2026 AFA Liga Profesional de Fútbol
Football league season
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 2026 Liga Profesional de Fútbol (officially the Torneo Mercado Libre 2026 for sponsorship reasons) is the 136th season of top-flight professional football in Argentina. The league season began on 22 January and will end on 13 December 2026.[1]
| Season | 2026 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 22 January – 13 December 2026 |
| Matches | 254 |
| Goals | 525 (2.07 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Apertura: Gabriel Ávalos (10 goals) |
| Biggest home win | Lanús 5–0 Newell's Old Boys (17 March 2026) Estudiantes (LP) 5–0 Central Córdoba (SdE) (23 March 2026) |
| Biggest away win | Defensa y Justicia 0–4 Boca Juniors (23 April 2026) |
| Highest scoring | Independiente 4–4 Unión (10 March 2026) |
| Longest winning run | Gimnasia y Esgrima (LP) River Plate 5 games |
| Longest unbeaten run | Boca Juniors 12 games |
| Longest winless run | Aldosivi 16 games |
| Longest losing run | Defensa y Justicia 5 games |
← 2025 2027 →
All statistics correct as of 17 May 2026. | |
Thirty teams will compete in the league: twenty-eight returning from the 2025 season as well as two promoted teams from the 2025 Primera Nacional (Gimnasia y Esgrima (M) and Estudiantes (RC), who were promoted after an absence of 41 and 40 years respectively).[2][3] Estudiantes (LP) entered the season as the defending champions after winning the 2025 Torneo Clausura.
While the Torneo Apertura was taking place, the executive committee of the Liga Profesional de Fútbol unanimously decided on 23 February 2026 to postpone the ninth round of the tournament, which was scheduled to take place between 5 and 8 March 2026, in response to the legal investigation by ARCA (Agencia de Recaudación y Control Aduanero) against AFA regarding the nonpayment of social security contributions in 2024 and 2025.[4] The round was rescheduled for between 2 and 4 May 2026.
Competition format
The competition format for this season will consist of two tournaments (Torneo Apertura and Torneo Clausura) each with five stages. In the first stage, the thirty teams were divided into two groups of fifteen teams each and will play in a single round-robin format. Additionally, each team will play two inter-zone matches: against its rival from the other zone, and the second against a second team, determined by a draw. The top eight teams in each group will advance to the round of 16. The final stages (round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals and final) will be played on a single-leg basis.[5]
The winners of the Torneo Apertura and Torneo Clausura will qualify for the 2027 Copa Libertadores as Argentina 1 and Argentina 2, respectively. Qualification for international tournaments will be determined by the overall standings of the 2026 Primera División.[6]
A new league title, "Campeón de Liga", was created for the team with the most points in the aggregate table. Although the title was established at the end of 2025, it was awarded retroactively to Rosario Central that same year.[7]
This season, two teams will be relegated to the Primera Nacional. One team will be relegated based on coefficients, and the team that finishes last in the 2026 aggregate table will also be relegated.[8]
Club information
Stadia and locations
Personnel and sponsoring
| Club | Manager | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsors (front) | Other sponsors |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aldosivi |  Israel Damonte |
Kappa | Rapicuotas | List
|
| Argentinos Juniors | Nicolás Diez |
Umbro | Rapicuotas | List
|
| Atlético Tucumán | Julio César Falcioni |
Kappa | Caja Popular de Ahorros | List
|
| Banfield | Pedro Troglio |
Macron | None | List
|
| Barracas Central | Rubén Darío Insúa |
Retiel | None | List
|
| Belgrano | Ricardo Zielinski |
Umbro | Banco Macro | List
|
| Boca Juniors | Claudio Úbeda |
Adidas | Betsson | List
|
| Central Córdoba (SdE) | Lucas Pusineri |
Adhoc | Banco Santiago del Estero | List
|
| Defensa y Justicia | Julio Vaccari |
