Professional football league from Argentina
Football league
The Primera División ( spanish pronunciation : [ pɾiˈmeɾa ðiβiˈsjon ] ; ( English : “ first Division ” ), named Torneo Socios.com ( english : “ tournament Socios.com ” ) since 2021 for sponsorship reasons, [ 9 ] is a professional football league in Argentina, [ 10 ] organised by the Argentine Football Association ( AFA ). The Primera División is the state ‘s premier football division and is the peak division of the Argentine football league arrangement. It operates on a arrangement of promotion and delegating with the Primera Nacional ( Second Division ), with the teams placed lowest at the end of the season being relegated. [ 11 ]

With the beginning championship held in 1891, [ 12 ] Argentina became the foremost country outside the United Kingdom ( where the Football League had debuted in 1888, and the scottish and irish Football Leagues in 1890 ) to establish a football league. [ 13 ] In the early years, only teams from Buenos Aires, Greater Buenos Aires, La Plata and Rosario [ 14 ] were affiliated to the national association. Teams from other cities would join in later years. The Primera División turned professional in 1931 when 18 clubs broke away from the amateur leagues to form a professional one. Since then, the season has been contested annually in four different formats and calendars. The Argentine backing was ranked in the top 10 as one of the strongest leagues in the world ( for 1 January 2015 – 31 December 2015 period ) by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics ( IFFHS ). Argentina placed 4th after La Liga ( Spain ), Serie A ( Italy ), and Bundesliga ( Germany ). [ 15 ]

Format and teams [edit ]

backing [edit ]

The 2022 season will be contested by 28 teams, including the 26 teams from the former season ( so there were no relegations during in 2021 ) plus the two teams promoted from Primera Nacional. The season will run from June to October 2022, anterior to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. [ 16 ] Participating teams will play each early in a round-robin system totalising 27 rounds. The team with most points at the end of the season, will be crowned champion. Unlike the previous two seasons, the 2021 championship will bring back the relegation system, after it had been suspended due to covid-19 pandemic. [ 17 ]

relegation [edit ]

relegation is based on an average system. [ 18 ] At the end of the temper, the three teams with the worst three-year averages are relegated, while the winner and runner-up of Primera Nacional championship are promoted to Primera. [ 19 ] [ 20 ] [ 21 ]

domestic cups [edit ]

The Primera División champion gains a place to play the Supercopa Argentina v. the achiever of Copa Argentina. A raw edition of the Copa de la Liga Profesional ( renamed “ Copa Diego Maradona ” ) will be held in 2021, [ 22 ] [ 23 ] starting on 14 February. The championship will be contested by 26 teams ( 24 from the former edition plus 2 promoted from Primera B Nacional ), divided into two zones of 13 teams each. The backing will run under a unmarried round-robin format, with the inaugural 4 teams of each zone qualifying to the next stage ( quarterfinals ), where they played under a single elimination format. Winning teams will advance to semifinals and the best two will play the final examination that will decide the ace of the season. The final would be held on 30 May before the get down of 2021 Copa América. [ 22 ] As former editions of Argentine tournaments, none baseball club will be relegated to Primera B Nacional. [ 24 ] The winner of this cup will qualify to 2022 Copa Libertadores as “ Argentina 2 ”. [ 23 ]

International cups [edit ]

As of 2018–19, five teams from Argentina are eligible to play the Copa Libertadores. The champion of Primera División mechanically qualifies for the tournament. The other three teams best placed in the table at the end of the tournament ( 2nd to 4th ) are besides eligible to play the Cup ( 2nd and 3rd for group degree, and the 4th for second stage ). For the Copa Sudamericana, six teams are eligible. Clubs placed 6th to 11th in the mesa at the end of the tournament, gain a stead to play the cup .

history [edit ]

Round-robin tournaments ( 1891–1966 ) [edit ]

