What happened?
Barcelona SC could be eliminated from the Copa Ecuador 2026 due to the alleged improper alignment of Erick Mendoza in the quarterfinal match against Liga de Portoviejo. Mendoza defended the jersey of Delfín SC and faced Baños Ciudad de Fuego in the round of 16 of the tournament.
Why is it important for Ecuador?
The tournament rule prohibits a player from playing in the same stage with two different clubs. The round of 16 and the quarterfinals are part of the same stage, according to the regulation.
What comes next?
The Portoviejo team has a 48-hour deadline to submit a formal complaint to the Ecuadorian Football Federation, which will resolve the case according to its regulations. Liga de Portoviejo president Mónica Zamora confirmed to EL UNIVERSO that the club will submit the formal complaint in the next hours.
Ecuador's last presentation in the Copa América was on July 1, 2026, against Mexico, which won 2-0. Recently, Ecuador has had a streak of 1 win, 2 draws, and 2 losses in its last 5 games. It lost the last 2 games.
What does the regulation say?
The tournament regulation prohibits a player from playing in the same stage with two different clubs. The round of 16 and the quarterfinals are part of the same stage, according to the regulation. "Regardless of what is stated in article 167 of the General Regulations of Competitions of the FEF, in no case, a player can act for more than one (1) club in the same stage of the competition", the regulation states.
