Paraguayan Primera División

The División Profesional de la Asociación Paraguaya de Fútbol (locally [diβiˈsjom pɾofesjoˈnal de la asosjaˈsjom paɾaˈɣwaʝa ðe ˈfuðβol]; "Professional Division of the Paraguayan Football Association"), also known as the Primera División (IPA: [pɾiˈmeɾa ðiβiˈsjon]; "first division"), or due to sponsorship reasons Copa de Primera TIGO-Visión Banco, is the top-flight professional football league in Paraguay. Currently, there are 12 teams in the first division.

División Profesional
Founded1906
CountryParaguay
ConfederationCONMEBOL
Number of teams12
Level on pyramid1
Relegation toDivisión Intermedia
Domestic cup(s)Copa Paraguay
International cup(s)Copa Libertadores
Copa Sudamericana
Current championsLibertad (25th title)
(2024 Apertura)
Most championshipsOlimpia (46 titles)
Top goalscorerSantiago Salcedo
(166 goals)
TV partnersMultideporte & Unicanal (Three games per matchday are broadcast live plus One game per matchday are broadcast delayed Sunday at 22:00)
Tigo Sports & Tigo Max (Four games per matchday)
Telefuturo (Only emits highlights per matchday)
Paravisión (Only are broadcast live called El Partido del Viernes Friday at 21:00 (K.O 21:10))
TVC Sports 2 (Only are broadcast live Friday at 20:55 (K.O 21:10))
GolTV
TVC Sports
Websitewww.apf.org.py/p/division-de-honor Edit this at Wikidata
Current: 2024 season

The most successful club is Olimpia, with 46 championships. The most recent champions are Libertad, having won the 2024 Apertura tournament. As of 2022, IFFHS ranked the league as the 10th strongest in the world and 3rd in South America.[1]

History

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Liga Paraguaya's first game was played in 1906, after the director of the El Diario newspaper, Don Adolfo Riquelme, brought to his office on 18 June 1906, the representatives of the five existing football teams in Paraguay at that time (Olimpia, Guaraní, Libertad, General Díaz, and Nacional) to create the governing body of football in Paraguay: the Liga Paraguaya de Fútbol (known today as Asociación Paraguaya de Fútbol). The representatives were William Paats and Junio Godoy (Olimpia) Ramón Caballero, Manuel Bella and Salvador Melián (Guaraní), Juan Escalada (Libertad), César Urdapilleta (General Díaz), and Vicente Gadea (Nacional).[2] The Liga Paraguaya saw Club Guaraní as the first champion in 1906, after defeating Olimpia in the final.

The Primera División was founded in 1906 with 5 teams, and turned professional in 1935 when 10 clubs broke away from the amateur leagues to form a professional league. Since 1996 the format of tournament was changed to Torneo Apertura and Clausura, but since 2008 each tournament is independent.

Traditionally, the dominance of Olimpia and Cerro Porteño went mostly unchallenged for decades. All of this changed at the turn of the 21st century. Since then, Libertad has been the most dominant club, while Nacional and Guaraní have also experienced success at the local level.

Format

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The league is currently contested by 12 teams that play home and away games in a round-robin format. The league is traditionally divided into two halves: the Torneo Apertura (Opening Tournament) from February to July, and the Torneo Clausura (Closing Tournament) from July to December.

Relegation is based on an averaging system. At the end of each season, the two teams with the worst three-year averages are relegated, and the two best teams in the "División Intermedia" (second division) are promoted to Primera División.

International cup participation

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Results of the 'Big Five' in the last 6 seasons
Season CCP GUA LIB NAC OLI
2018 2 8 3 4 1
2019 3 4 2 6 1
2020 1 4 3 5 2
2021 1 3 2 5 4
2022 1 5 3 4 2
2023 2 5 1 4 6
Top 3 6 1 6 0 4
Top 5 6 5 6 5 5
out of 6
  Apertura and/or Clausura champions / Copa Libertadores group stage

  Copa Libertadores group stage
  Copa Libertadores qualifying round
  Copa Sudamericana qualifying round

Since 2017, Paraguay have eight slots in international cups (four in the Copa Libertadores de America and four in the Copa Sudamericana). These eight slots will be filled by eight teams.

