The 2016–17 season in Primera División de Nicaragua will be divided into two tournaments (Apertura and Clausura) and will determine the 69th and 70th champions in the history of the league. The Apertura tournament will be played in the second half of 2016, while the Clausura will be played in the first half of 2017.

Format The Apertura play-off format was changed from previous years, while the Clausura will use the same 4-team play-off format. For the Apertura, the top four teams from the regular stage advanced to a "quadrangular" double-round robin instead of a play-off stage. The regular stage and quadrangular winners would have played to decide the tournament's champion, but ultimately the same team won both and the final was not necessary. The same format was recently adopted by the Costa Rican Primera División, but for both half season.

Teams

A total of 10 teams will contest the league, including 8 sides from the 2015–16 season and one sids directly promoted from the 2015–16 Segunda division. The final participant will be determined in a two-legged play-off, in which the 9th placed Primera division side ART Jalapa will play the team who finished second in Segunda division which was Sebaco. Sebaco won 4-3 on aggregate over ART Jalapa which meant they were promoted in the Primera Division.

Deportivo Sebaco (Runner-up of the Segunda Division) Diriangén FC Juventus Managua Managua F.C. Nandasmo F.C. (Winner of the Segunda Division) Real Madriz Real Estelí F.C. UNAN Managua Chinandega FC Deportivo Walter Ferretti

Promotion and relegation At the end of the 2015–16, Nandasmo F.C. and Deportivo Sebaco was promoted to Primera Division At the end of the 2015–16, Deportivo Ocotal and ART Jalapa was relegated to Segunda Division.

Apertura

Personnel and sponsoring (2016 Apertura)

Team Manager Captain Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsorDiriangén FC Tyron Acevedo Jason Coronel Joma ClaroChinandega FC Reyna Espinoza Léster Espinoza TBD TBDJuventus Managua Javier Londoño Marlon Medina TBD TBDManagua F.C. Luis Fernando Fallas Norfran Lazo TBD TBDNandasmo F.C. Marcos Bodán Alfredo Pérez TBD TBDReal Madriz Sindulio Castellanos Alvaro Bermúdez TBD TBDReal Estelí F.C. Ramón Otoniel Olivas Elmer Mejia Galaxia Movistar, La CuraçaoDeportivo Sebaco Óscar Castillo Joel Rivera TBD TBDUNAN Managua Edward Urroz Jonathan Donado Joma UNAN ManaguaDeportivo Walter Ferretti Flavio Da Silva Denis Espinoza Grama Claro, Disnorte Dissur

Managerial changes

Before the season Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Replaced by Date of appointment Diriangén FC Jose Luis Rugamas Resigned 2016 Tyron Acevedo 2016 Juventus Managua Douglas Urbina Contract finished 2016 Javier Londoño 2016 Managua F.C. Flavio Da Silva Resigned 2016 Amleto Bonaccorso 2016 Deportivo Walter Ferretti José Valladares Contract finished 2016 Flavio Da Silva 2016

During the season Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Replaced by Date of appointment Managua F.C. Amleto Bonaccorso Resigned August 2016 Jack Galindo August 2016 Managua F.C. Jack Galindo Interim finished September 2016 Luis Fernando Fallas September 2016

Regular season The regular season began on 2016. The top four finishers will move on to the next stage of the competition.

Scoring First goal of the season: Rodrigo Valiente for Deportivo Walter Ferretti against UNAN Managua, 51 minutes (6 August 2016) First goal by a foreign player: Rodrigo Valiente for Deportivo Walter Ferretti against UNAN Managua, 51 minutes (6 August 2016) Fastest goal in a match: 2 minutes Remy Vanegas for Diriangen FC against Nandasmo F.C. (28 September 2016) Goal scored at the latest point in a match: 93 minutes Anderson Acosta for Deportivo Sebaco against Chinandega FC (17 August 2016) First penalty Kick of the season: Rodrigo Valiente for Deportivo Walter Ferretti against UNAN Managua, 51 minutes (6 August 2016) Widest winning margin: 10 goals Juventus Managua 10–0 Nandasmo F.C. (26 October 2016) First hat-trick of the season: Rudel Calero for Real Estelí F.C. against Nandasmo F.C. (21 September 2016) First own goal of the season: Felix Rodriguez for UNAN Managua against Deportivo Walter Ferretti (21 September 2016) Most goals in a match: 11 goals Real Madriz 8–3 Nandasmo F.C. (4 September 2016) Most goals by one team in a match: 10 goals Juventus Managua 10–0 Nandasmo F.C. (26 October 2016) Most goals in one half by one team: 7 goals Juventus Managua 10–0 Nandasmo F.C. (26 October 2016) Most goals scored by losing team: 3 goals Real Madriz 8–3 Nandasmo F.C. (4 September 2016) Most goals by one player in a single match: 4 goals Rudel Calero for Real Estelí F.C. against Nandasmo F.C. (21 September 2016)

