The 2023–24 Primera División de El Salvador, also known as the Liga Pepsi, was the 25th season and 48th and 49th Primera División tournament, El Salvador's top football division, since its establishment of an Apertura and Clausura format. FAS are the defending champions of the Apertura tournament. There was no Clausura champion as the season was cancelled due to Cuscatlan Tragedy. The league will consist of 12 teams. There will be two seasons conducted under identical rules, with each team playing a home and away game against the other clubs for a total of 22 games per tournament. At the end of each half-season tournament, the top six teams in that tournament's regular season standings will take part in the playoffs.
The champions of Apertura and Clausura will qualify for the CONCACAF Central American Cup, the third team to qualify is the team with better aggregate record. Should the same team win both tournaments, both runners-up will qualify for CONCACAF Central American Cup. Should the final of both tournaments features the same two teams, the semi-finalist with the better aggregate record will qualify for CONCACAF Central American Cup.
Teams
Promotion and relegation
A total of 12 teams will contest the league, including 11 sides from the 2022–23 Primera División and 1 promoted from the 2022–23 Segunda División.
Fuerte San Francisco was promoted to the Primera División on June 25, 2023, after defeating Titan in a playoff match by a score of 3–0 in penalties, after the team were tied 0–0 after 120 minutes.
Chalatenango was relegated to the 2023–24 Segunda División.
Notable events
Municipal Limeno purchase of Atletico Marte spot in the Primera Division On the 26th of June, 2023 Municipal Limeño acquired the spot of the historic team Atletico Marte in the Primera division. This ended 3 years of Atletico Marte being in the Primera division.
Notable death from Apertura 2023 season and 2024 Clausura season The following people associated with the Primera Division have died between the middle of 2022 and middle of 2023.
Jorge Roldán (ex Guatemalan Once Municipal and Platense coach) José Sulantay (ex Chilean UES and Atletico Marte player) Joaquin Santana Palma (ex Sonsonate and Juventud Olimpico Metalio player) Juan Jose Polio (Ex Aguila player) Hernán Carrasco (ex Chilean Alianza, Atletico Marte, FAS, Aguila, LA Firpo, Municipal Limeno, Excélsior F.C. coach) Eduardo Santana (ex Brazilian Aguila player) Jorge Búcaro (ex Aguila, Alianza, FAS and Platense player) Jose Luis Bracamonte (ex Alianza, Quequeisque and Platense player) Geovany Zetino (ex San Luis player) Pedro Jose Vasquez (ex Sonsonate, Quequeisque and ADLER player) Carlos Jurado (ex Uruguayan Atletico Marte and Alianza coach) Alexsander Rodríguez (ex Chalatenango coach) Mario “Pulga” Nájera (ex FAS player) Efrain Nunez (Ex hondurian player Fuerte San Francisco and Ex Vista Hermosa coach Didier Castro (ex Costa Rican Dragon and El Roble coach)
Managerial changes
Before the start of the season
TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyReplaced byDate of appointmentPosition in table Aguila Sebastián Bini Contract finished, Hired as Municipal new coach May 27, 2023 Ernesto Corti May 27, 2023 th (2023 Clausura) Santa Tecla Ernesto Corti Mutual Consent, went on to become Aguila new coach May 27, 2023 Francisco Medrano July 15, 2023 th (2023 Clausura) FAS Efren Marenco Mutual Consent, Moved to be reserve coach June 1, 2023 Raúl Arias June 8, 2023 th (2023 Clausura) Jocoro Víctor Coreas Mutual Consent June 21, 2023 Agustin Castillo June 22, 2023 th (2023 Clausura) Alianza Eduardo Lara Mutual Consent June 27, 2023 Milton Meléndez June 28, 2023 th (2023 Clausura) Municipal Limeno José Romero Mutual Consent June 21, 2023 Jorge Ernesto Pineda June 22, 2023 None (2023 Clausura)
During the Apertura season
TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyReplaced byDate of appointmentPosition in table Municipal Limeno Jorge Pineda Mutual Consent August 24, 2023 Nelson Ancheta August 25, 2023 th (2023 Apertura) Municipal Limeno Nelson Ancheta Resigned October 17, 2023 Abel Flores (Interim) October, 2023 9th (2023 Apertura) Platense Juan Cortés Diéguez Resigned October 23, 2023 Jorge Abrego October 25, 2023 11th (2023 Apertura) Santa Tecla Francisco Medrano Resigned October 23, 2023 Juan Ramón Sánchez October 25, 2023 12th (2023 Apertura) Fuerte San Francisco Pablo Quiñones Sacked November 15, 2023 Jesús Álvarez (Interim) November, 2023 8th (2023 Apertura)
Between the Apertura and Clausura season
TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyReplaced byDate of appointmentPosition in table Municipal Limeno Abel Flores (Interim) End of Interimship December 11, 2023 William Renderos December 11, 2023 9th (2023 Apertura) Dragon Marvín Benitez Mutual consent December 21, 2023 Manuel Acevedo December 24, 2024 7th (2023 Apertura) Isidro Metapán Jorge Rodríguez Resigned December 23, 2023 Julio Zamora December 28, 2024 8th (2023 Apertura) Alianza Milton Meléndez Moved to become director of sports December 29, 2023 Jorge Rodríguez December 29, 2023 4th (2023 Apertura) LA Firpo Guillermo Rivera Mutual consent December 2023 Gabriel Álvarez January, 2024 3rd (2023 Apertura) Fuerte San Francisco Jesús Álvarez End of interimship January 4, 2024 Fabio Gaston Larramendi January 4, 2024 5th (2023 Apertura)
Clausura seasons
TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyReplaced byDate of appointmentPosition in table Fuerte San Francisco Fabio Gaston Larramendi Sacked February 8, 2024 Nelson Ancheta February 9, 2024 11th (2024 Clausura) Jocoro Agustin Castillo Mutual Consent February 12, 2024 Carlos Romero February 13, 2024 12th (2024 Clausura) Jocoro Carlos Romero Resigned March 24, 2024 Marvin Hernandez (Interim) March 25, 2024 12th (2024 Clausura) Santa Tecla Juan Ramón Sánchez Sacked March 28, 2024 Francisco Medrano March 28, 2024 th (2024 Clausura) FAS Raúl Arias Mutual Consent April 12, 2024 Richard Preza April 13, 2024 th (2024 Clausura) Isidro Metapan Julio Zamora Mutual Consent April 19, 2024 Carlos Martinez (Interim) April 22, 2024 th (2024 Clausura)
Apertura League table
Apertura 2023 Records Records Best home records: Aguila (24 points out of 33 points) Worst home records: Santa Tecla and Platense (7 points out of 33 points) Best away records : Aguila and FAS (20 points out of 33 points) Worst away records : Santa Tecla (4 points out of 33 points) Most goals scored: Dragón (40 goals) Fewest goals scored: Platense (19 goals) Fewest goals conceded : Alianza (20 goals) Most goals conceded : Platense (44 goals)
Scoring First goal of the season: Santos Ortiz for Aguila against Santa Tecla, 22 minutes (August 14, 2023) First goal by a foreign player: Jomal Williams for Once Deportivo against Platense, 76th minutes (August 14, 2023) Fastest goal in a match: 23 Seconds Yerson Tobar for Alianza against Santa Tecla (October 23, 2023) Goal scored at the latest goal in a match: 94 minutes Lizandro Claros goal for LA Firpo against Jocoro (August 20, 2023) Roberto Gonzalez for Once Deportivo against Fuerte San Francisco (August 21, 2023) First penalty Kick of the season: Rodolfo Zelaya for Alianza against FAS, 7th minutes (August 19, 2023) Widest winning margin: 4 goals Aguila 5–1 Dragon (August 20, 2023) First hat-trick of the season: Carlos Salazar for Aguila against Dragon (August 21, 2023) First own goal of the season: Ivan Mancia (Alianza) for Fuerte San Francisco (October 7, 2023) Most goals in a match: 8 goals Alianza 5-3 FAS (August 19, 2023) Most goals by one team in a match: 5 goals Alianza 5-3 FAS (August 19, 2023) Aguila 5–1 Dragon (August 21, 2023) Most goals in one half by one team: 4 goals Alianza 5-0 (5–3) FAS (1st half, August 19, 2023) Most goals scored by losing team: 3 goals FAS 3–5 Alianza (August 19, 2023) Most goals by one player in a single match: 4 goals Carlos Salazar for Aguila against Dragon (August 21, 2023) Players that scored a hat-trick': Carlos Salazar for Aguila against Dragon (August 21, 2023) Duvier Riascos for Aguila against Isidro Metapan (September 10, 2023)