In the Copa Libertadores, the winner of the Apertura and Clausura tournaments qualify automatically. The third (going into the second round play-off) and fourth (going into the first round play-off) representatives are the best placed non-champion teams from the accumulative table of both the Apertura and Clausura.

In the Copa Sudamericana, the 4th, 5th and 6th best placed teams from the Apertura and Clausura accumulative table qualify for the first stage, alongside the winners of the Copa Paraguay.

Teams

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The following are the teams in the first division in 2024:

Locations of the 2024 Primera División teams
Locations of the 2024 Primera División teams – Asunción
Team City Stadium[i] Capacity
2 de Mayo Pedro Juan Caballero Río Parapití 25,000
Cerro Porteño Asunción General Pablo Rojas 45,000
General Caballero (JLM) Juan León Mallorquín Ka'arendy 10,000
Guaraní Asunción Rogelio Livieres 6,000
Libertad Asunción Tigo La Huerta 10,000
Nacional Asunción Arsenio Erico 4,000
Olimpia Asunción Manuel Ferreira 25,000
Sol de América Villa Elisa Luis Alfonso Giagni 11,000
Sportivo Ameliano Asunción José Tomás Silva 800
Sportivo Luqueño Luque Feliciano Cáceres 23,000
Sportivo Trinidense Asunción Martín Torres 3,000
Tacuary Asunción Toribio Vargas 3,000
Notes
  1. ^ Teams occasionally play home matches at Estadio Defensores del Chaco in Asunción.

List of champions

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Complete list of champions since 1906. Paraguayan football turned professional since the 1935 season.

