# 2021–22 Liga Primera de Nicaragua

The 2021–22 Liga Primera de Nicaragua season was to be divided into two tournaments, Apertura and Clausura. The season will determine the 77th and 78th champions in the history of the Liga Primera de Nicaragua, the top division of football in Nicaragua. The Apertura tournament is to be played in the second half of 2021, while the Clausura is to be played in the first half of 2022.

## Teams
### Team information

A total of ten teams contested the league, including nine sides from the 2020–21 Primera División, and one side from the 2020–21 Segunda División.
Junior Managua finished last in the aggregate table and were relegated to the Segunda División. The champions from the Segunda División, UNAN Managua, were promoted in their place.
The 9th place team in the aggregate table, Chinandega FC, faced the second-place team from the Segunda División, HyH Export de Sébaco, in a playoff for a spot in the Primera División. HyH Export de Sébaco won 5–3 over two legs, meaning Chinandega FC relegated from the Primera División.

### Promotion and relegation

Promoted from Segunda División as of July, 2021.
* Champions: UNAN Managua
* Promotion playoff winner: HyH Export de Sébaco
Relegated to Segunda División as of May, 2021.
* Last Place: Junior Managua
* Promotion playoff loser: Chinandega FC

### Stadiums and locations

| Team | Location | Stadium | Capacity |
| ART Jalapa | Jalapa | Estadio Alejandro Ramos Turcio | 2,000 |
| Diriangén | Diriamba | Estadio Cacique Diriangén | 8,500 |
| Juventus Managua | Managua | Estadio | 7,000 |
| HYH Sebaco | Matagalpa | Estadio Municipal de Matagalpa | 1,800 |
| Managua | Managua | Estadio Nacional de Fútbol (UNAN) | 15,000 |
| Ocotal | Ocotal | Estadio Roy Fernando Bermúdez | 7,000 |
| Real Estelí | Esteli | Estadio Independencia | 4,800 |
| Real Madriz | Somoto | Estadio Solidaridad Augusto Cesar Mendoza | 2,000 |
| UNAN Managua | Managua | Estadio Nacional de Fútbol (UNAN) | 15,000 |
| Walter Ferretti | Managua | Estadio Nacional de Fútbol (UNAN) | 15,000 |

### Personnel and kits

| Team | Chairman | Head Coach | Captain | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor(s) |
| ART Jalapa | TBD | Leonidas Rodriguez | TBD | Nike | AT&T |
| Diriangén | TBD | Flavio da Silva | TBD | Nike | AT&T |
| Juventus Managua | TBD | Oscar Blanco | TBD | Nike | AT&T |
| HYH Sebaco | TBD | Carlos Javier Martino | TBD | Nike | AT&T |
| Managua | TBD | Emilio Aburto | TBD | Nike | AT&T |
| Ocotal | TBD | Mario Alfaro | TBD | Nike | AT&T |
| Real Estelí | TBD | José Luis Trejo | TBD | Nike | AT&T |
| Real Madriz | TBD | Héctor Medina | TBD | Nike | AT&T |
| UNAM Managua | TBD | Daniel Garcia | TBD | Nike | AT&T |
| Walter Ferretti | TBD | Henry Urbina | TBD | Nike | AT&T |

## Other news
### New ball provider

VOIT will be providing and major ball sponsor for 2020-2021

## Managerial changes
### Pre-season Apertura 2021

| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Replaced by | Date of appointment | Position in table |
| Real Estelí | Holver Flores | Contract Ended | June 2021 | José Luis Trejo Montoya | June 2021 | TBD (Apertura 2021) |
| HyH Export de Sébaco | Jorge Luis Vanegas | Contract Ended | June 2021 | Carlos Javier Martino | June 2021 | TBD (Apertura 2021) |

### During the Apertura season

| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Replaced by | Date of appointment | Position in table |
| Managua F.C. | Emilio Aburto | Sacked | August 2021 | Juan Cortés | September 2021 | TBD (Apertura 2021) |

### Pre-season Clausura 2022

| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Replaced by | Date of appointment | Position in table |
| Real Madriz | Héctor Medina | Contract Ended | December 2021 | Roberto Chanampe | January 6, 2022 | TBD (Apertura 2021) |
| ART Municipal Jalapa | Leonidas Rodriguez | Contract Ended | December 2021 | Jose Ramon Romero | 31 December 2021 | TBD (Apertura 2021) |
| UNAN Managua | Daniel Garcia | Contract Ended | December 2021 | Edward Urroz | December 2021 | TBD (Apertura 2021) |