KDY | Rapicuotas | List
|
| Deportivo Riestra | Guillermo Duró |
Adidas | Speed Unlimited | List
|
| Estudiantes (LP) |  Alexander Medina |
RUGE | Banco Supervielle | List
|
| Estudiantes (RC) | Rubén Forestello |
IFK Sports | None | List
|
| Gimnasia y Esgrima (LP) | Ariel Pereyra |
Givova | Correo OCA | List
|
| Gimnasia y Esgrima (M) | Darío Franco |
Mitre | Banco Macro | |
| Huracán | Diego Martínez |
Kappa | Jeluz | List
|
| Independiente |  Gustavo Quinteros |
Puma | Sportsbet | List
|
| Independiente Rivadavia | Alfredo Berti |
AIFIT | Sportsbet | List
|
| Instituto | Diego Flores |
Givova | Banco Macro | List
|
| Lanús | Mauricio Pellegrino |
Umbro | Mapei | List
|
| Newell's Old Boys | Frank Kudelka |
AIFIT | City Center Online | List
|
| Platense | Walter Zunino |
Puma | Planes ESCO | List
|
| Racing | Sebastián Romero and Luciano Aued (caretakers) |
Nike | Betsson | List
|
| River Plate | Eduardo Coudet |
Adidas | Betano | List
|
| Rosario Central | Jorge Almirón |
Le Coq Sportif | City Center Online | List
|
| San Lorenzo | Gustavo Álvarez |
Atomik | None | List
|
| Sarmiento (J) | Facundo Sava |
KION | Naldo Digital | List
|
| Talleres (C) | Ezequiel Carboni (caretaker) |
Le Coq Sportif | Holcim | List
|
| Tigre | Diego Dabove |
Kappa | Banco Macro | List
|
| Unión | Leonardo Madelón |
Givova | OSPAT | List
|
| Vélez Sarsfield | Guillermo Barros Schelotto |
Macron | Saphirus | List
|
Managerial changes
| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in table |
Replaced by | Date of appointment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newell's Old Boys | Lucas Bernardi |
End of caretaker spell | 16 November 2025 | Pre-season | Favio Orsi and Sergio Gómez |
19 December 2025[9] |
| Platense | Hernán Lamberti and Guillermo Báez |
17 November 2025 | Walter Zunino |
24 November 2025[10] | ||
| Huracán | Frank Kudelka |
End of contract | 18 November 2025[11] | Diego Martínez |
3 December 2025[12] | |
| Central Córdoba (SdE) | Omar De Felippe |
1 December 2025[13] | Lucas Pusineri |
5 December 2025[14] | ||
| Rosario Central | Ariel Holan |
11 December 2025[15] | Jorge Almirón |
15 December 2025[16] | ||
| Torneo Apertura changes | ||||||
| Instituto | Daniel Oldrá |
Mutual agreement | 26 January 2026[17] | 15th Zone A | Diego Flores 1 |
12 February 2026[18] |
| Estudiantes (LP) | Eduardo Domínguez |
Signed by Atlético Mineiro | 20 February 2026[19] | 1st Zone A | Alexander Medina |
23 February 2026[20] |
| Newell's Old Boys | Favio Orsi and Sergio Gómez |
Sacked | 21 February 2026[21] | 15th Zone A | Frank Kudelka 2 |
26 February 2026[22] |
| Atlético Tucumán | Hugo Colace |
25 February 2026[23] | 12th Zone B | Julio César Falcioni 3 |
4 March 2026[24] | |
| River Plate | Marcelo Gallardo |
Resigned | 26 February 2026[25] | 5th Zone B | Eduardo Coudet 4 |
4 March 2026[26] |
| Estudiantes (RC) | Iván Delfino |
Sacked | 13 March 2026[27] | 15th Zone B | Gerardo Acuña 5 |
14 March 2026[28] |
| San Lorenzo | Damián Ayude |
17 March 2026[29] | 9th Zone A | Gustavo Álvarez 6 |
22 March 2026[30] | |
| Aldosivi | Guillermo Farré |
17 March 2026[31] | 14th Zone B | Israel Damonte 7 |
26 March 2026[32] | |
| Gimnasia y Esgrima (M) | Ariel Broggi |
Mutual agreement | 23 March 2026[33] | 13th Zone A | Darío Franco |
28 March 2026[34] |
| Deportivo Riestra | Gustavo Benítez |
4 April 2026[35] | 14th Zone A | Guillermo Duró |
5 April 2026[36] | |
| Gimnasia y Esgrima (LP) | Fernando Zaniratto |
Sacked | 6 April 2026[37] | 11th Zone B | Ariel Pereyra 8 |
7 April 2026[38] |
| Inter-tournament changes | ||||||
| Estudiantes (RC) | Gerardo Acuña |
End of caretaker spell | 6 May 2026[39] | N/A | Rubén Forestello |
22 May 2026[40] |
| Defensa y Justicia | Mariano Soso |
Resigned | 11 May 2026[41] | Julio Vaccari |
24 May 2026[42] | |
| Talleres (C) | Carlos Tevez |
End of contract | 13 May 2026[43] | 9 | ||
| Racing | Gustavo Costas |
Sacked | 23 May 2026[44] | |||
Interim managers
- 1.^
Daniel Jiménez and Bruno Martelotto were interim managers in the Torneo Apertura 3rd–4th rounds. - 2.^ Lucas Bernardi was interim manager in the Torneo Apertura 7th round.
