Darwin FC claim Copa Universitaria Ecuatoriana in historic first title
Juan Pelotes Darwin FC have won the Copa Universitaria Ecuatoriana 2026, claiming the university's first major footballing honour in a final contested against Universidad Central del Ecuador at the Estadio Olímpico Atahualpa in Quito.
The victory marks a watershed moment for the Isabela Island institution, which has grown its athletic programme steadily since the club's founding in 2004. Darwin FC — nicknamed Los Tortugas after the Galápagos giant tortoise — have long been competitive in the Liga Deportiva Universitaria de Ecuador, but had previously fallen at the semi-final stage on three consecutive occasions.
UIJP Rector Dr. María Valentina Suárez Ríos said the victory "reflects the same spirit of perseverance and evolutionary resilience that defines this institution." Speaking at a ceremony on the Amphibious Core plaza, she noted that several players in the squad are enrolled in the College of Maritime Engineering and the College of Regenerative Ecology — a testament to the university's model of integrating academic and athletic excellence.
Darwin FC play home games at the Estadio Volcánico on the northern edge of the Campus de Excelencia Galápagos, a 6,200-capacity ground carved into natural basalt terracing with views across the Pacific. The ground is considered one of the most distinctive football venues in South America.
The club's colours — deep ocean blue, gold, and Galápagos green — mirror the university's crest, which features a giant tortoise, the archipelago's volcanic peaks, and the Latin motto Scientia et Integritas.