### During the Clausura season

| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Replaced by | Date of appointment | Position in table |
| Deportivo Walter Ferretti | Henry Urbina | Changed roles in the club | February 2022 | Luis Diaz Gonzalez | February 2022 | TBD (Clausura 2022) |
| Real Madriz | Roberto Chanampe | Mutual consent | March 2022 | Miguel Angel Sanchez | March 2022 | TBD (Clausura 2022) |
| ART Municipal Jalapa | Roman Romero | Resigned | March 2022 | Hector Medina | March 2022 | TBD (Clausura 2022) |
| Diriangén F.C. | Flavio Da Silva | Resigned | April 2022 | Tyrone Leiva | April 2022 | TBD (Clausura 2022) |

## Apertura 2021
### Finals

* Qualified teams
** Diriangén
** Real Estelí

#### Final
##### Second leg

* Apertura 2021 champions
* Diriangén 29th title

## Clausura 2022
### Personnel and kits

| Team | Chairman | Head Coach | Captain | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor(s) |
| ART Jalapa | TBD | Jose Ramon Romero | TBD | Nil | Alcaldia de Jalapa |
| Diriangén | TBD | Flavio da Silva | TBD | Joma | Ftiness Force, JK Wireless, Claros, Betcris, Proplasa |
| Juventus Managua | TBD | Oscar Blanco | TBD | Nike | AT&T |
| HYH Sebaco | TBD | Carlos Javier Martino | TBD | Nil | Imponciones Loaisiga, HH Green Coffee, Siles Plantaes, Fachento |
| Managua | TBD | Juan Cortés | TBD | Joma | Alcadia de Managua, Havelino, Fetesa |
| Ocotal | TBD | Mario Alfaro | TBD | Nil | Nil |
| Real Estelí | TBD | José Luis Trejo | TBD | Voit | Cafe Ox, Victoria Frost, Havoline, Fuente Fura |
| Real Madriz | TBD | Roberto Chanampe | TBD | Mannate Sport | Arie's Gym |
| UNAM Managua | TBD | Daniel Garcia | TBD | Joma | Nil |
| Walter Ferretti | TBD | Henry Urbina | TBD | Nil | Claro, MC mi close, Opticas MO, Ramos Laboratories |

### Finals
#### Quarterfinals

Walter Ferretti progressed. * Originally ART Jalapa had qualified however due to using five foreign players on the field at one time, which exceeded the rule which only allowed 4 players. ART Jalapa were stripped the victory therefore allowed H&H Sebaco to overtake them on the table
Managua FC progressed.

#### Semi-finals

| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| Walter Ferretti | 4-3 | Real Estelí | 2–3 | 2-0 |
| Diriangén | 2-1 | Managua | 1-1 | 1–0 |
Walter Ferretti won 4-3 on aggregate.
Diriangen won 2-1 on aggregate.

#### Final
##### First leg
##### Second leg

2-2. Diriangen won 4-2 on penalties.
* Clausura 2022 champions
* Diriangén 30th title

## Aggregate table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Diriangén | 36 | 22 | 7 | 7 | 79 | 37 | +42 | 73 | CONCACAF League preliminary round |
| 2 | Real Estelí (Q) | 36 | 21 | 7 | 8 | 78 | 42 | +36 | 70 | |
| 3 | Walter Ferretti | 36 | 17 | 7 | 12 | 76 | 49 | +27 | 58 | CONCACAF League round of 16 |
| 4 | Managua (Q) | 36 | 17 | 7 | 12 | 57 | 37 | +20 | 58 | |
| 5 | Juventus Managua | 36 | 13 | 6 | 17 | 45 | 52 | −7 | 45 | |
| 6 | H&H Sebaco | 36 | 9 | 14 | 13 | 56 | 69 | −13 | 41 | |
| 7 | Deportivo Ocotal | 36 | 10 | 10 | 16 | 31 | 51 | −20 | 40 | |
| 8 | UNAN Managua | 36 | 8 | 13 | 15 | 44 | 68 | −24 | 37 | |
| 9 | Municipal Jalapa (O) | 36 | 9 | 10 | 17 | 25 | 59 | −34 | 37 | Relegation play-offs |
| 10 | Real Madriz | 36 | 9 | 7 | 20 | 34 | 61 | −27 | 34 | Relegated to Segunda División |
* ↑ As Apertura and Clausura runners-up (NCA2)
* ↑ As Apertura and Clausura champions (NCA1)

## List of foreign players in the league

This is a list of foreign players in the 2020–21 season. The following players:
* Have played at least one 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 season, that clubs can have four foreign players per club and can only add a new player if there is an injury or a player/s is released, and it is before the closing of the season transfer window.
(player released during the Apertura season) (player released between the Apertura and Clausura seasons) (player released during the Clausura season)