Ed. Season Champion Runner-up
1
1906 Guaraní (1) Olimpia
2
1907 Guaraní (2) Olimpia
1908
No championship held
3
1909 Nacional (1) Libertad
4
1910 Libertad (1) Atlántida
5
1911 Nacional (2) Atlántida
6
1912 Olimpia (1) Sol de América
7
1913 Cerro Porteño (1) Sol de América
8
1914 Olimpia (2) Cerro Porteño
9
1915 Cerro Porteño (2) Olimpia
10
1916 Olimpia (3) Guaraní
11
1917 Libertad (2) Olimpia
12
1918 Cerro Porteño (3) Nacional
13
1919 Cerro Porteño (4) River Plate
14
1920 Libertad (3) Olimpia
15
1921 Guaraní (3) Nacional
1922
No championship held
16
1923 Guaraní (4) Olimpia
17
1924 Nacional (3) Libertad
18
1925 Olimpia (4) Guaraní
19
1926 Nacional (4) Olimpia
20
1927 Olimpia (5) Libertad
Nacional
21
1928 Olimpia (6) Libertad
22
1929 Olimpia (7) Libertad
23
1930 Libertad (4) River Plate
24
1931 Olimpia (8) Libertad
1932
No championship held due to the Chaco War
1933
1934
25
1935 Cerro Porteño (5) Sol de América
26
1936 Olimpia (9) Atlántida
27
1937 Olimpia (10) Cerro Porteño
28
1938 Olimpia (11) Cerro Porteño
29
1939 Cerro Porteño (6) Olimpia
30
1940 Cerro Porteño (7) Sol de América
31
1941 Cerro Porteño (8) Olimpia
32
1942 Nacional (5) Cerro Porteño
33
1943 Libertad (5) Olimpia
34
1944 Cerro Porteño (9) Libertad
35
1945 Libertad (6) Cerro Porteño
36
1946 Nacional (6) Sol de América
37
1947 Olimpia (12) Guaraní
38
1948 Olimpia (13) Cerro Porteño
39
1949 Guaraní (5) Nacional
40
1950 Cerro Porteño (10) Libertad
41
1951 Sportivo Luqueño (1) Cerro Porteño
42
1952 Presidente Hayes (1) Libertad
Sol de América
43
1953 Sportivo Luqueño (2) Libertad
Cerro Porteño
44
1954 Cerro Porteño (11) Libertad
45
1955 Libertad (7) Olimpia
46
1956 Olimpia (14) Libertad
47
1957 Olimpia (15) Cerro Porteño
Sol de América
Guaraní
48
1958 Olimpia (16) Cerro Porteño
49
1959 Olimpia (17) Cerro Porteño
50
1960 Olimpia (18) Cerro Porteño
51
1961 Cerro Porteño (12) Olimpia
52
1962 Olimpia (19) Nacional
53
1963 Cerro Porteño (13) Olimpia
54
1964 Guaraní (6) Nacional
Cerro Porteño
55
1965 Olimpia (20) Guaraní
56
1966 Cerro Porteño (14) Guaraní
57
1967 Guaraní (7) Libertad
58
1968 Olimpia (21) Cerro Porteño
59
1969 Guaraní (8) Olimpia
60
1970 Cerro Porteño (15) Guaraní
61
1971 Olimpia (22) Cerro Porteño
62
1972 Cerro Porteño (16) Olimpia
63
1973 Cerro Porteño (17) Olimpia
64
1974 Cerro Porteño (18) Olimpia
65
1975 Olimpia (23) Sportivo Luqueño
66
1976 Libertad (8) Cerro Porteño
67
1977 Cerro Porteño (19) Libertad
68
1978 Olimpia (24) Sol de América
69
1979 Olimpia (25) Sol de América
70
1980 Olimpia (26) Cerro Porteño
71
1981 Olimpia (27) Sol de América
72
1982 Olimpia (28) Nacional
73
1983 Olimpia (29) Sportivo Luqueño
74
1984 Guaraní (9) Cerro Porteño
75
1985 Olimpia (30) Nacional
76
1986 Sol de América (1) Olimpia
77
1987 Cerro Porteño (20) Olimpia
78
1988 Olimpia (31) Sol de América
79
1989 Olimpia (32) Guaraní
80
1990 Cerro Porteño (21) Libertad
81
1991 Sol de América (2) Cerro Porteño
82
1992 Cerro Porteño (22) Libertad
83
1993 Olimpia (33) Cerro Porteño
84
1994 Cerro Porteño (23) Olimpia
85
1995 Olimpia (34) Cerro Porteño
86
1996 Cerro Porteño (24) Guaraní
87
1997 Olimpia (35) Cerro Porteño
88
1998 Olimpia (36) Cerro Porteño
89
1999 Olimpia (37) Cerro Porteño
90
2000 Olimpia (38) Guaraní
91
2001 Cerro Porteño (25) Sportivo Luqueño
92
2002 Libertad (9) 12 de Octubre
93
2003 Libertad (10) Guaraní
94
2004 Cerro Porteño (26) Libertad
95
2005 Cerro Porteño (27) Libertad
96
2006 Libertad (11) Cerro Porteño
97
2007 Libertad (12) Sportivo Luqueño
98
2008 Apertura Libertad (13) Nacional
99
Clausura Libertad (14) Guaraní
100
2009 Apertura Cerro Porteño (28) Libertad
101
Clausura Nacional (7) Libertad
102
2010 Apertura Guaraní (10) Cerro Porteño
103
Clausura Libertad (15) Cerro Porteño
104
2011 Apertura Nacional (8) Olimpia
105
Clausura Olimpia (39) Cerro Porteño
106
2012 Apertura Cerro Porteño (29) Olimpia
107
Clausura Libertad (16) Nacional
108
2013 Apertura Nacional (9) Guaraní
109
Clausura Cerro Porteño (30) Libertad
110
2014 Apertura Libertad (17) Guaraní
111
Clausura Libertad (18) Cerro Porteño
112
2015 Apertura Cerro Porteño (31) Guaraní
113
Clausura Olimpia (40) Cerro Porteño
114
2016 Apertura Libertad (19) Olimpia
115
Clausura Guaraní (11) Olimpia
116
2017 Apertura Libertad (20) Guaraní
117
Clausura Cerro Porteño (32) Olimpia
118
2018 Apertura Olimpia (41) Cerro Porteño
119
Clausura Olimpia (42) Cerro Porteño
120
2019 Apertura Olimpia (43) Cerro Porteño
121
Clausura Olimpia (44) Libertad
122
2020 Apertura Cerro Porteño (33) Olimpia
123
Clausura Olimpia (45) Guaraní
124
2021 Apertura Libertad (21) Olimpia
125
Clausura Cerro Porteño (34) Guaraní
126
2022 Apertura Libertad (22) Cerro Porteño
127
Clausura Olimpia (46) Cerro Porteño
128
2023 Apertura Libertad (23) Cerro Porteño
129
Clausura Libertad (24) Cerro Porteño
130
2024 Apertura Libertad (25) Cerro Porteño
131
Clausura