- 3.^ Ramiro González was interim manager in the Torneo Apertura 8th round.
- 4.^ Marcelo Escudero was interim manager in the Torneo Apertura 8th round.
- 5.^ Interim manager until the end of the Torneo Apertura.
- 6.^ Alan Capobianco was interim manager in the 2026 Copa Argentina round of 64.
- 7.^ Facundo Oreja was interim manager in the Torneo Apertura 12th round.
- 8.^ Interim manager, but later promoted to manager.
- 9.^ Ezequiel Carboni was interim manager in the 2026 Copa Argentina round of 32.
Foreign players
Players holding Argentinian dual nationality
They do not take up a foreign slot.
Ezequiel Ham (Atlético Tucumán)
Lucas Román (Atlético Tucumán)- Ignacio Abraham (Banfield)
Tomás Adoryán (Banfield)
Thomas Rodríguez (Banfield)- Norberto Briasco (Barracas Central)
- Lucas Zelarayán (Belgrano)
- Williams Alarcón (Boca Juniors)
Miguel Merentiel (Boca Juniors)
Juan José Cardozo (Central Córdoba (SdE))- Emiliano Amor (Defensa y Justicia)
- David Martínez (Defensa y Justicia)
- Antony Alonso (Deportivo Riestra)
- Santiago Arzamendia (Estudiantes (LP))
- Fernando Muslera (Estudiantes (LP))
- Tiago Palacios (Estudiantes (LP))
- Javier Ferreira (Estudiantes (RC))
- Pablo Aguiar (Gimnasia y Esgrima (LP))
- Tobías Cervera (Gimnasia y Esgrima (M))
- Agustín Módica (Gimnasia y Esgrima (M))
Lucas Blondel (Huracán)
Hernán Galíndez (Huracán)- Leonardo Gil (Huracán)
- Luciano Cabral (Independiente)
- Lautaro Millán (Independiente)
- Gabriel Arias (Newell's Old Boys)
Thiago Gigena (Newell's Old Boys)- Armando Méndez (Newell's Old Boys)
Matko Miljevic (Racing)- Paulo Díaz (River Plate)
- Agustín Sández (Rosario Central)
- Leonardo Sosa (Rosario Central)
- Javier Burrai (Sarmiento (J))
- Bruno Barticciotto (Talleres (C))
- Matías Catalán (Talleres (C))
- Ulises Ortegoza (Talleres (C))
- Jalil Elías (Tigre)
Marco Rivas (Tigre)- Leo Cristaldo (Vélez Sarsfield)
Imanol Machuca (Vélez Sarsfield) a
Source: AFA
- a.^ Following an investigation by FIFA into document falsification by the Football Association of Malaysia, Machuca was suspended from professional football for one year on 26 September 2025.[45] However, on 26 January 2026, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) provisionally lifted the ban, enabling Machuca to play for Vélez Sarsfield until 5 March 2026, when the CAS confirmed the one-year suspension.[46][47]
Draw
The draw for the group stages was held on 10 December 2025, 12:00, at the AFA Futsal Stadium in Ezeiza.[48] The 30 teams were divided into two groups of fifteen, with one team from each of the interzonal matches.
| Team 1 | Team 2 |
|---|---|
Torneo Apertura
The 2026 Torneo Apertura (officially the Torneo Apertura Mercado Libre 2026 for sponsorship reasons)[49] is the first tournament of the 2026 season. It began on 22 January and will end on 24 May 2026.
