] However due congestion of teams in San Salvador and low crowd numbers, the team moved to play in Sonsonate. The club never adjusted to the pace of Primera Division and despite star signings such as Gerson Mayen and Uruguayan Matias Mier. The club was officially relegated on the 25th of April, 2026 after a 4-2 loss against Alianza F.C.. [5]

The club ended up moving to Sonsonate and rebranding themselves as Nacional FC.

Honours

Domestic honours

Leagues

Sponsorship

Companies that Zacatecoluca FC currently has sponsorship deals with for 2025–2026 includes:

  • Galaxia  – Official kit suppliers
  • El Sabor Casero  – Official sponsors
  • Electrolit  – Official sponsors
  • Ury Store  – Official sponsors
  • Elite Field Holdings  – Official sponsors

Stadium

Zacatecoluca will plays its home games at Estadio Anna Mercedes Campos in Sonsonate. They previously played at the Estadio Antonio Toledo Valle in Zacatecoluca, La Paz Department (El Salvador) and Estadio Cuscatlan in San Salvador.

Rivalries

El Derbi Viroleño

The rivalry between Platense and Zacatecoluca is known as the "El Derbi Viroleño" due to the fact that both teams are based not only on the same department, La Paz Department, but also in the same city Zacatecoluca.

The intense feelings between the two sides began recently due to the close proximity and the switching of players between the clubs. The club "big brother, little brother" relationship between the clubs themselves, as Platense is a historic club while Zacatecoluca was only founded in 2023.

The team have started facing each once Zacatecoluca were promoted to the first division. The most recent match was 1-1 draw on the 28 September 2025. [2] The teams have played 2 matches in all competitions, Platense winning 0, Zacatecoluca 1, and the remaining 1 having been drawn [3]

Records

Club records

  • First Match (Primera División): 0-1 vs. Cacahuatique, July 20, 2025
  • First Match (official): vs. TBD, year
  • Most points in La Primera: 00 points (00 win, 00 draws, 0 losses) Year/Year
  • Least points in La Primera: 00 points (0 win, 0 draws, 00 losses) Year/year
  • Biggest victory in the Primera division: 3-1 vs. Platense,
  • Biggest loss in the Primera Division: 1-6 vs. FAS, April 5, 2026

Individual records

Current squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK  PAR Sandro Melgarejo
3 DF  SLV Mauricio Cuellar
4 DF  SLV Nestor Somoza
5 MF  SLV Vinicio Munoz
6 MF  SLV Jose Zaldana
7 FW  SLV Eduardo Merino (vice-Captain)
8 MF  SLV Jeffrey López
9 FW  SLV Zander Tidwell
11 FW  SLV Edson Escobar
12 MF  SLV Carlos Pena
14 FW  SLV Diego Ascencio
15 MF  SLV Kilmar Echevarria
No. Pos. Nation Player
17 FW  COL Danny Zúñiga
19 FW  SLV Oscar Molina
20 MF  SLV Jonathan Perez
21 DF  SLV Marlon Trejo
22 GK  SLV Marcelo Urquilla
23 MF  USA Josue Dubon
24 MF  SLV Melvin Alfaro
25 GK  COL Oscar Castellanos
26 MF  COL Jeyson Velasco
31 FW  SLV Wilber Diaz
36 MF  SLV Andy Rodríguez

In

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
GK  COL Oscar Castellanos (From Atlético Bucaramanga)
MF  URU Matías Mier (From River Plate Montevideo)
 SLV Diego Ascencio (From Inter FA)
 SLV Nestor Somoza (From Hércules)
 SLV Wilber Diaz (From Isidro Metapan)
No. Pos. Nation Player
 COL Danny Zúñiga (From TBD)
 SLV (From TBD)
 SLV (From TBD)

Out

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
 URU Matías Mier (To Alianza)
 SLV Willian Flores (To Alianza)
 SLV Jose Zaldana (To Isidro Metapan)
 SLV Oscar Molina (To Fuerte San Francisco)
 SLV (To TBD)
 SLV (To TBD)
No. Pos. Nation Player
 SLV (To TBD)
 SLV (To TBD)
 SLV (To TBD)
 SLV (To TBD)

Coaching staff

As of April, 2026

Position Staff
Manager Lazaro Gutierrez
Assistant Manager Angel Orellana
Reserve Manager Aristides Mejia
Ladies's Manager Carlos Gotran
Physical coach Rudi Cedillos
Assistant Physical coach TBD
Goalkeeper Coach Jorge Gonzalez
Kineslogic TBD
Utility Equipment Boheimo Barillas
Football director Erick Alfaro
Team Doctor TBD

List of coaches

The club's current manager is Salvadoran Lazaro Gutierrez. There have been 9 permanent and 2 caretaker managers of Zacatecoluca since the appointment of the club's first professional manager, Miguel Soriano in 2023. The club's longest-serving manager, in terms of both length of tenure and number of games overseen, is Miguel Soriano, who managed the club between 2023 and 2024. Colombian-Spaniard Juan Pablo Buch was Zacatecoluca's first manager from outside the El Salvador. Salvadorian William Osorio is the club's most successful coach, having won one Segunda division title and Tercera division title, this is followed by Edgar Henríquez who also won one Segunda division title, and Miguel Soriano won one Tercera division title.

