How does the Argentine Championship work? Understand the format of the 2025 season of the Professional League
Understand what the Argentine Championship will be like in 2025: two tournaments per year, 30 clubs, classics with reversed home teams, two relegations and games throughout the year. Check out the new format!
SOUTH AMÉRICA
The Argentine Football Association (AFA) has launched a major overhaul of the La Liga Profesional for the 2025 season, bringing a new structure to the Argentine First Division. This year’s competition is already underway and features 30 clubs – that’s right, thirty! The season will be split into two separate tournaments – a change that the AFA says will ensure exciting matches, classic rivalries and decisive games throughout the 12 months.
First half of the year: Group stage and knockout format
In the first half of 2025, the tournament will be structured as follows:
Two groups (zones) with 15 teams each;
14 matches in each group;
1 interzonal rivalry match, where each club faces its traditional rival from the opposite group;
1 additional interzonal match, selected at random, but not a derby;
The final phase includes the round of 16, quarterfinals and semifinals — all played as single matches at the home ground of the higher-ranked team;
The final will be held on neutral ground.
Second half of the year: Matches reversed for greater competitive fairness
The second tournament will take place in the second half of the year and will follow the same format, but with home and away matches reversed. This means that clubs that played at home in the first half of the year will now play away — and vice versa. This is all to ensure fairness in the derby clashes, allowing each club to host and visit their rivals once a year.
Total Number of Matches and Football Calendar for the Entire Year
Each club is guaranteed to play a minimum of 32 matches per season, not counting the knockout stages. With this new calendar, Argentine football aims to maintain interest throughout the year, offering better planning for:
Clubs and coaching staff
Fans and supporters
TV networks and streaming platforms
Sponsors and advertisers
All competitions, regardless of structure, will be officially called "Torneos".
Start dates:
First Tournament: January 23, 2025
Second Tournament: July 10 or 11, 2025
Relegation and Promotion: How It Will Work in 2025
The 2025 season will feature two relegated clubs:
One team will be relegated based on the average points system (promedios); the other will be relegated based on the overall season table.
The last-placed team in each ranking will be relegated to the Primera Nacional, Argentina's second division. On the other hand, two Primera Nacional clubs will be promoted to the top division in the 2026 season — keeping the total number of teams in the Professional League at 30.
