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 12 December 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). 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. The round was rescheduled for between 2 and 4 May 2026.
Belgrano won their first national league championship on 24 May 2026, after defeating River Plate 3–2 in the Torneo Apertura Final. 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.
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.
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.
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.
Club information Stadia and locations
ClubCityStadiumCapacity Aldosivi Mar del Plata José María Minella 35,180 Argentinos Juniors Buenos Aires Diego Armando Maradona 25,000 Atlético Tucumán Tucumán Monumental José Fierro 32,700 Banfield Banfield Florencio Sola 21,820 Barracas Central Buenos Aires Claudio "Chiqui" Tapia4,400 Belgrano Córdoba Julio César Villagra 30,000 Boca Juniors Buenos Aires La Bombonera 54,000 Central Córdoba (SdE) Santiago del Estero Único Madre de Ciudades 34,000 Alfredo Terrera 16,000 Defensa y Justicia Florencio Varela Norberto "Tito" Tomaghello 12,000 Deportivo Riestra Buenos Aires Guillermo Laza 3,000 Estudiantes (LP) La Plata Jorge Luis Hirschi 30,000 Estudiantes (RC) Río Cuarto Ciudad de Río Cuarto Antonio Candini 12,000 Gimnasia y Esgrima (LP) La Plata Juan Carmelo Zerillo 26,544 Gimnasia y Esgrima (M) Mendoza Víctor Legrotaglie 11,000 Huracán Buenos Aires Tomás Adolfo Ducó 48,314 Independiente Avellaneda Libertadores de América - Ricardo Enrique Bochini 52,853 Independiente Rivadavia Mendoza Bautista Gargantini 24,000 Instituto Córdoba Juan Domingo Perón 26,535 Lanús Lanús Ciudad de Lanús - Néstor Díaz Pérez 47,090 Newell's Old Boys Rosario Marcelo Bielsa 38,095 Platense Florida Este Ciudad de Vicente López 22,530 Racing Avellaneda El Cilindro 55,880 River Plate Buenos Aires Monumental 83,196 Rosario Central Rosario Gigante de Arroyito 41,654 San Lorenzo Buenos Aires Pedro Bidegain 39,494 Sarmiento (J) Junín Eva Perón 19,000 Talleres (C) Córdoba Mario Alberto Kempes 57,000 Tigre Victoria José Dellagiovanna 26,282 Unión Santa Fe 15 de Abril 22,852 Vélez Sarsfield Buenos Aires José Amalfitani 49,540
Personnel and sponsoring ClubManagerKit manufacturerShirt sponsors (front)Other sponsors Aldosivi Javier Sanguinetti Kappa Rapicuotas Argentinos Juniors Nicolás Diez Umbro Mr. Bet Atlético Tucumán Julio César Falcioni Kappa Caja Popular de Ahorros Banfield Pedro Troglio Macron Rapicuotas Barracas Central Damián Ayude Retiel None Belgrano Ricardo Zielinski Umbro Banco Macro Boca Juniors Rodolfo Arruabarrena Adidas Betsson Central Córdoba (SdE) Sebastián Domínguez Adhoc Banco Santiago del Estero Defensa y Justicia Julio Vaccari KDY Rapicuotas Deportivo Riestra Guillermo Duró Adidas Speed Unlimited Estudiantes (LP) Alexander Medina RUGE Banco Supervielle Estudiantes (RC) Rubén Forestello IFK Sports Nobis Medical Gimnasia y Esgrima (LP) Ariel Pereyra Givova Correo OCA Gimnasia y Esgrima (M) Darío Franco Mitre Banco Macro Huracán Diego Martínez Kappa Mr. Bet Independiente Jadson Viera Puma Sports.bet.ar Independiente Rivadavia Alfredo Berti AIFIT Sports.bet.ar Instituto Diego Flores Givova Banco Macro Lanús Mauricio Pellegrino Umbro Mapei Newell's Old Boys Frank Kudelka AIFIT City Center Online Platense Martín Palermo Puma Planes ESCO Racing Sebastián Romero (caretaker) Nike Betsson River Plate Leonardo Ponzio (caretaker) Adidas Betano Rosario Central Jorge Almirón Le Coq Sportif City Center Online San Lorenzo Rubén Darío Insúa Atomik Casino Buenos Aires Online Sarmiento (J) Facundo Sava KION Naldo Digital Talleres (C) Omar De Felippe Le Coq Sportif Holcim Tigre Diego Dabove Kappa Banco Macro Unión Leonardo Madelón Givova OSPAT Vélez Sarsfield Guillermo Barros Schelotto Macron Saphirus