Standings

Results

Positions by round

Championship group

Standings

Results

List of foreign players in the league This is a list of foreign players in Apertura 2016. The following players: have played at least one apertura game for the respective club. have not been capped for the Nicaragua national football team on any level, independently from the birthplace

A new rule was introduced this year, that clubs can only have five foreign players in a squad.

Chinandega ✔ Marlon Barrios Bryan Cañate Richard Junior Charris Johan Hurtado Yosimar Rivera Christian Izaguirre

Diriangén ✔ Lucas Martella Rafael Vieira Erick Alcázar Armando Valdéz Caicedo Leonel Escoto

Juventus Managua ✔ Jose Pereira da Silva Jorge Betancur Deybran Blanco Juan Esteban Ospina Juan Diego Uribe

Managua ✔ Christiano da Lima Marlon Barrios Darwing Güity Arán Pazos Balado Genlis Piñero

Nandasmo Cristian Ortega Willer Alexander Rodriguez

(player released mid season)

Real Estelí ✔ Juan Berdún Jonatas Ribeiro Maycon Santana Jonathan Mosquera Emilio López Gregorio Torres

Real Madriz ✔ Eduardo Salas Marel Steven Álvarez Luis Valladarez Edward Morillo Karim Nasser

Sebaco Evaristo González Bryan Leal Andrés Solarte

UNAN Managua ✔ Jonathan Donado Luis Fernándo González John Hernandez Rodrigo Hernandez Renan Lalin

Walter Ferretti ✔ Robinson Luiz da Silva Pedro Augusto dos Santos Sousa Allan Gutiérrez Bernardo Laureiro Rodrigo Valiente

Top goalscorers RankGoalscorerTeamGoals1 Edward MorilloReal Madriz122 Gregorio TorresReal Estelí113 Daniel ReyesUNAN Managua94 Norfran LazoManagua85 Samuel WilsonReal Estelí86 Luis GaleanoReal Estelí77 Edwin HerreraReal Madriz78 Remy VanegasDiriangén79 John HernandezUNAN Managua610 Alejandro RuizNandasmo6

Clausura

Personnel and sponsoring (2017 Clausura)

Team Manager Captain Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsorDiriangén FC Tyron Acevedo Jason Coronel Joma ClaroChinandega FC Reyna Espinoza Léster Espinoza TBD TBDJuventus Managua Javier Londoño Marlon Medina Grama TBDManagua F.C. Emilio Aburto Norfran Lazo TBD TBDNandasmo F.C. Marcos Bodán Alejandro Ruiz TBD TBDReal Madriz Sindulio Castellanos Alvaro Bermúdez TBD TBDReal Estelí F.C. Ramón Otoniel Olivas Manuel Rosas Kappa Movistar, La CuraçaoDeportivo Sebaco Emiliano Barrera Joel Rivera TBD TBDUNAN Managua Edward Urroz David Solórzano Joma UNAN ManaguaDeportivo Walter Ferretti Flavio Da Silva Denis Espinoza Grama Claro, Disnorte Dissur

Managerial changes

Before the season Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Replaced by Date of appointment Managua F.C. Luis Fernando Fallas Resigned November 2016 Jack Galindo November 2016 Deportivo Sebaco Óscar Castillo Resigned November 2016 Emiliano Barrera November 2016

During the season Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Replaced by Date of appointment Managua F.C. Jack Galindo Sacked February 2017 Emilio Aburto February 2017

Regular season The regular season began on 2017. The top four finishers will move on to the next stage of the competition.