Copa Campeonato was the first trophy awarded by the [25] and re-issued from 2013[26] to 2015. Thewas the first trophy awarded by the AFA, then abandonedand re-issued from 2013to 2015. In 1891 the Association Argentine Football League was established, with Alex Lamont of St. Andrew ‘s Scots School as one of its board members. [ 27 ] The AAFL was the first football league outside of the british Isles., [ 28 ] to establish a football league. The first Primera División matches were played on 12 April 1891 : Buenos Aires FC five. St. Andrew ‘s and Old Caledonians vs. Belgrano FC. [ 1 ] [ 2 ] A single double round-robin tournament was played each year, and the team with the most points was crowned as supporter, except for 1936, during that class the winners of Copa de Honor and the Campeonato played a match for the championship title. The single tournament arrangement lasted until 1966. During this menstruation, the traditional “ Big Five “ clubs, namely, River Plate, Boca Juniors, Independiente, Racing and San Lorenzo dominated Argentine football. No other team besides them had won the league championship in these 36 years. [ 29 ] [ 30 ] [ 31 ] [ 32 ] The most serious title challenge came from Banfield in 1951, when they gained the lapp points with Racing Club in the league mesa. however, they lost 1–0 in the two-legged first place playoffs and gave the title to Racing. [ 31 ] The average system for relegations was implemented for the foremost prison term in the 1957 championship, [ 33 ] with Ferro Carril Oeste becoming the first team to be relegated under that system. [ 34 ] Averaging continued until 1963, when the championship returned to its erstwhile format ( with the worst place teams being relegated ). [ 35 ] Nevertheless, there were no relegations until 1967 ( with Unión ( SF ) and Deportivo Español being sent to Primera B after playing a delegating tournament contested by teams of First and Second divisions to define the promotions and relegations ). [ 36 ]

Metropolitano and Nacional ( 1967–1985 ) [edit ]

In 1967, the single tournament format was abandoned and replaced by two championships in each year : the Metropolitano and the Nacional. The Metropolitano only allowed clubs competing the erstwhile tournament to participate, while the Nacional was receptive to teams from regional tournaments. [ 32 ] The format of rival was besides altered, with the bivalent round-robin tournament replaced by the two-group backing Metropolitano and single round-robin Nacional in that year. This change brought about a revolution in Argentine football, as small teams, like Estudiantes de La Plata at beginning, and Vélez Sarsfield, Chacarita Juniors and others in subsequently years, broke down the hegemony of the five clubs who had won all the championships up to that date. between 1967 and 1969, the Metropolitano and Nacional had gone through several format changes. In the first three years, the Metropolitano was a two-group championship, with the best two teams from each group competing the semi-finals of the knock-out stage. [ 32 ] The six best teams of each group would advance to the Nacional, with four more teams coming from regional tournaments, to compete for the Nacional championship in a single round-robin format. The seventh and one-eighth team of each group, aboard four teams from regional tournaments, played the Promocional tournament, which, in 1969, was replaced by the Petit tournament contested without regional teams. The ninth to twelfth teams of each group entered the Reclasificatorio tournament to determine the relegating teams. [ 32 ] In 1970, the format of the Metropolitano and Nacional undergo a reform. Since that class, and until 1985, the Nacional had become a group tournament with playoffs, while the Metropolitano had been competed under a unmarried or double round-robin system, except for the 1974, 1976 and 1979 version, which were besides contested as a group tournament with playoffs. [ 37 ] [ 38 ] Despite the format deepen in 1970, teams however entered the Nacional backing, Petit tournament and Reclasificatorio tournament according to their rankings in the Metropolitano in that year. however, in 1971, the tournaments were separated. Teams did not enter the Nacional by finishing at the top ranks of Metropolitano. On the other hired hand, the Petit tournament and Reclasificatorio tournament were abandoned. The Metropolitano and Nacional became two in truth individual tournaments. Although the old organization was reused in 1972, the separation was instituted again in 1973 and was adopted throughout the remaining Metropolitano and Nacional era. The Metropolitano was constantly played first, until the order of the tournaments was reversed in 1982. [ 37 ] After 20 years since the last time it had been used, the average system for relegations returned in the 1983 Metropolitano backing, [ 33 ] two years after San Lorenzo was relegated. That class, River Plate finished 18° out of 19 teams and would have been relegated under the old system, along with Racing de Córdoba. The first teams to be relegated on average were Racing and Nueva Chicago. [ 37 ] Boca Juniors was besides struggling at that time and had a blue 1984 season. These facts have led to guess that the averaging system was instituted to minimize the chance of large teams being relegated. [ 33 ]

