# 2016 Torneo Federal A

The 2016 Argentine Torneo Federal A, was the 3rd season of the third tier of the Argentine football league system. The tournament is reserved for teams indirectly affiliated to the Asociación del Fútbol Argentino (AFA), while teams affiliated to AFA have to play the Primera B Metropolitana, which is the other third tier competition. The champion was promoted to Primera B Nacional. 35 teams are competing in the league, 30 returning from the 2015 season, 4 teams that were relegated from Primera B Nacional, 3 teams promoted from Federal B. Also 2 teams resigned their participation in this season: 9 de Julio (M) and Unión (MdP) alleging economic difficulties. The regular season began on February 7 and ended on June 26.

## Format
### First stage

The teams were divided into seven zones with five teams (a total of 35 teams) in each zone and it was played in a round-robin tournament whereby each team played each one of the other teams three times. The teams placed 1º and 2º and the two best 3º team from the seven zones qualified for the Second Stage.

### Championship stages

The sixteen teams that qualified from the First Stage played against each other in a Double-elimination tournament from second to the fifth stage. The qualified teams were seeded in the final stages according to their results in the first stage, with the best eight seeded 1–8, and the worst eight teams seeded 9–16. The winning team was promoted to the Primera B Nacional.

### Relegation Stage

After the first stage was played, a table was drawn with the thirty five (35) clubs and its overall standings with points obtained in the First Stage. The two last teams will be relegated to Torneo Federal B.

## Club information
### Zone A

| Team | City | Stadium |
| Cipolletti | Cipolletti | La Visera de Cemento |
| Deportivo Madryn | Puerto Madryn | Coliseo del Golfo |
| Deportivo Roca | General Roca | Luis Maiolino |
| Independiente | Neuquén | José Rosas y Perito Moreno |
| Villa Mitre | Bahía Blanca | El Fortín |

### Zone B

| Team | City | Stadium |
| Deportivo Maipú | Maipú | Higinio Sperdutti |
| Gimnasia y Esgrima | Mendoza | Víctor Antonio Legrotaglie |
| Gutiérrez | General Gutiérrez | General Gutiérrez |
| Sportivo Belgrano | San Francisco | Oscar Boero |
| Unión | Villa Krause | 12 de Octubre |

### Zone C

| Team | City | Stadium |
| Alvarado | Mar del Plata | (None) $^1$ |
| Defensores de Belgrano | Villa Ramallo | Salomón Boeseldín |
| Ferro Carril Oeste | General Pico | El Coloso del Barrio Talleres |
| General Belgrano | Santa Rosa | Nuevo Rancho Grande |
| Tiro Federal | Bahía Blanca | Onofre Pirrone |
$^1$ Play their home games at Estadio José María Minella.

### Zone D

| Team | City | Stadium |
| Altos Hornos Zapla | Palpalá | Emilio Fabrizzi |
| Gimnasia y Tiro | Salta | Gigante del Norte |
| Juventud Antoniana | Salta | Fray Honorato Pistoia |
| San Lorenzo | Catamarca | Bicentenario Ciudad de Catamarca |
| Unión Aconquija | Aconquija | Municipal de Aconquija |

### Zone E

| Team | City | Stadium |
| Concepción | Concepción | Stewart Shipton |
| Güemes | Santiago del Estero | Arturo Miranda |
| Mitre | Santiago del Estero | Doctores José y Antonio Castiglione |
| San Jorge | San Miguel de Tucumán | Senador Luis Cruz |
| San Martín | San Miguel de Tucumán | La Ciudadela |

### Zone F

| Team | City | Stadium |
| Chaco For Ever | Resistencia | Juan Alberto García |
| Guaraní Antonio Franco | Posadas | Clemente F. de Oliveira |
| Sarmiento | Resistencia | Centenario |
| Sol de América | Formosa | (None)$^1$ |
| Sportivo Patria | Formosa | Antonio Romero |
$^1$ Play their home games at Estadio Antonio Romero.

### Zone G

| Team | City | Stadium |
| Defensores | Pronunciamiento | Delio Cardozo |
| Gimnasia y Esgrima | Concepción del Uruguay | Manuel y Ramón Núñez |
| Libertad | Sunchales | Hogar de Los Tigres |
| Sportivo Las Parejas | Las Parejas | Fortaleza del Lobo |
| Unión | Sunchales | La Fortaleza |

## First stage
### Zone A

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Deportivo Madryn | 12 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 27 | 17 | +10 | 21 | Advance to Championship Stages |
| 2 | Independiente (N) | 12 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 17 | 17 | 0 | 20 | Advance to Championship Stages |
| 3 | Cipolletti | 12 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 17 | 12 | +5 | 17 | |
| 4 | Villa Mitre | 12 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 13 | 19 | −6 | 12 | |
| 5 | Deportivo Roca | 12 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 11 | 20 | −9 | 12 | |

