The 2018 Segunda División B play-offs (Playoffs de Ascenso or Promoción de Ascenso) are the final playoffs for promotion from 2017–18 Segunda División B to the 2018–19 Segunda División. The four first placed teams in each one of the four groups qualify for the promotion playoffs and the four last placed teams in Segunda División are relegated to Segunda División B. It also decides the teams which placed 16th to be relegated to the 2018–19 Tercera División.
Format The four group winners have the opportunity to promote directly and become the overall Segunda División B champion. The four group winners will be drawn into a two-legged series where the two winners will be promoted to the Segunda División and will enter into the final for the Segunda División B champion. The two losing semifinalists will enter the playoff round for the last two promotion spots.
The four group runners-up will be drawn against one of the three fourth-placed teams outside their group while the four third-placed teams will be drawn against each other in a two-legged series. The six winners will advance with the two losing semifinalists to determine the four teams that will enter the last two-legged series for the last two promotion spots. In all the playoff series, the lower-ranked club will play at home first. Whenever there is a tie in position (e.g. like the group winners in the Semifinal Round and Final or the third-placed teams in the first round), a draw will determine the club to play at home first.
Controversies about eligibility of teams Despite the ineligibility of Deportivo Fabril for promotion, due to the relegation of Deportivo La Coruña to Segunda División, the reserve team participated in the promotion playoffs. Fuenlabrada and Rápido de Bouzas demanded the Royal Spanish Football Federation to not allow the Galicians to play, by filing a lawsuit.
In another way, some rumours were published in the media about Racing Santander demanding the Federation not allow Sporting Gijón B to play, even though the reserve team of the rojiblancos could be promoted if the main side is promoted to La Liga. However, the Cantabrian club denied that information.
Group Winners promotion play-off
Qualified teams GroupTeam1Rayo Majadahonda2Mirandés3Mallorca4Cartagena
Bracket
Matches
Semifinals
First leg
Second leg
Promoted to Segunda DivisiónMallorca(One year later)Rayo Majadahonda(First time ever)
Final
Segunda División B2017–18 championsMallorca
Non-champions promotion play-off
First round
Qualified teams
GroupPositionTeam1 2ndDeportivo Fabril2 2ndSporting Gijón B3 2ndVillarreal B4 2ndMarbella
GroupPositionTeam1 3rdFuenlabrada2 3rdReal Sociedad B3 3rdElche4 3rdMurcia
GroupPositionTeam1 4thCelta B2 4thBilbao Athletic3 4thCornellà4 4thExtremadura
Matches
First leg
Second leg
Second round
Qualified teams
GroupPos.Team2 1stMirandés4 1stCartagena
GroupPos.Team2 2ndSporting Gijón B3 2ndVillarreal B
GroupPos.Team1 3rdFuenlabrada3 3rdElche
GroupPos.Team1 4thCelta B4 4thExtremadura
Matches
First leg
Second leg
Third round
Qualified teams
GroupPos.Team4 1stCartagena
GroupPos.Team3 2ndVillarreal B
GroupPos.Team3 3rdElche
GroupPos.Team4 4thExtremadura
Matches
First leg
Second leg
Promoted to Segunda DivisiónElche(One year later)Extremadura(First time ever)
Relegation play-off
Qualified teams GroupPositionTeam1 16thCoruxo2 16thIzarra3 16thLlagostera4 16thMérida
Matches The losers of this tournament will be relegated to the 2018–19 Tercera División.
First leg
Second leg
Relegated to Tercera DivisiónMérida(3 years later)Llagostera(7 years later)
References