This Sunday, May 10, San Pedro FC wrote the most important page in its history. The Shecanos beat Nueva Santa Rosa 1-0 at the Sampedrano Municipal Stadium in the second leg of the semifinals of the First Division of Clausura 2026, closing the series with a 2-1 aggregate that gave them the ticket for direct promotion to the National League for the first time in their 29 years of existence as a club.
Steve Chacón’s goal was the only one of the match and the most important in the history of the Sampedrana institution, in what was a close and high-tension match where Nueva Santa Rosa tried to reverse the result without success.
The match was disputed and even from the beginning. San Pedro had the opportunity to go ahead on the scoreboard in the first half with a penalty that was missed, and later a shot that was disallowed further complicated the situation for the locals. However, the Shecanos did not give up and Steve Chacón appeared to score the historic goal that sparked the celebration at the Municipal Sampedrano. Nueva Santa Rosa tried to reverse the result in the final minutes but could not find the goal that would have forced extra time, thus closing its participation in this key to the semifinals.
The statements after the game were full of emotion and some rivalry. The scorer of the historic goal did not hide his happiness. “My sacrifice has been worth it, I never imagined scoring the promotion goal”said Chacón, visibly excited.
San Pedro FC will play in the National League
San Pedro FC will compete in the National League for the first time in its 29-year history starting in the next tournament, an achievement that crowns the work of an institution that has grown steadily in Guatemalan promotion soccer. The Shecanos got their ticket by being finalists of the Apertura 2025 and by winning this semifinal of the Clausura 2026, thus completing the process that takes them to the highest category of Chapín football for the first time in their history.
San Pedro FC will now play the final of the First Division of Clausura 2026 where it will await the winner of the other key between Suchitepéquez and Chichicasteco, a series in which the Masheños arrive with an advantage after winning the first leg. The champion of that final will also obtain a promotion ticket to the National League, so it remains to be determined who will accompany San Pedro in the highest category of Guatemalan soccer next season.
Nueva Santa Rosa, for its part, will have a second chance to fight for promotion. The Paneleros, who also have half a ticket guaranteed for having reached the final of Apertura 2025, will face the loser of the key between Suchitepéquez and Chichicasteco in what will be their last opportunity to get a ticket to the National League in this tournament. “Grateful to God, it’s a dream, it’s crazy”expressed the scorer of the goal, summarizing the feeling of an entire institution that this Sunday fulfilled the greatest dream in its history.