Group stage
In the group stage, each group was played on a single round-robin basis. In addition, each team played two inter-zone matches: the first against its rival from the other zone, and the second, in the sixth round, against a second team determined by a draw. Teams were ranked according to the following criteria: 1. Points (3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, and 0 points for a loss); 2. Goal difference; 3. Goals scored; 4. Head-to-head results; 5. Fair play ranking; 6. Draw.[6]
The top eight teams of each group advanced to the round of 16.
Standings
Zone A
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Estudiantes (LP) | 16 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 19 | 7 | +12 | 31 | Advance to round of 16 |
| 2 | Boca Juniors | 16 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 22 | 9 | +13 | 30 | |
| 3 | Vélez Sarsfield | 16 | 7 | 7 | 2 | 18 | 12 | +6 | 28 | |
| 4 | Talleres (C) | 16 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 17 | 13 | +4 | 26 | |
| 5 | Independiente | 16 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 24 | 20 | +4 | 24 | |
| 6 | Lanús | 16 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 18 | 15 | +3 | 24 | |
| 7 | San Lorenzo | 16 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 22 | |
| 8 | Unión | 16 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 24 | 20 | +4 | 21 | |
| 9 | Instituto | 16 | 6 | 3 | 7 | 17 | 17 | 0 | 21 | |
| 10 | Defensa y Justicia | 16 | 4 | 7 | 5 | 18 | 21 | −3 | 19 | |
| 11 | Gimnasia y Esgrima (M) | 16 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 14 | 22 | −8 | 19 | |
| 12 | Platense | 16 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 10 | 15 | −5 | 16 | |
| 13 | Central Córdoba (SdE) | 16 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 11 | 21 | −10 | 16 | |
| 14 | Newell's Old Boys | 16 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 15 | 27 | −12 | 15 | |
| 15 | Deportivo Riestra | 16 | 1 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 12 | −7 | 11 |
Zone B
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Independiente Rivadavia | 16 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 29 | 15 | +14 | 34 | Advance to round of 16 |
| 2 | River Plate | 16 | 9 | 2 | 5 | 22 | 12 | +10 | 29 | |
| 3 | Argentinos Juniors | 16 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 17 | 13 | +4 | 29 | |
| 4 | Rosario Central | 16 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 20 | 16 | +4 | 28 | |
| 5 | Belgrano | 16 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 17 | 13 | +4 | 26 | |
| 6 | Gimnasia y Esgrima (LP) | 16 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 19 | 19 | 0 | 26 | |
| 7 | Huracán | 16 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 17 | 13 | +4 | 22 | |
| 8 | Racing | 16 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 17 | 15 | +2 | 21 | |
| 9 | Barracas Central | 16 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 15 | 15 | 0 | 21 | |
| 10 | Tigre | 16 | 4 | 8 | 4 | 18 | 15 | +3 | 20 | |
| 11 | Sarmiento (J) | 16 | 6 | 1 | 9 | 13 | 20 | −7 | 19 | |
| 12 | Banfield | 16 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 17 | 19 | −2 | 18 | |
| 13 | Atlético Tucumán | 16 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 15 | 20 | −5 | 14 | |
| 14 | Aldosivi | 16 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 19 | −13 | 8 | |
| 15 | Estudiantes (RC) | 16 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 5 | 24 | −19 | 5 |
Results
In the group stage, teams played every other team in their group once (either home or away), plus two interzonal games, for a total of 16 rounds.[50]
Zone A
Zone B
Interzonal matches
Source: AFA
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
Final stages
Starting from the round of 16, the teams will play a single-elimination tournament on a single-leg basis with the following rules:[6]
- In the round of 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals, the higher seed will be the host team. However, the final will be played at a neutral venue.
- If tied, extra time will be played. If the score is still tied after extra time, a penalty shoot-out will be used to determine the champions.