European-styled seasons ( 1985–1991 ) [edit ]

Following the advice of Argentina national football team ‘s then coach Carlos Salvador Bilardo, the social organization of play was modified in 1985. traditionally, like other countries in Southern Hemisphere, football season began and ended according to the calendar year. however, upon the reform, european style season was adopted for the first time among all the south american english countries. furthermore, alternatively of holding two championships every year, merely one double round-robin tournament was contested, like football leagues in Europe. The team topping the table at the end of season was crowned the ace. In 1985, after the Nacional was played, the Metropolitano was not held, while the fresh individual tournament ( 1985/86 ) was played for the beginning time. In 1988–89 temper, three points were given to match winners. If a draw occurred, penalty gunfight was taken seat and the winner of the gunfight would get two points while the failure still had one. This format was waived in the following season .

Apertura and Clausura ( 1991–2012 ) [edit ]

Five years late, the single championship was split into two single-round tournaments, giving birth to the Apertura and Clausura arrangement. [ 39 ] In 1991 the two champions played winner-take-all matches. This practice was very controversial, particularly since one of the biggest teams, Boca Juniors, lost the finals against Newell ‘s Old Boys, costing them their first gear official championship since 1981 despite an unbeaten tend in the Clausura. In 1992 the game was held american samoa well ( this time between Newell ‘s Old Boys and River Plate ), but careless of the result ( which favored River Plate ) both teams were awarded the title of Champion. After 1992, the practice was quickly abandoned, so that two champions ( on equal footing ) were crowned every season and no deciding game is played. originally, two points were given to match winners except in the 1989–90 season. Starting in 1995–96, the rule was changed and three points were given for a win, one for a draw and none for a loss. The 1999–2000 season introduced the promotion and delegating system for the first clock time, where the two clubs placed 1st and 2nd within the four teams with the lowest average, had to play a two-leg series with teams from Primera B Nacional to keep their place in the division. [ 40 ]

Inicial and Final ( 2012–2014 ) [edit ]

For the 2012–13 temper, the Torneo Apertura and Clausura became “ Torneo Inicial ” and “ Torneo Final, ” being disputed with the same format as before but proclaiming lone one supporter each season, unlike the last format that had two champions ( Apertura and Clausura, respectively ). [ 41 ] Before those changes, a controversial project for the 2012–13 season had been proposed : it consisted in a fresh tournament that would contain both the Primera División and Primera B Nacional teams : the early was not going to have any banish team in its 2011–12 season and include sixteen teams from the latter, Primera B Nacional. The tournament would besides include a team from the Primera B Metropolitana and one from the Torneo Argentino A, creating a 38-team league. These changes were strongly opposed by the media and the people, and last the tournament was called off. however, the project for the new format was successfully picked up starting from the 2015 temper .

Superfinal ( 2013–2014 ) [edit ]

once Inicial and Final tournaments have finished, both winners had to play a equal for the Copa Campeonato ( familiarly known as Superfinal ). The AFA had previously determined that the first version ( played in 2013 ) would be considered as a Primera División official deed ( 2012–13 temper ), consequently Vélez Sarsfield awarded its tenth official championship after defeating Newell ‘s. [ 42 ] however, from the 2014 edition it was determined that the Superfinal would not be considered as a Primera División title but an official cup. [ 43 ] due to this the 2015 and 2016 seasons were played as one tournaments with entirely one ace per season, the Copa Campeonato has not been held since then .