#### Results
### Zone B

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Unión (VK) | 12 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 11 | 8 | +3 | 21 | Advance to Championship Stages |
| 2 | Sportivo Belgrano | 12 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 13 | 11 | +2 | 18 | Advance to Championship Stages |
| 3 | Gutiérrez SC | 12 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 11 | 12 | −1 | 15 | |
| 4 | Gimnasia y Esgrima (M) | 12 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 14 | |
| 5 | Deportivo Maipú | 12 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 15 | −4 | 9 | |

#### Results
### Zone C

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Defensores de Belgrano (VR) | 12 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 18 | 7 | +11 | 21 | Advance to Championship Stages |
| 2 | Alvarado | 12 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 15 | 10 | +5 | 21 | Advance to Championship Stages |
| 3 | Ferro Carril Oeste (GP) | 12 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 15 | 10 | +5 | 20 | |
| 4 | General Belgrano | 12 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 13 | 20 | −7 | 14 | |
| 5 | Tiro Federal (BB) | 12 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 8 | 22 | −14 | 5 | |

#### Results
### Zone D

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Unión Aconquija | 12 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 21 | 9 | +12 | 26 | Advance to Championship Stages |
| 2 | Juventud Antoniana | 12 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 20 | 13 | +7 | 18 | Advance to Championship Stages |
| 3 | Gimnasia y Tiro | 12 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 14 | 13 | +1 | 18 | |
| 4 | San Lorenzo (A) | 12 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 13 | 21 | −8 | 12 | |
| 5 | Altos Hornos Zapla | 12 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 12 | 24 | −12 | 10 | |

#### Results
### Zone E

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | San Martín (T) | 12 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 14 | 9 | +5 | 22 | Advance to Championship Stages |
| 2 | Mitre (SdE) | 12 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 14 | 10 | +4 | 20 | Advance to Championship Stages |
| 3 | Concepción FC | 12 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 19 | 13 | +6 | 19 | |
| 4 | San Jorge (T) | 12 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 12 | 14 | −2 | 13 | |
| 5 | Güemes | 12 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 10 | 23 | −13 | 7 | |

#### Results
### Zone F

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Sol de América (F) | 12 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 17 | 11 | +6 | 23 | Advance to Championship Stages |
| 2 | Guaraní Antonio Franco | 12 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 16 | 13 | +3 | 17 | Advance to Championship Stages |
| 3 | Chaco For Ever | 12 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 13 | 15 | −2 | 15 | |
| 4 | Sportivo Patria | 12 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 12 | 15 | −3 | 15 | |
| 5 | Sarmiento (R) | 12 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 13 | 17 | −4 | 12 | |

#### Results
### Zone G

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Libertad (S) | 12 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 22 | 16 | +6 | 20 | Advance to Championship Stages |
| 2 | Sportivo Las Parejas | 12 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 17 | 17 | 0 | 18 | Advance to Championship Stages |
| 3 | Unión (S) | 12 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 19 | 14 | +5 | 17 | |
| 4 | Defensores (P) | 12 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 18 | 21 | −3 | 15 | |
| 5 | Gimnasia y Esgrima (CdU) | 12 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 17 | 25 | −8 | 13 | |

#### Results
### Ranking of third-placed teams

| Pos | Grp | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | C | Ferro Carril Oeste (GP) | 12 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 15 | 10 | +5 | 20 | Advance to Championship Stages |
| 2 | E | Concepción FC | 12 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 19 | 13 | +6 | 19 | Advance to Championship Stages |
| 3 | D | Gimnasia y Tiro | 12 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 14 | 13 | +1 | 18 | |
| 4 | G | Unión (S) | 12 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 19 | 14 | +5 | 17 | |
| 5 | A | Cipolletti | 12 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 17 | 12 | +5 | 17 | |
| 6 | B | Gutiérrez SC | 12 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 11 | 12 | −1 | 15 | |
| 7 | F | Sportivo Patria | 12 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 12 | 15 | −3 | 15 | |

