Argentine Primera División

Publication date: 31 Aug 2022

About the Primera División

Argentine Primera División (Primera División; Liga Profesional de Fútbol is the name from the 2020 season) is the Argentine professional football league for clubs in Argentina which determines the national champion and the participants in international club competitions.

The Primera División is considered to be one of the strongest championships in world football. There are 28 teams taking part in the season, all playing against each other in the same tournament.

Official website of the Argentine Primera División

2025 Argentine Primera División

The 2025 Argentina Primera Division is the next season of the top division of Argentine football, officially known as the Liga Profesional de Fútbol (LPF). Tournament is the country’s main national championship and one of the most competitive championships in South America. The 2025 Argentina Primera Division, known as Primera, will be held from January 24 to December 14, 2025.

The 2025 season will continue the traditional competition format: 28 teams will participate in a single-round robin tournament (each team will play each other once). Best clubs will receive tickets to international tournaments – the Copa Libertadores and the Copa Sudamericana, and the worst ones risk relegation to the second division.

Participants and favorites

Among the participating teams there are always top clubs of Argentina, which traditionally fight for the championship title:

• Boca Juniors is one of the most titled clubs in the country, known for its bright performances and loyal fans.
• River Plate is Boca’s main rival, regularly claiming the championship.
• Racing is a club from Avellaneda, which is consistently among the leaders.
• Independiente is another powerful team from Avellaneda, with a rich history.
• San Lorenzo and Velez Sarsfield are traditionally strong clubs, capable of surprising in the fight for the title.
  It is also worth paying attention to Argentinos Juniors, Estudiantes and Defensa y Justicia, which often show stable results and can claim places in international tournaments.

Where is the championship held?

The Argentine championship is held throughout the country, at the stadiums of the participating clubs. Among the most famous arenas:

• Bombonera (Buenos Aires) – home stadium of Boca Juniors, with a capacity of 54,000 spectators.
• Monumental (Buenos Aires) – River Plate stadium, the largest in the country (83,000 seats).
• Estadio Civitas (Avellaneda) – Racing arena, designed for 50,000 spectators.
• Estadio José Amalfitani (Buenos Aires) – home stadium of Vélez Sársfield.
  Each match is not just a sporting event, but a real show with a hot atmosphere, where fans create incredible support for their teams.

History of the Primera División

Professional football championships began to be held in Argentina in 1931. From 1967 to 1985, two equally important championships were held every year: Nacional and Metropolitano.

From 1991 to 2012, separate championships were held per season. They were called the Apertura and the Clausura. The Apertura was held in the second half of the calendar year while the Clausura took place at the beginning of the following year.

In 2012, there were new changes to the championship. Apertura was renamed Inicial whereas Clausura was renamed Final. However, the format of the draw did not change. The winners of the championship competed for the title of overall season champion.

Since 2015, the championship has been held in a single calendar year.

There are six places for Argentina to qualify for the Copa Sudamericana. These include the first five teams to qualify. Clubs ranked 6 to 11 at the end of the season play in the play-offs to see who will be another representative of Argentina.

Liga Profesional de Fútbol was established in mid-2020.

Interesting facts about the Argentine championship

• Argentina is the birthplace of many football legends. Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi, Juan Roman Riquelme – they all started their careers in local clubs.
• The championship is highly competitive. Over the past 10 years, the champion title has been won by 6 different clubs.
• River Plate is the record holder for the number of titles. The club has won more than 35 championships.
• The Argentine championship has a complex relegation system. Unlike most leagues, it takes into account the average points coefficient for the last three seasons.

Winners of the previous seasons of the Argentine Primera División

2026 Argentine Primera División

The next season of the the Argentine Primera División will run from January 27 to August 5. Football matches will be held at thirty stadiums in 16 cities of the country. 30 football clubs will take part in the championship.

Keep an eye on the dates of football tournaments and other events in our Sports Events Calendar.