Tenerife back in the second division

The blanquiazules reclaim a category they should never have lost for prestige

Exactly 356 days ago a nightmare became reality for Club Deportivo Tenerife: forced to confront relegation to the Primera Federación, a semi‑professional tier they had not played in for 12 years and that had already proven a traumatic experience for the club.

This Friday, the Tenerife side mathematically secured promotion to the Segunda División after Celta Fortuna’s defeat to Osasuna Promesas, eliminating the need to play their scheduled match against Barakaldo.

After descending last season with a squad expected to fight at least for a playoff spot in one of the most competitive Segunda leagues of recent times, the project—also plagued by internal power struggles within the club’s hierarchy—was dragged to the opposite side of its objectives.

Already in the Primera RFEF, Tenerife began the 2025/26 campaign in spectacular fashion, posting historic numbers: six consecutive victories and seven clean‑sheet matches in the first seven league rounds, an unprecedented start that signaled the squad’s intention to be only a temporary presence in the division.

Throughout the season, the team managed to win tough encounters, though not always with flashy or fully effective play, and consistently earned three points at a time for much of a campaign where CD Tenerife always bore the “favorite” label, giving extra motivation to opponents, especially in away games at the Heliodoro.

Since February, Álvaro Cervera’s side have enjoyed a controlled situation, maintaining a comfortable margin over Celta Fortuna—the top pursuer and the only team able to keep pace with the blanquiazules. From that month onward, the club fought both opponents and itself, as the pressure to secure promotion visibly affected its play and results.

The blanquiazul coach, Álvaro Cervera, who has acted as a leader both on and off the pitch, constantly urged his players to stay calm in their daily routine. He has expressed surprise in recent weeks at the uncharacteristic mistakes made, though they ultimately did not jeopardize the final objective.

Less than a year after relegation, CD Tenerife celebrates this Friday a collective achievement that goes beyond the current squad, uplifting an entire island that has been yearning for progress and backing the tireless support shown over the years, evident in the weekly attendance at the Heliodoro.

Thus, just a year later, a historic club returns to the Segunda División after leading a category from which it took years for other Spanish football giants to emerge, with its sights set on regaining the position it should never have left.