  • Miguel Soriano (June 2023 – March 2024)
  • William Osorio (March 2024 – December 2024)
  • Guillermo Rivera (January 2025 – February 2025)
  • Edgar Enrique (February 2025)
  • Edgar Henríquez (February 2025– May 2025)
  • Nelson Ancheta (June 2025– October 2025)
  • Ivan Ruiz (October 2025 - December 2025)
  • Chepe Martínez (December 2025 – January 2026)
  • Lazaro Gutierrez (February 2026 – February 2026)
  • Juan Pablo Buch (February 2026 – April 2026)
  • Ivan Ruiz Interim (April 2026)
  • Lazaro Gutierrez (April 2026 – Present)

Non-playing staff

Management

As of May, 2026

Position Name
Owner Elite Field Holding
President Julián Acevedo
Vice-president Santiago Ortiz
Gerente Deportivo Vacant
Administrative Director Vacant
Deputy managing director Vacant
Treasurer Rosy Gonzalez
Executive Director Santos Merino
Sporting director Vacant

List of President

  • Alfredo Deras (2023 - December 2025)
  • Julián Acevedo (January 2026 - Present)

Notable Players

Team captains

Name Years
Eduardo Merino 2024-2025
Gerson Mayen 2025
Matías Mier 2026

Other departments

Football

Reserve team

The reserve team serves mainly as the final stepping stone for promising young players under the age of 21 before being promoted to the main team. The second team is coached by Aristides Mena. the team played in the Primera División Reserves, their greatest successes were finishing runner up in the Reserve championships in the Clausura 2024. It plays its home matches at Estadio Antonio Toledo Valle, adjacent to the first teams and women's team.

Name Nat Tenure Notes
Aristides Mena June 2025 N/A
Eduardo Lara Moscote June 2025 - Present N/A

Current squad

As of: June, 2025 Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
 SLV TBD
 SLV TBD
 SLV TBD
 SLV TBD
 SLV TBD
No. Pos. Nation Player
 SLV TBD
 SLV TBD
 SLV TBD
 SLV TBD
 SLV TBD

Junior teams

The youth team (under 17 and under 15) has produced some of El Salvador's top football players, including TBD and TBD. It plays its home matches at TBD, adjacent to the first team's ground, and it is coached by Carlos Padilla (under 17) and Juan (Under 15). The team greatest successes was winning Clausura 2025 season.[6]

Name Nat Tenure
TBD N/A
Carlos Padilla 2025 - July 2025
Eduardo Lara Moscote July 2025 - Present

Current squad

As of: June, 2025 Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
 SLV TBD
 SLV TBD
 SLV TBD
 SLV TBD
 SLV TBD
No. Pos. Nation Player
 SLV TBD
 SLV TBD
 SLV TBD
 SLV TBD
 SLV TBD

Women's team

The women's first team, which is led by head coach Carlos Gotran, features several members of the El Salvador national ladies team. Their greatest successes were reaching the Quarter finals of Apertura 2025, where they lost 10–1 on aggregate to Limeno Women's.

Name Nat Tenure
Carlos Gotran June 2025 - July 2025
Ivan Ruiz July 2025 - Present

Current squad

As of: June, 2025 Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1  SLV Maybelin Aguilar
5  SLV Alisson Rivas
7  SLV Estefany Pena
8  SLV Jenifer Carrillo
9  SLV Yaritza Duran
12  SLV Yoxini Cabrera
14  SLV Gabriela Mejia
15  SLV Gloria Cubias
17  SLV Zuila Caceres
20  SLV Melody Ramirez
21  SLV Reina Lopez
22  SLV Maria Perez
23  SLV Melissa Mendez
26  SLV Katherine Mejia
27  SLV Ingrid Roman
30  SLV Sandra Tamacas (Captain)
 SLV Katerin Quinteros
 SLV Suleyma Mangadi
No. Pos. Nation Player
 SLV Alejandra Aguilero
 SLV Katherin Duran
 SLV Rika Rivas
 SLV Leslie Velasquez
 SLV Keiri Ramos
 SLV Maria Ramos
 SLV Dayana Pineda
 SLV Ixora Angel

In

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
 SLV TBD (From TBD)
 SLV TBD (From TBD)
 SLV TBD (From TBD)
 SLV TBD (From TBD)
 SLV TBD (From TBD)
No. Pos. Nation Player
 SLV TBD (From TBD)
 SLV TBD (From TBD)
 SLV TBD (From TBD)
 SLV TBD (From TBD)
 SLV TBD (From TBD)

Out

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
 SLV TBD (To TBD)
 SLV TBD (To TBD)
 SLV TBD (To TBD)
No. Pos. Nation Player
 SLV TBD (To TBD)
 SLV TBD (To TBD)
 SLV TBD (To TBD)

References

  1. ^ "¡Zacatecoluca FC jugará en Primera División!". Noticias de El Salvador - Noticias de El Salvador, noticias internacionales, salvadoreños por el mundo, economia, negocios, politica, deportes, entretenimiento, tecnologia, turismo, tendencias, fotos, videos, redes sociales (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-05-20.
  2. ^ "Zacatecoluca y AD Brasilia fueron campeones en Tercera División". Noticias de El Salvador - Noticias de El Salvador, noticias internacionales, salvadoreños por el mundo, economia, negocios, politica, deportes, entretenimiento, tecnologia, turismo, tendencias, fotos, videos, redes sociales (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-05-20.
  3. ^ "Zacatecoluca F.C. se proclama bicampeón y asciende a Primera-División con un gol en la ultima jugada".
  4. ^ "Zacatecoluca cambia de sede y estructura para el Clausura 2026". El Gráfico.
  5. ^ "Zacatecoluca desciende a segunda". El Gráfico.
  6. ^ Diego Tovar (25 May 2025). "Platense se corona campeón del Clausura 2025 en la categoría Sub-17". elgrafico.com. Retrieved 26 May 2025.