# Paraguayan Primera División

The División Profesional de la Asociación Paraguaya de Fútbol (locally; "Professional Division of the Paraguayan Football Association"), also known as the Primera División (IPA:; "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.
The most successful club is Olimpia, with 47 championships. Olimpia are also the most recent champions, having won the 2024 Clausura tournament. As of 2022, IFFHS ranked the league as the 10th strongest in the world and 3rd in South America.

## History

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). 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

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

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

The following are the teams in the first division in 2024:
| Team | City | Stadium | 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

* ↑ Teams occasionally play home matches at Estadio Defensores del Chaco in Asunción.

## List of champions

Complete list of champions since 1906. Paraguayan football turned professional since the 1935 season.
| Ed. | Season | Season | Champion (title count) | Runner-up | Winning manager |
| 1 | 1906 | 1906 | Guaraní (1) | Olimpia | Salvador Melián |
| 2 | 1907 | 1907 | Guaraní (2) | Olimpia | Manuel Bella |
| — | 1908 | 1908 | No championship held | No championship held | No championship held |
| 3 | 1909 | 1909 | Nacional (1) | Libertad |
| 4 | 1910 | 1910 | Libertad (1) | Atlántida |
| 5 | 1911 | 1911 | Nacional (2) | Atlántida |
| 6 | 1912 | 1912 | Olimpia (1) | Sol de América | Carlos Olivia |
| 7 | 1913 | 1913 | Cerro Porteño (1) | Sol de América | Dámaso Ávila |
| 8 | 1914 | 1914 | Olimpia (2) | Cerro Porteño | Ángel Hermosilla |
| 9 | 1915 | 1915 | Cerro Porteño (2) | Olimpia |
| 10 | 1916 | 1916 | Olimpia (3) | Guaraní | César Mena Porta |
| 11 | 1917 | 1917 | Libertad (2) | Olimpia |
| 12 | 1918 | 1918 | Cerro Porteño (3) | Nacional |
| 13 | 1919 | 1919 | Cerro Porteño (4) | River Plate | Humberto Camperchiolli |
| 14 | 1920 | 1920 | Libertad (3) | Olimpia |
| 15 | 1921 | 1921 | Guaraní (3) | Nacional | Idelfonso López |
| — | 1922 | 1922 | No championship held | No championship held | No championship held |
| 16 | 1923 | 1923 | Guaraní (4) | Olimpia | Idelfonso López |
| 17 | 1924 | 1924 | Nacional (3) | Libertad |
| 18 | 1925 | 1925 | Olimpia (4) | Guaraní | Axel Sirvent |
| 19 | 1926 | 1926 | Nacional (4) | Olimpia |
| 20 | 1927 | 1927 | Olimpia (5) | Libertad Nacional | José Durand Laguna |
| 21 | 1928 | 1928 | Olimpia (6) | Libertad |
| 22 | 1929 | 1929 | Olimpia (7) | Libertad |
| 23 | 1930 | 1930 | Libertad (4) | River Plate |
| 24 | 1931 | 1931 | Olimpia (8) | Libertad |
| — | 1932 | 1932 | No championship held due to the Chaco War | No championship held due to the Chaco War | No championship held due to the Chaco War |
| — | 1933 | 1933 | | No championship held due to the Chaco War | No championship held due to the Chaco War | No championship held due to the Chaco War |
| — | 1934 | 1934 | | No championship held due to the Chaco War | No championship held due to the Chaco War | No championship held due to the Chaco War |
| 25 | 1935 | 1935 | Cerro Porteño (5) | Sol de América | Alejandro Delgado |
| 26 | 1936 | 1936 | Olimpia (9) | Atlántida | Daniel Schaerer |
| 27 | 1937 | 1937 | Olimpia (10) | Cerro Porteño | César Mena Porta |
| 28 | 1938 | 1938 | Olimpia (11) | Cerro Porteño | Daniel Schaerer |
| 29 | 1939 | 1939 | Cerro Porteño (6) | Olimpia | Benjamín Laterza |
| 30 | 1940 | 1940 | Cerro Porteño (7) | Sol de América | Manuel Recalde |