Bracket
| Round of 16 | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Final | ||||||||||||
| River Plate (p) | 2 (4) | ||||||||||||||
| San Lorenzo | 2 (3) | ||||||||||||||
| River Plate | 2 | ||||||||||||||
| Gimnasia y Esgrima (LP) | 0 | ||||||||||||||
| Vélez Sarsfield | 0 | ||||||||||||||
| Gimnasia y Esgrima (LP) | 1 | ||||||||||||||
| River Plate | 1 | ||||||||||||||
| Rosario Central | 0 | ||||||||||||||
| Rosario Central | 3 | ||||||||||||||
| Independiente | 1 | ||||||||||||||
| Rosario Central (a.e.t.) | 2 | ||||||||||||||
| Racing | 1 | ||||||||||||||
| Estudiantes (LP) | 0 | ||||||||||||||
| Racing | 1 | ||||||||||||||
| River Plate | |||||||||||||||
| Belgrano | |||||||||||||||
| Argentinos Juniors | 2 | ||||||||||||||
| Lanús | 0 | ||||||||||||||
| Argentinos Juniors (a.e.t.) | 1 | ||||||||||||||
| Huracán | 0 | ||||||||||||||
| Boca Juniors | 2 | ||||||||||||||
| Huracán (a.e.t.) | 3 | ||||||||||||||
| Argentinos Juniors | 1 (3) | ||||||||||||||
| Belgrano (p) | 1 (4) | ||||||||||||||
| Talleres (C) | 0 | ||||||||||||||
| Belgrano | 1 | ||||||||||||||
| Belgrano | 2 | ||||||||||||||
| Unión | 0 | ||||||||||||||
| Independiente Rivadavia | 1 | ||||||||||||||
| Unión | 2 | ||||||||||||||
Round of 16
| 9 May 2026 | Talleres (C) | 0–1 | Belgrano | Córdoba |
| 16:30 | Report | González Metilli  47' |
Stadium: Mario Alberto Kempes Referee: Darío Herrera |
| 9 May 2026 | Boca Juniors | 2–3 (a.e.t.) | Huracán | Buenos Aires |
| 19:00 | Giménez 86' Romero 115' |
Report | Gil 4' Romero 93' (pen.), 102' (pen.) |
Stadium: La Bombonera Referee: Pablo Echavarría |
| 9 May 2026 | Independiente Rivadavia | 1–2 | Unión | Mendoza |
| 21:30 | Sartori 69' |
Report | Cuello 33' Tarragona 48' |
Stadium: Bautista Gargantini Referee: Luis Lobo Medina |
| 9 May 2026 | Argentinos Juniors | 2–0 | Lanús | Buenos Aires |
| 22:15[note 1] | Álvarez 28' Lescano 90+6' |
Report | Stadium: Diego Armando Maradona Referee: Leandro Rey Hilfer |
| 10 May 2026 | Rosario Central | 3–1 | Independiente | Rosario |
| 15:00 | Di María 45+1' Cantizano 83'Verón 90+1' |
Report | Ávalos 35' |
Stadium: Gigante de Arroyito Referee: Yael Falcón Pérez |
| 10 May 2026 | Estudiantes (LP) | 0–1 | Racing | La Plata |
| 17:00 | Report | Sosa 89' |
Stadium: Jorge Luis Hirschi Referee: Sebastián Martínez |
| 10 May 2026 | River Plate | 2–2 (a.e.t.) (4–3 p) | San Lorenzo | Buenos Aires |
| 19:00 | Acuña 54' Quintero 120+1' |
Report | Auzmendi 36' López 93' |
Stadium: Mâs Monumental Referee: Sebastián Zunino |
| Penalties | ||||
Quintero  Galoppo  Salas Páez Montiel Freitas |
Insaurralde Corujo Herazo Rodríguez Perruzzi De Ritis |
|||
| 10 May 2026 | Vélez Sarsfield | 0–1 | Gimnasia y Esgrima (LP) | Buenos Aires |
| 21:30 | Report | Torres 13' (pen.) |
Stadium: José Amalfitani Referee: Andrés Gariano |
Notes
- The match was delayed from 21:30 to 22:15 due to TV scheduling conflicts resulting from the Boca Juniors v Huracán match going into overtime.