Scoring First goal of the season: Bismarck Montiel for Managua F.C. against UNAN Managua, 29 minutes (27 January 2017) First goal by a foreign player: Luis Martínez Rangel for UNAN Managua against Managua F.C., 64 minutes (27 January 2017) Fastest goal in a match: 2 minutes Alexis Chavez for Juventus Managua against Managua F.C. (3 February 2017) Goal scored at the latest point in a match: 94 minutes Alonso Umaña for Chinandega FC against Deportivo Walter Ferretti (11 March 2017) First Penalty kick of the season: Bismarck Montiel for Managua F.C. against UNAN Managua, 29 minutes (27 January 2017) Widest winning margin: 8 goals UNAN Managua 10–2 Nandasmo F.C. (8 March 2017) First hat-trick of the season: Gregorio Torres for Real Estelí F.C. against Nandasmo F.C. (11 February 2017) First own goal of the season: Juan Narváez for Diriangén FC against Deportivo Walter Ferretti (12 February 2017) Most goals in a match: 12 goals UNAN Managua 10–2 Nandasmo F.C. (8 March 2017) Most goals by one team in a match: 10 goals UNAN Managua 10–2 Nandasmo F.C. (8 March 2017) Most goals in one half by one team: 6 goals UNAN Managua 10–2 Nandasmo F.C. (8 March 2017) Most goals scored by losing team: 2 goals UNAN Managua 10–2 Nandasmo F.C. (8 March 2017) Most goals by one player in a single match: 4 goals Daniel Reyes for UNAN Managua against Nandasmo F.C. (8 March 2017)

Standings

Results

Positions by round

Playoffs

Semi-finals

Finals

List of foreign players in the league This is a list of foreign players in Clausura 2017. The following players: have played at least one apertura game for the respective club. have not been capped for the Nicaragua national football team on any level, independently from the birthplace

A new rule was introduced this year, that clubs can only have five foreign players in a squad.

Chinandega ✔ Erwin Cabrera Bryan Cañate Yosimar Rivera Alonso Umaña Christian Izaguirre

Diriangén Erick Alcázar Miguel Estrada Armando Valdéz Caicedo Arlis Andino

Juventus Managua Deybran Blanco Juan Esteban Ospina Juan Diego Uribe Kenneth Carvajal

Managua Christiano da Lima Thiago Lima da Silva Marlon Barrios Francisco Miranda

Nandasmo Cristian Ortega Camilo Quiñonez Willer Alexander Rodriguez Yilmar Salas

(player released mid season)

Real Estelí ✔ José Vagno Fontes dos Santos Vitinho Gerardo Aguilar Juan Carlos López Gregorio Torres

Real Madriz ✔ Marel Steven Álvarez Grodbin Antonio Benítez Aguilar Edwin Castro Luis Valladarez Edward Morillo

Sebaco ✔ Rodrigo de Brito Axel Oyeras Juan Sánchez Jorge Darío Florentín Miguel Leonardo Sosa González

UNAN Managua ✔ Rodrigo Hernández Óscar Palomino Renan Lalin Luis Martínez Rangel Ever Benítez

Walter Ferretti ✔ Robinson Luiz da Silva Pedro Augusto dos Santos Sousa Eder Munive Allan Gutiérrez Bernardo Laureiro

Top goalscorers RankGoalscorerTeamGoals1 Gregorio TorresReal Estelí122 Edwin CastroReal Madriz63 Anderson AcostaSebaco5= Yosimar RiveraChinandega55 Erick Alcazar Diriangén4= Arlis AndinoDiriangén4= Léster BonillaChinandega4= Bernardo LaureiroWalter Ferretti4= Luis Martínez RangelUNAN Managua4= Daniel ReyesUNAN Managua4

Championship playoff As the winners of both the Apertura and Clausura tournaments, Real Estelí were declared the season champions without a playoff. It is their 14th league title.

Aggregate table

Relegation playoff The ninth place team in the aggregate table, Sebaco, played a two-leg playoff against the second place team from the Segunda División de Nicaragua, San Francisco, for one spot in next season's Primera División.

San Francisco won 3-2 on aggregate and are promoted to the Primera División. Sebaco are relegated to the Segunda División.

External links https://int.soccerway.com/national/nicaragua/1a-division/2015-2016/apertura/