Managerial changes Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Positionin table Replaced by Date of appointment Newell's Old Boys Lucas Bernardi End of caretaker spell 16 November 2025 Pre-season Sergio Gómez 19 December 2025 Platense Guillermo Báez 17 November 2025 Walter Zunino 24 November 2025 Huracán Frank Kudelka End of contract 18 November 2025 Diego Martínez 3 December 2025 Central Córdoba (SdE) Omar De Felippe 1 December 2025 Lucas Pusineri 5 December 2025 Rosario Central Ariel Holan 11 December 2025 Jorge Almirón 15 December 2025 Torneo Apertura changes Instituto Daniel Oldrá Mutual agreement 26 January 2026 15th Zone A Diego Flores 12 February 2026 Estudiantes (LP) Eduardo Domínguez Signed by Atlético Mineiro 20 February 2026 1st Zone A Alexander Medina 23 February 2026 Newell's Old Boys Favio Orsi and Sergio Gómez Sacked 21 February 2026 15th Zone A Frank Kudelka 26 February 2026 Atlético Tucumán Hugo Colace 25 February 2026 12th Zone B Julio César Falcioni 4 March 2026 River Plate Marcelo Gallardo Resigned 26 February 2026 5th Zone B Eduardo Coudet 4 March 2026 Estudiantes (RC) Iván Delfino Sacked 13 March 2026 15th Zone B Gerardo Acuña 14 March 2026 San Lorenzo Damián Ayude 17 March 2026 9th Zone A Gustavo Álvarez 22 March 2026 Aldosivi Guillermo Farré 17 March 2026 14th Zone B Israel Damonte 26 March 2026 Gimnasia y Esgrima (M) Ariel Broggi Mutual agreement 23 March 2026 13th Zone A Darío Franco 28 March 2026 Deportivo Riestra Gustavo Benítez 4 April 2026 14th Zone A Guillermo Duró 5 April 2026 Gimnasia y Esgrima (LP) Fernando Zaniratto Sacked 6 April 2026 11th Zone B Ariel Pereyra 7 April 2026 Inter-tournament changes Estudiantes (RC) Gerardo Acuña End of caretaker spell 6 May 2026 N/A Rubén Forestello 22 May 2026 Defensa y Justicia Mariano Soso Resigned 11 May 2026 Julio Vaccari 24 May 2026 Talleres (C) Carlos Tevez End of contract 13 May 2026 Jorge Sampaoli 10 June 2026 Racing Gustavo Costas Sacked 23 May 2026 Juan Pablo Vojvoda 22 June 2026 Boca Juniors Claudio Úbeda End of contract 28 May 2026 Rodolfo Arruabarrena 18 June 2026 Barracas Central Rubén Darío Insúa Mutual agreement 13 June 2026 Damián Ayude 20 June 2026 San Lorenzo Gustavo Álvarez Resigned 22 June 2026 Néstor Gorosito 3 July 2026 Central Córdoba (SdE) Lucas Pusineri 16 July 2026 Sebastián Domínguez 26 July 2026 Torneo Clausura changes Platense Walter Zunino Mutual agreement 4 August 2026 15th Zone A Martín Palermo 5 August 2026 Independiente Gustavo Quinteros Sacked 13 August 2026 7th Zone A Jadson Viera 15 August 2026 River Plate Eduardo Coudet Resigned 27 August 2026 14th Zone B Leonardo Ponzio 27 August 2026 Aldosivi Israel Damonte 27 August 2026 15th Zone B Javier Sanguinetti 3 September 2026 Talleres (C) Jorge Sampaoli 30 August 2026 15th Zone A Omar De Felippe 1 September 2026 San Lorenzo Néstor Gorosito Mutual agreement 1 September 2026 14th Zone A Rubén Darío Insúa 7 September 2026 Racing Juan Pablo Vojvoda 28 September 2026 14th Zone B Sebastián Romero 29 September 2026
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. 10. Sebastián Romero was interim manager in the 2026 Copa Sudamericana Group E 6th round. 11. Matías Villavicencio was interim manager in the Torneo Clausura 1st round. 12. Carlos Matheu was interim manager in the Torneo Clausura 5th round. 13. Interim manager until the end of the Torneo Clausura. 14. Mariano Felices was interim manager in the Torneo Clausura 7th round. 15. Walter Perazzo was interim manager in the Torneo Clausura 8th round.
Foreign players Players marked in bold joined the club during the inter-tournament period and only played with the respective team in the Torneo Clausura. Players who participated in the Torneo Apertura but left the team during the inter-tournament period are listed in the last column.