Quarter-finals
| 12 May 2026 | Belgrano | 2–0 | Unión | Córdoba |
| 19:00 | Sánchez 65' Hernandes 90+5' |
Report | Stadium: El Gigante de Alberdi Referee: Andrés Merlos |
| 12 May 2026 | Argentinos Juniors | 1–0 (a.e.t.) | Huracán | Buenos Aires |
| 21:30 | Molina 94' |
Report | Stadium: Diego Armando Maradona Referee: Fernando Echenique |
| 13 May 2026 | Rosario Central | 2–1 (a.e.t.) | Racing | Rosario |
| 18:45[note 1] | Ávila 64' Copetti 106' |
Report | Zaracho 40' |
Stadium: Gigante de Arroyito Referee: Darío Herrera |
| 13 May 2026 | River Plate | 2–0 | Gimnasia y Esgrima (LP) | Buenos Aires |
| 21:45[note 2] | Driussi 27' Martínez Quarta 65' |
Report | Stadium: Mâs Monumental Referee: Leandro Rey Hilfer |
Notes
Semi-finals
| 16 May 2026 | River Plate | 1–0 | Rosario Central | Buenos Aires |
| 19:30 | Colidio 61' (pen.) |
Report | Stadium: Mâs Monumental Referee: Nicolás Ramírez |
| 17 May 2026 | Argentinos Juniors | 1–1 (a.e.t.) (3–4 p) | Belgrano | Buenos Aires |
| 17:00 | Jainikoski 7' |
Report | Fernández 90+4' |
Stadium: Diego Armando Maradona Referee: Nazareno Arasa |
| Penalties | ||||
| Verón López Muñoz Álvarez Lozano Florentín Pérez |
L. Zelarayán Vázquez Passerini Fernández Rigoni Hernandes |
|||
Final
Statistics
- As of 17 May 2026
Top goalscorers
Source: AFA |
Top assists
Source: AFA |
Torneo Clausura
The 2026 Torneo Clausura (officially the Torneo Clausura Mercado Libre 2026 for sponsorship reasons)[49] will be the second tournament of the 2026 season. It will begin on 26 July and will end on 13 December 2026.
Group stage
In the group stage, each group will be played on a single round-robin basis. In addition, each team will play two inter-zone matches: the first against its rival from the other zone, and the second, in the sixth round, against a second team determined by a draw. Teams will be ranked according to the following criteria: 1. Points (3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, and 0 points for a loss); 2. Goal difference; 3. Goals scored; 4. Head-to-head results; 5. Fair play ranking; 6. Draw.[6]
The top eight teams of each group will advance to the round of 16. Teams in relegation or in the relegation play-offs will not be eligible to play in the final stages.
Standings
Zone A
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boca Juniors | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Advance to round of 16 |
| 2 | Central Córdoba (SdE) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 | Defensa y Justicia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 4 | Deportivo Riestra | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 5 | Estudiantes (LP) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 6 | Gimnasia y Esgrima (M) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 7 | Independiente | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 8 | Instituto | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 9 | Lanús | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 10 | Newell's Old Boys | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 11 | Platense | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 12 | San Lorenzo | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 13 | Talleres (C) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 14 | Unión | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 15 | Vélez Sarsfield | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Zone B
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aldosivi | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Advance to round of 16 |
| 2 | Argentinos Juniors | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 | Atlético Tucumán | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 4 | Banfield | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 5 | Barracas Central | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 6 | Belgrano | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 7 | Estudiantes (RC) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 8 | Gimnasia y Esgrima (LP) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 9 | Huracán | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 10 | Independiente Rivadavia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 11 | Racing | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 12 | River Plate | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 13 | Rosario Central | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 14 | Sarmiento (J) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 15 | Tigre | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Results
In the group stage, teams will play every other team in their group once (either home or away), plus two interzonal games, for a total of 16 rounds.[50]
Zone A
Zone B
Interzonal matches
|
|
Source: AFA
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
Final stages
Starting from the round of 16, the teams will play a single-elimination tournament on a single-leg basis with the following rules:[6]
- In the round of 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals, the higher seed will be the host team. However, the final will be played at a neutral venue.
- If tied, extra time will be played. If the score is still tied after extra time, a penalty shoot-out will be used to determine the champions.