| 31 | 1941 | 1941 | Cerro Porteño (8) | Olimpia | Athuel Velázquez |
| 32 | 1942 | 1942 | Nacional (5) | Cerro Porteño | Athuel Velázquez |
| 33 | 1943 | 1943 | Libertad (5) | Olimpia | Manuel Fleitas Solich |
| 34 | 1944 | 1944 | Cerro Porteño (9) | Libertad | Garibaldi Bougermini |
| 35 | 1945 | 1945 | Libertad (6) | Cerro Porteño | Manuel Fleitas Solich |
| 36 | 1946 | 1946 | Nacional (6) | Sol de América | José Durand Laguna |
| 37 | 1947 | 1947 | Olimpia (12) | Guaraní | Antonio Brunetti |
| 38 | 1948 | 1948 | Olimpia (13) | Cerro Porteño | Antonio Brunetti |
| 39 | 1949 | 1949 | Guaraní (5) | Nacional | Fulgencio Romaro |
| 40 | 1950 | 1950 | Cerro Porteño (10) | Libertad | Pedro Osorio |
| 41 | 1951 | 1951 | Sportivo Luqueño (1) | Cerro Porteño | Vessilio Bártoli |
| 42 | 1952 | 1952 | Presidente Hayes (1) | Libertad Sol de América | Luis Magín Gómez |
| 43 | 1953 | 1953 | Sportivo Luqueño (2) | Libertad Cerro Porteño | Vessilio Bártoli |
| 44 | 1954 | 1954 | Cerro Porteño (11) | Libertad | Gregorio Juan Esperón |
| 45 | 1955 | 1955 | Libertad (7) | Olimpia | Luis Viccini |
| 46 | 1956 | 1956 | Olimpia (14) | Libertad | Aurelio González |
| 47 | 1957 | 1957 | Olimpia (15) | Cerro Porteño Sol de América Guaraní | Aurelio González |
| 48 | 1958 | 1958 | Olimpia (16) | Cerro Porteño | Aurelio González |
| 49 | 1959 | 1959 | Olimpia (17) | Cerro Porteño | Aurelio González |
| 50 | 1960 | 1960 | Olimpia (18) | Cerro Porteño | Aurelio González |
| 51 | 1961 | 1961 | Cerro Porteño (12) | Olimpia | Vessilio Bártoli |
| 52 | 1962 | 1962 | Olimpia (19) | Nacional | Miguel Ángel Pangrazio |
| 53 | 1963 | 1963 | Cerro Porteño (13) | Olimpia | Mario Fortunato |
| 54 | 1964 | 1964 | Guaraní (6) | Nacional Cerro Porteño | Ondino Viera |
| 55 | 1965 | 1965 | Olimpia (20) | Guaraní | Aurelio González |
| 56 | 1966 | 1966 | Cerro Porteño (14) | Guaraní | Mario Fortunato |
| 57 | 1967 | 1967 | Guaraní (7) | Libertad | José María Rodríguez |
| 58 | 1968 | 1968 | Olimpia (21) | Cerro Porteño | Marcos Pavlovsky |
| 59 | 1969 | 1969 | Guaraní (8) | Olimpia | José María Rodríguez |
| 60 | 1970 | 1970 | Cerro Porteño (15) | Guaraní | Marcos Pavlovsky |
| 61 | 1971 | 1971 | Olimpia (22) | Cerro Porteño | José María Rodríguez |
| 62 | 1972 | 1972 | Cerro Porteño (16) | Olimpia | Marcos Pavlovsky |
| 63 | 1973 | 1973 | Cerro Porteño (17) | Olimpia | Salvador Breglia |
| 64 | 1974 | 1974 | Cerro Porteño (18) | Olimpia | Egidio Landolfi |
| 65 | 1975 | 1975 | Olimpia (23) | Sportivo Luqueño | Aurelio González |
| 66 | 1976 | 1976 | Libertad (8) | Cerro Porteño | Ramón Rodríguez |
| 67 | 1977 | 1977 | Cerro Porteño (19) | Libertad | Salvador Breglia |
| 68 | 1978 | 1978 | Olimpia (24) | Sol de América | Carlos Sanabria |
| 69 | 1979 | 1979 | Olimpia (25) | Sol de América | Luis Cubilla |
| 70 | 1980 | 1980 | Olimpia (26) | Cerro Porteño | José Sasía |
| 71 | 1981 | 1981 | Olimpia (27) | Sol de América | Roque Fernández |
| 72 | 1982 | 1982 | Olimpia (28) | Nacional | Luis Cubilla |
| 73 | 1983 | 1983 | Olimpia (29) | Sportivo Luqueño | Sergio Markarian |
| 74 | 1984 | 1984 | Guaraní (9) | Cerro Porteño | Cayetano Ré |
| 75 | 1985 | 1985 | Olimpia (30) | Nacional | Aníbal Ruiz |
| 76 | 1986 | 1986 | Sol de América (1) | Olimpia | Silvio Parodi |
| 77 | 1987 | 1987 | Cerro Porteño (20) | Olimpia | Valdir Espinosa |
| 78 | 1988 | 1988 | Olimpia (31) | Sol de América | Luis Cubilla |
| 79 | 1989 | 1989 | Olimpia (32) | Guaraní | Luis Cubilla |
| 80 | 1990 | 1990 | Cerro Porteño (21) | Libertad | Sergio Markarian |
| 81 | 1991 | 1991 | Sol de América (2) | Cerro Porteño | Héctor Corte |