2014–20 : One tournament again and Superliga [edit ]

Starting August 2014, the “ Torneo de Transición ” was held, with 20 teams participating ( 17 from the 2013–14 season and 3 promoted from the 2013–14 Primera B Nacional ). No teams were relegated at the end of the championship. [ 44 ] In 2015, the format switched to a tournament with 30 teams. The beginning five clubs of the Zonas A & B of 2014 Primera B Nacional season promoted to the Primera División. Those 10 teams, with the addition of the 20 clubs presently participating in the acme division, qualified to contest the future season. [ 45 ] That like year, the AFA announced the format for the adjacent five seasons of the Primera División : [ 46 ]

  • In the first half of 2016, the league was contested by 30 teams. One team was relegated to and one team was promoted from Primera B Nacional.
  • From August 2016 to June 2017, the league was also contested by 30 teams. Four teams were relegated to and two teams were promoted from Primera B Nacional.
  • From August 2017 to June 2018, the league was contested by 28 teams. Four teams will be relegated to and two teams will be promoted from Primera B Nacional. This season was also the first “Superliga Argentina”, organised by the homonymous entity, that is administrated independently and has its own statute. Therefore, the AFA focused exclusively in the Argentina national teams.[20] The 2017–18 season was the first championship organised by the body.
  • From August 2018 to June 2019, the Superliga was contested by 26 teams. Four teams were relegated to and two teams were promoted from Primera B Nacional.

In February 2020, President of AFA Claudio Tapia stated that the Superliga had been established to position Argentine football as a product, but it failed in that purpose. As a solution, AFA would take over the organization of Primera División championships, according with Tapia ‘s statement. [ 9 ] One month after those announcements, the president of the Superliga, Mariano Elizondo, resigned. [ 47 ] The Superliga was replaced by a exchangeable body, named “ Liga Profesional de Fútbol ”, directly linked to AFA and presided by Marcelo Tinelli. [ 48 ] It was expected that Superliga was dissolved once the 2020 edition of Copa de la Superliga Argentina finished, [ 47 ] but due to COVID-19 pandemic the cup was cancelled, accelerating times. In May 2020, the LFP was launched by the AFA. [ 48 ]

Clubs [edit ]

2021 season [edit ]

Champions [edit ]

Since the beginning championship held in 1891, 28 different clubs have won the Primera División title at least once. The most successful golf club is River Plate, with 37 titles. [ 3 ] [ 4 ] other successful clubs are Boca Juniors with 34, Racing with 18, Independiente with 16, and San Lorenzo with 15 .

top scorers [edit ]

The all-time top scorer of Primera División Argentina is Paraguayan forward Arsenio Erico with 295 goals. [ 7 ] Most players on the all-time top scorers table had their golden age before the 1970s, with all of the top five all-time scorers having retired before 1973. The alone player retired after that class in the top twenty list is Martín Palermo, who played for Estudiantes ( LP ) and Boca Juniors in Primera División .

Records and facts [edit ]

Teams with more seasons [edit ]

The following number shows the count of seasons in the First Division only of the beginning 10 teams. •Updated 16 July 2021.

Media coverage [edit ]

In Argentina, matches are broadcast by american companies Fox Sports and Turner, which signed a condense for 5 years where both companies agreed to pay A $ 3,200 million per year. local caller Torneos, who was once the official broadcaster of the Argentine championship from 1985 until 2009, will take over the content product of the games for Fox and La Corte will handle content production for Turner while Cablevisión, DirecTV and Telecentro will be the television receiver operators. [ 8 ] [ 49 ] Until the agreement with Fox and Turner was signed, Argentine football matches were broadcast nationally by El Trece, Telefe, America TV, and Channel 7. Games were free in Argentina from 2009 to 2016, when the National Government and AFA decided rescind the agreement. The Government paid A $ 9,500 million for 7 years. [ 50 ] The league attracts television audiences beyond South America and Spain. The matches are broadcast in over 80 countries ; ESPN ( one match per week ), Fox Sports ( two matches per week ) and TyC Sports ( eleven matches per workweek ) broadcast live Argentine Primera División matches in Latin America. In the United States, the matches will be broadcast on Paramount+ beginning in 2021. [ 51 ] BeIN Sports broadcasts the games live in France, Australia, New Zealand, Southeast Asia, and MENA regions. ITV showed highlights on a regional footing with the initiation of overnight air in 1988–89. Channel 5 showed highlights from 1999 to 2003, while Premier Sports showed live games across 2011 and 2012 .

See besides [edit ]

References [edit ]