Titles by club

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  • Teams in bold compete in the Primera División as of the 2024 season.
  • Italics indicates clubs that no longer exist or disaffiliated from the APF.
Rank Club Winners Runners-up Winning years Runners-up years
1 Olimpia 46 27 1912, 1914, 1916, 1925, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1931, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1947, 1948, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1962, 1965, 1968, 1971, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2011 Clausura, 2015 Clausura, 2018 Apertura, 2018 Clausura, 2019 Apertura, 2019 Clausura, 2020 Clausura, 2022 Clausura 1906, 1907, 1915, 1917, 1920, 1923, 1926, 1939, 1941, 1943, 1955, 1961, 1963, 1969, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1986, 1987, 1994, 2011 Apertura, 2012 Apertura, 2016 Apertura, 2016 Clausura, 2017 Clausura, 2020 Apertura, 2021 Apertura
2 Cerro Porteño 34 38 1913, 1915, 1918, 1919, 1935, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1944, 1950, 1954, 1961, 1963, 1966, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1977, 1987, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1996, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2009 Apertura, 2012 Apertura, 2013 Clausura, 2015 Apertura, 2017 Clausura, 2020 Apertura, 2021 Clausura 1914, 1937, 1938, 1942, 1945, 1948, 1951, 1953, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1964, 1968, 1971, 1976, 1980, 1984, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2006, 2010 Apertura, 2010 Clausura, 2011 Clausura, 2014 Clausura, 2015 Clausura, 2018 Apertura, 2018 Clausura, 2019 Apertura, 2022 Apertura, 2022 Clausura, 2023 Apertura, 2023 Clausura, 2024 Apertura
3 Libertad 25 22 1910, 1917, 1920, 1930, 1943, 1945, 1955, 1976, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008 Apertura, 2008 Clausura, 2010 Clausura, 2012 Clausura, 2014 Apertura, 2014 Clausura, 2016 Apertura, 2017 Apertura, 2021 Apertura, 2022 Apertura, 2023 Apertura, 2023 Clausura, 2024 Apertura 1909, 1924, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1931, 1944, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1956, 1967, 1977, 1990, 1992, 2004, 2005, 2009 Apertura, 2009 Clausura, 2013 Clausura, 2019 Clausura
4 Guaraní 11 18 1906, 1907, 1921, 1923, 1949, 1964, 1967, 1969, 1984, 2010 Apertura, 2016 Clausura 1916, 1925, 1947, 1957, 1965, 1966, 1970, 1989, 1996, 2000, 2003, 2008 Clausura, 2013 Apertura, 2014 Apertura, 2015 Apertura, 2017 Apertura, 2020 Clausura, 2021 Clausura
5 Nacional 9 10 1909, 1911, 1924, 1926, 1942, 1946, 2009 Clausura, 2011 Apertura, 2013 Apertura 1918, 1921, 1927, 1949, 1962, 1964, 1982, 1985, 2008 Apertura, 2012 Clausura
6 Sol de América 2 11 1986, 1991 1912, 1913, 1935, 1940, 1946, 1952, 1957, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1988
Sportivo Luqueño 2 4 1951, 1953 1975, 1983, 2001, 2007
8 Presidente Hayes 1 1952  —
River Plate 3 1919, 1926, 1930
Atlántida 3 1910, 1911, 1936
12 de Octubre 1 2002

Topscorers

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Sponsors

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Main sponsors

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Current official sponsors

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Former official sponsors

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Media coverage

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See also

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References

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