Round of 16
| Zone A winners | P1 | Zone B 8th place |
| Zone B winners | P2 | Zone A 8th place |
| Zone A runners-up | P3 | Zone B 7th place |
| Zone B runners-up | P4 | Zone A 7th place |
| Zone A 3rd place | P5 | Zone B 6th place |
| Zone B 3rd place | P6 | Zone A 6th place |
| Zone A 4th place | P7 | Zone B 5th place |
| Zone B 4th place | P8 | Zone A 5th place |
Quarter-finals
| Winners P1 | C1[†] | Winners P8 |
| Winners P2 | C2[†] | Winners P7 |
| Winners P3 | C3[†] | Winners P6 |
| Winners P4 | C4[†] | Winners P5 |
- † Home team to be decided.
Semi-finals
| Winners C1 | S1[†] | Winners C4 |
| Winners C2 | S2[†] | Winners C3 |
- † Home team to be decided.
Final
| Winners S1 | F[†] | Winners S2 |
|---|---|---|
- † Administrative home team to be decided.
Aggregate table
International qualification
The 2026 Torneo Apertura champions, 2026 Torneo Clausura champions and 2026 Copa Argentina champions will earn a berth to the 2027 Copa Libertadores. The remaining berths to the 2027 Copa Libertadores as well as the ones to the 2027 Copa Sudamericana will be determined by an aggregate table from the group stages of the 2026 Torneo Apertura and 2026 Torneo Clausura. The top three teams in the aggregate table not already qualified for any international tournament will qualify for the Copa Libertadores, while the next six teams will qualify for the Copa Sudamericana.[6]
Relegation
In this season, the bottom team of the aggregate table will be relegated to the 2027 Primera Nacional. If two or more teams are level on points, extra matches will be played to decide which team would be relegated.
Campeón de Liga
The team with the most points in the aggregate table will be awarded the league title of "Campeón de Liga".
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Independiente Rivadavia | 16 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 29 | 15 | +14 | 34 | Qualification for Copa Libertadores group stage |
| 2 | Estudiantes (LP) | 16 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 19 | 7 | +12 | 31 | |
| 3 | Boca Juniors | 16 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 22 | 9 | +13 | 30 | Qualification for Copa Libertadores second stage |
| 4 | River Plate | 16 | 9 | 2 | 5 | 22 | 12 | +10 | 29 | Qualification for Copa Sudamericana group stage |
| 5 | Argentinos Juniors | 16 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 17 | 13 | +4 | 29 | |
| 6 | Vélez Sarsfield | 16 | 7 | 7 | 2 | 18 | 12 | +6 | 28 | |
| 7 | Rosario Central | 16 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 20 | 16 | +4 | 28 | |
| 8 | Belgrano | 16 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 17 | 13 | +4 | 26 | |
| 9 | Talleres (C) | 16 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 17 | 13 | +4 | 26 | |
| 10 | Gimnasia y Esgrima (LP) | 16 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 19 | 19 | 0 | 26 | |
| 11 | Independiente | 16 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 24 | 20 | +4 | 24 | |
| 12 | Lanús | 16 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 18 | 15 | +3 | 24 | |
| 13 | Huracán | 16 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 17 | 13 | +4 | 22 | |
| 14 | San Lorenzo | 16 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 22 | |
| 15 | Unión | 16 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 24 | 20 | +4 | 21 | |
| 16 | Racing | 16 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 17 | 15 | +2 | 21 | |
| 17 | Instituto | 16 | 6 | 3 | 7 | 17 | 17 | 0 | 21 | |
| 18 | Barracas Central | 16 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 15 | 15 | 0 | 21 | |
| 19 | Tigre | 16 | 4 | 8 | 4 | 18 | 15 | +3 | 20 | |
| 20 | Defensa y Justicia | 16 | 4 | 7 | 5 | 18 | 21 | −3 | 19 | |
| 21 | Sarmiento (J) | 16 | 6 | 1 | 9 | 13 | 20 | −7 | 19 | |
| 22 | Gimnasia y Esgrima (M) | 16 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 14 | 22 | −8 | 19 | |
| 23 | Banfield | 16 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 17 | 19 | −2 | 18 | |
| 24 | Platense | 16 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 10 | 15 | −5 | 16 | |
| 25 | Central Córdoba (SdE) | 16 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 11 | 21 | −10 | 16 | |
| 26 | Newell's Old Boys | 16 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 15 | 27 | −12 | 15 | |
| 27 | Atlético Tucumán | 16 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 15 | 20 | −5 | 14 | |
| 28 | Deportivo Riestra | 16 | 1 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 12 | −7 | 11 | |
| 29 | Aldosivi | 16 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 19 | −13 | 8 | |
| 30 | Estudiantes (RC) | 16 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 5 | 24 | −19 | 5 | Relegation to Primera Nacional |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) goals scored; 4) fair play ranking; 5) drawing of lots.