| 82 | 1992 | 1992 | Cerro Porteño (22) | Libertad | Valdir Espinosa |
| 83 | 1993 | 1993 | Olimpia (33) | Cerro Porteño | Ever Almeida |
| 84 | 1994 | 1994 | Cerro Porteño (23) | Olimpia | Gerardo González Aquino |
| 85 | 1995 | 1995 | Olimpia (34) | Cerro Porteño | Luis Cubilla |
| 86 | 1996 | 1996 | Cerro Porteño (24) | Guaraní | Carlos Kiese |
| 87 | 1997 | 1997 | Olimpia (35) | Cerro Porteño | Luis Cubilla |
| 88 | 1998 | 1998 | Olimpia (36) | Cerro Porteño | Luis Cubilla |
| 89 | 1999 | 1999 | Olimpia (37) | Cerro Porteño | Luis Cubilla |
| 90 | 2000 | 2000 | Olimpia (38) | Guaraní | Alicio Solalinde |
| 91 | 2001 | 2001 | Cerro Porteño (25) | Sportivo Luqueño | Mario César Jacquet |
| 92 | 2002 | 2002 | Libertad (9) | 12 de Octubre | Gerardo Martino |
| 93 | 2003 | 2003 | Libertad (10) | Guaraní | Víctor Genes |
| 94 | 2004 | 2004 | Cerro Porteño (26) | Libertad | Gerardo Martino |
| 95 | 2005 | 2005 | Cerro Porteño (27) | Libertad | Gustavo Costas |
| 96 | 2006 | 2006 | Libertad (11) | Cerro Porteño | Gerardo Martino |
| 97 | 2007 | 2007 | Libertad (12) | Sportivo Luqueño | Rubén Israel |
| 98 | 2008 | Apertura | Libertad (13) | Nacional | Rubén Israel |
| 99 | 2008 | Clausura | Libertad (14) | Guaraní | Rubén Israel |
| 100 | 2009 | Apertura | Cerro Porteño (28) | Libertad | Pedro Troglio |
| 101 | 2009 | Clausura | Nacional (7) | Libertad | Ever Hugo Almeida |
| 102 | 2010 | Apertura | Guaraní (10) | Cerro Porteño | Félix Darío León |
| 103 | 2010 | Clausura | Libertad (15) | Cerro Porteño | Gregorio Pérez |
| 104 | 2011 | Apertura | Nacional (8) | Olimpia | Juan Battaglia |
| 105 | 2011 | Clausura | Olimpia (39) | Cerro Porteño | Gerardo Pelusso |
| 106 | 2012 | Apertura | Cerro Porteño (29) | Olimpia | Jorge Fossati |
| 107 | 2012 | Clausura | Libertad (16) | Nacional | Rubén Israel |
| 108 | 2013 | Apertura | Nacional (9) | Guaraní | Gustavo Morínigo |
| 109 | 2013 | Clausura | Cerro Porteño (30) | Libertad | Francisco Arce |
| 110 | 2014 | Apertura | Libertad (17) | Guaraní | Pedro Sarabia |
| 111 | 2014 | Clausura | Libertad (18) | Cerro Porteño | Pedro Sarabia |
| 112 | 2015 | Apertura | Cerro Porteño (31) | Guaraní | Roberto Torres |
| 113 | 2015 | Clausura | Olimpia (40) | Cerro Porteño | Francisco Arce |
| 114 | 2016 | Apertura | Libertad (19) | Olimpia | Roberto Torres |
| 115 | 2016 | Clausura | Guaraní (11) | Olimpia | Daniel Garnero |
| 116 | 2017 | Apertura | Libertad (20) | Guaraní | Fernando Jubero |
| 117 | 2017 | Clausura | Cerro Porteño (32) | Olimpia | Leonel Álvarez |
| 118 | 2018 | Apertura | Olimpia (41) | Cerro Porteño | Daniel Garnero |
| 119 | 2018 | Clausura | Olimpia (42) | Cerro Porteño | Daniel Garnero |
| 120 | 2019 | Apertura | Olimpia (43) | Cerro Porteño | Daniel Garnero |
| 121 | 2019 | Clausura | Olimpia (44) | Libertad | Daniel Garnero |
| 122 | 2020 | Apertura | Cerro Porteño (33) | Olimpia | Francisco Arce |
| 123 | 2020 | Clausura | Olimpia (45) | Guaraní | Néstor Gorosito |
| 124 | 2021 | Apertura | Libertad (21) | Olimpia | Daniel Garnero |
| 125 | 2021 | Clausura | Cerro Porteño (34) | Guaraní | Francisco Arce |
| 126 | 2022 | Apertura | Libertad (22) | Cerro Porteño | Daniel Garnero |
| 127 | 2022 | Clausura | Olimpia (46) | Cerro Porteño | Julio César Cáceres |
| 128 | 2023 | Apertura | Libertad (23) | Cerro Porteño | Daniel Garnero |
| 129 | 2023 | Clausura | Libertad (24) | Cerro Porteño | Ariel Galeano |
| 130 | 2024 | Apertura | Libertad (25) | Cerro Porteño | Ariel Galeano |
| 131 | 2024 | Clausura | Olimpia (47) | Guaraní | Martín Palermo |