Top Goalscorer (Apertura 2023) No. Player Club Goals 1 Carlos Salazar Aguila 15 2 German Aguila Jocoro 15 3 Luis Ángel Landín Municipal Limeno 13 4 Jhon Montano Dragon 11 5 Javier Ferman Dragon 10 6 Sebastián Julio LA Firpo 10 7 Nicolas Gonzalez Fuerte San Francisco 9 8 Duvier Riascos Aguila 9 9 Emerson Mauricio Alianza 8 10 Mateus Ramos LA Firpo 7 10 Kevin Reyes FAS 7
Playoffs Quarterfinals First legs
Second legs
Alianza won 5-1 on Aggregate
Dragon won 2-1 on Aggregate
Jocoro won 2-1 on Aggregate
Aguila won 1-0 on aggregate
Semifinals First legs
Second legs
Jocoro won 6-2 on aggregate
Aguila won 3-2 on aggregate
Final
Aguila GK 1 Rafael GarciaDF 16 Kevin MelaraDF 2 Julio SibrianDF 28 Ronald RodriguezDF 20 Carlos Pimentia MF 12 Santos Ortiz MF 24 Darwin CerenMF 10 Gerson Mayen MF 14 Melvin CartagenaFW 21 Carlos Salazar FW 8 Lucas Ventura Substitutes:MF 5 Tomas Granitto MF 6 Dixon Rivas DF 27 Herberth Diaz FW 7 Duvier Riascos Manager: Ernesto Corti
Jocoro GK 1 Danilo JoyaDF 6 Johnathan QuintanillaDF 23 Nelson Moreno DF 19 Elvis ClarosDF 11 Elmer GuityMF 10 Luis Acuna MF 12 Emmanuel Hernandez MF 14 Wilson Rugamas MF 10 Lester Blanco FW 17 Junior Padilla FW 9 German Aguila Substitutes:MF 7 Herbert Sosa MF '22 Joel Turcios MF 16 Juan Carlos Argueta DF 4 Orlando Martinez Manager: Agustin Castillo
Clausura League table
Clausura 2024 Records Records Best home records: TBD (00 points out of 33 points) Worst home records: TBD (0 points out of 33 points) Best away records : TBD (00 points out of 33 points) Worst away records : TBD (0 points out of 33 points) Most goals scored: LA Firpo (47 goals) Fewest goals scored: Jocoro (13 goals) Fewest goals conceded : Alianza (13 goals) Most goals conceded : Jocoro (44 goals)
Scoring First goal of the season: Yair Delgadillo for Limeno against Santa Tecla, 20 minutes (January 14, 2024) First goal by a foreign player: Yair Delgadillo for Limeno against Santa Tecla, 20 minutes (January 14, 2024) Fastest goal in a match: 29 seconds Ányelo Rodríguez for Alianza against Aguila (March 30, 2024) Goal scored at the latest goal in a match: 100 minutes Matheus da Silva goal for LA Firpo against Santa Tecla (March 10, 2024) First penalty Kick of the season: Diego Chavez for Once Deportivo against Alianza, 80th minutes (January 15, 2024) Widest winning margin: 5 goals Municipal Limeno 5-0 Platense (January 25, 2024) First hat-trick of the season: Mateus da Silva for LA Firpo against Santa Tecla (March 10, 2024) First own goal of the season: Johnathon Nolasco (FAS) for Once Deportivo (March 10, 2024) Most goals in a match: 8 goals Alianza 5-3 FAS (August 19, 2023) Most goals by one team in a match: 6 goals Alianza 6-1 Dragon (April 24, 2024) Most goals in one half by one team: 3 goals Municipal Limeno 3-0 (5–0) Platense (January 25, 2024) Most goals scored by losing team: 3 goals TBD 3–5 TBD (August 19, 2023) Most goals by one player in a single match: 3 goals Mateus da Silva for LA Firpo against Santa Tecla (March 10, 2024) Players that scored a hat-trick': Mateus da Silva for LA Firpo against Santa Tecla (March 10, 2024) Yair Delgadillo for Limeno against Santa Tecla (March 24, 2024) Bryan Paz for Fuerte San Francisco against Platense (April 15, 2024) Sebastian Julio for Alianza against Dragon (April 24, 2024) Steven Vasquez for LA Firpo against Jocoro (May 2, 2024)
Top Goalscorer (Clausura 2024) No. Player Club Goals 1 Styven Vásquez LA Firpo 15 2 Yair Delgadillo Municipal Limeno 14 3 Sebastian Julio Alianza 10 4 Isaac Esquivel Isidro Metapan 8 5 Rafael Tejada FAS 7 6 Daniel Arevalo Platense 6 7 Mateus da Silva LA Firpo 6 8 Manuel Murillo Dragon 6 9 Bryan Paz Aguila 6 10 Carlos Salazar Aguila 6
Playoffs Quarterfinals First legs