Relegation based on coefficients
In addition to the relegation based on the aggregate table, one team will be relegated at the end of the season based on coefficients, which will take into consideration the points obtained by the clubs during the present season (aggregate table points) and the two previous seasons (only seasons at the top flight will be counted). The total tally will be then divided by the number of games played in the top flight over those three seasons, and an average will be calculated. The team with the worst average at the end of the season will be relegated to Primera Nacional.
| Pos | Team | 2024 Pts |
2025 Pts |
2026 Pts |
Total Pts |
Total Pld |
Avg | Relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boca Juniors | 67 | 62 | 30 | 159 | 89 | 1.787 | |
| 2 | River Plate | 70 | 53 | 29 | 152 | 89 | 1.708 | |
| 3 | Racing | 70 | 53 | 21 | 144 | 89 | 1.618 | |
| 4 | Vélez Sarsfield | 76 | 40 | 28 | 144 | 89 | 1.618 | |
| 5 | Argentinos Juniors | 56 | 57 | 29 | 142 | 89 | 1.596 | |
| 6 | Rosario Central | 47 | 66 | 28 | 141 | 89 | 1.584 | |
| 7 | Estudiantes (LP) | 63 | 42 | 31 | 136 | 89 | 1.528 | |
| 8 | Independiente | 63 | 47 | 24 | 134 | 89 | 1.506 | |
| 9 | Lanús | 59 | 50 | 24 | 133 | 89 | 1.494 | |
| 10 | Talleres (C) | 72 | 34 | 26 | 132 | 89 | 1.483 | |
| 11 | Huracán | 62 | 47 | 22 | 131 | 89 | 1.472 | |
| 12 | Independiente Rivadavia | 46 | 43 | 34 | 123 | 89 | 1.382 | |
| 13 | Unión | 60 | 39 | 21 | 120 | 89 | 1.348 | |
| 14 | Barracas Central | 49 | 49 | 21 | 119 | 89 | 1.337 | |
| 15 | San Lorenzo | 45 | 51 | 22 | 118 | 89 | 1.326 | |
| 16 | Defensa y Justicia | 58 | 38 | 19 | 115 | 89 | 1.292 | |
| 17 | Belgrano | 49 | 37 | 26 | 112 | 89 | 1.258 | |
| 18 | Gimnasia y Esgrima (LP) | 48 | 38 | 26 | 112 | 89 | 1.258 | |
| 19 | Deportivo Riestra | 48 | 52 | 11 | 111 | 89 | 1.247 | |
| 20 | Instituto | 53 | 34 | 21 | 108 | 89 | 1.213 | |
| 21 | Platense | 57 | 35 | 16 | 108 | 89 | 1.213 | |
| 22 | Tigre | 39 | 49 | 20 | 108 | 89 | 1.213 | |
| 23 | Gimnasia y Esgrima (M) | — | — | 19 | 19 | 16 | 1.188 | |
| 24 | Central Córdoba (SdE) | 42 | 42 | 16 | 100 | 89 | 1.124 | |
| 25 | Atlético Tucumán | 50 | 34 | 14 | 98 | 89 | 1.101 | |
| 26 | Newell's Old Boys | 49 | 33 | 15 | 97 | 89 | 1.09 | |
| 27 | Banfield | 41 | 35 | 18 | 94 | 89 | 1.056 | |
| 28 | Sarmiento (J) | 35 | 35 | 19 | 89 | 89 | 1 | |
| 29 | Aldosivi | — | 33 | 8 | 41 | 48 | 0.854 | |
| 30 | Estudiantes (RC) | — | — | 5 | 5 | 16 | 0.313 | Relegation to Primera Nacional |
Source: AFA