## Titles by club

* 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 | 47 | 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, 2024 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 | 19 | 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, 2024 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 |
| 7 | Sportivo Luqueño | 2 | 4 | 1951, 1953 | 1975, 1983, 2001, 2007 |
| 8 | Presidente Hayes | 1 | — | 1952 | — |

## Sponsors
### Main sponsors

* Pepsi (1997-1998)
* Brahma (1997-1998)
* Lloyds TSB (1998-1999)
* Banco del Paraná (2000 only)
* Gillette (2005-2007)
* Tigo (2008-present)
* Visión Banco (2010-present)

### Current official sponsors

* Coca-Cola (1987-2004/2011-present)
* Pilsen (1988-2007/2011-present)
* Caña Fortin
* Vino Toro
* Lácteos Trébol
* Lácteos Lactolanda
* Pastas Anita
* Supermercado Superseis
* Supermercado La Bomba
* Supermercado Arete
* Supermercados Kingo
* Bein TV (1999-present)
* DirecTV (1999-present)
* GOL TV (2003-presente)

### Former official sponsors

* Daewoo Motor
* Suzuki Motor
* Pirelli
* Pulp [es] (2005-2010)
* Pepsi (1994-1999)
* Brahma (1995-1999)
* Budweiser (2007-2008)
* Multicanal (1996-2006)
* Nuevo Siglo Cable TV (1996-2007)
* SKY (2000-2004)
* Supermercado Real
* Supermercado Gran Vía
* Supermercado Ycua Bolaños
* Shopping Multiplaza
* González Giménez