## Relegation

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Relegation |
| 1 | Unión Aconquija | 12 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 21 | 9 | +12 | 26 | |
| 2 | Sol de América (F) | 12 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 17 | 11 | +6 | 23 | |
| 3 | San Martín (T) | 12 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 14 | 9 | +5 | 22 | |
| 4 | Defensores de Belgrano (VR) | 12 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 18 | 7 | +11 | 21 | |
| 5 | Deportivo Madryn | 12 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 27 | 17 | +10 | 21 | |
| 6 | Alvarado | 12 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 15 | 10 | +5 | 21 | |
| 7 | Unión (VK) | 12 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 11 | 8 | +3 | 21 | |
| 8 | Libertad (S) | 12 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 22 | 16 | +6 | 20 | |
| 9 | Ferro Carril Oeste (GP) | 12 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 15 | 10 | +5 | 20 | |
| 10 | Mitre (SdE) | 12 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 14 | 10 | +4 | 20 | |
| 11 | Independiente (N) | 12 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 17 | 17 | 0 | 20 | |
| 12 | Concepción FC | 12 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 19 | 13 | +6 | 19 | |
| 13 | Juventud Antoniana | 12 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 20 | 13 | +7 | 18 | |
| 14 | Sportivo Belgrano | 12 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 13 | 11 | +2 | 18 | |
| 15 | Gimnasia y Tiro | 12 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 14 | 13 | +1 | 18 | |
| 16 | Sportivo Las Parejas | 12 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 17 | 17 | 0 | 18 | |
| 17 | Unión (S) | 12 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 19 | 14 | +5 | 17 | |
| 18 | Cipolletti | 12 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 17 | 12 | +5 | 17 | |
| 19 | Guaraní Antonio Franco | 12 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 16 | 13 | +3 | 17 | |
| 20 | Gutiérrez SC | 12 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 11 | 12 | −1 | 15 | |
| 21 | Chaco For Ever | 12 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 13 | 15 | −2 | 15 | |
| 22 | Defensores (P) | 12 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 18 | 21 | −3 | 15 | |
| 23 | Sportivo Patria | 12 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 12 | 15 | −3 | 15 | |
| 24 | Gimnasia y Esgrima (M) | 12 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 14 | |
| 25 | General Belgrano | 12 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 13 | 20 | −7 | 14 | |
| 26 | San Jorge (T) | 12 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 12 | 14 | −2 | 13 | |
| 27 | Gimnasia y Esgrima (CdU) | 12 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 17 | 25 | −8 | 13 | |
| 28 | Sarmiento (R) | 12 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 13 | 17 | −4 | 12 | |
| 29 | Villa Mitre | 12 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 13 | 19 | −6 | 12 | |
| 30 | San Lorenzo (A) | 12 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 13 | 21 | −8 | 12 | |
| 31 | Deportivo Roca | 12 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 11 | 20 | −9 | 12 | |
| 32 | Altos Hornos Zapla | 12 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 12 | 24 | −12 | 10 | |
| 33 | Deportivo Maipú | 12 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 15 | −4 | 9 | |
| 34 | Güemes (R) | 12 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 10 | 23 | −13 | 7 | Relegation to Torneo Federal B |
| 35 | Tiro Federal (BB) (R) | 12 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 8 | 22 | −14 | 5 | Relegation to Torneo Federal B |

## Second to Fifth stage

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Unión Aconquija | 12 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 21 | 9 | +12 | 26 | Qualified first from First Stage |
| 2 | Sol de América (F) | 12 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 17 | 11 | +6 | 23 | Qualified first from First Stage |
| 3 | San Martín (T) | 12 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 14 | 9 | +5 | 22 | Qualified first from First Stage |
| 4 | Defensores de Belgrano (VR) | 12 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 18 | 7 | +11 | 21 | Qualified first from First Stage |
| 5 | Deportivo Madryn | 12 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 27 | 17 | +10 | 21 | Qualified first from First Stage |
| 6 | Unión (VK) | 12 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 11 | 8 | +3 | 21 | Qualified first from First Stage |
| 7 | Libertad (S) | 12 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 22 | 16 | +6 | 20 | Qualified first from First Stage |
| 8 | Alvarado | 12 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 15 | 10 | +5 | 21 | Qualified second from First Stage |
| 9 | Mitre (SdE) | 12 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 14 | 10 | +4 | 20 | Qualified second from First Stage |
| 10 | Independiente (N) | 12 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 17 | 17 | 0 | 20 | Qualified second from First Stage |
| 11 | Juventud Antoniana | 12 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 20 | 13 | +7 | 18 | Qualified second from First Stage |
| 12 | Sportivo Belgrano | 12 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 13 | 11 | +2 | 18 | Qualified second from First Stage |
| 13 | Sportivo Las Parejas | 12 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 17 | 17 | 0 | 18 | Qualified second from First Stage |
| 14 | Guaraní Antonio Franco | 12 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 16 | 13 | +3 | 17 | Qualified second from First Stage |
| 15 | Ferro Carril Oeste (GP) | 12 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 15 | 10 | +5 | 20 | Qualified third from First Stage |
| 16 | Concepción FC | 12 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 19 | 13 | +6 | 19 | Qualified third from First Stage |

### Second stage

| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| Unión Aconquija | 4–1 | Concepción FC | 1–0 | 3–1 |
| Sol de América (F) | 2–4 | Ferro Carril Oeste (GP) | 1–3 | 1–1 |
| San Martín (T) | 3–3 | Guaraní Antonio Franco | 1–2 | 2–1 |
| Defensores de Belgrano (VR) | 5–2 | Sportivo Las Parejas | 2–2 | 3–0 |
| Deportivo Madryn | 1–3 | Sportivo Belgrano | 0–1 | 1–2 |
| Unión (VK) | 1–2 | Juventud Antoniana | 1–1 | 0–1 |
| Libertad (S) | 4–4 | Independiente (N) | 4–3 | 0–1 |
| Alvarado | 1–1 | Mitre (SdE) | 1–1 | 0–0 |

### Third stage

| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| Unión Aconquija | 5–4 | Ferro Carril Oeste (GP) | 2–1 | 3–3 |
| San Martín (T) | 2–2 | Sportivo Belgrano | 1–0 | 1–2 |
| Defensores de Belgrano (VR) | 1–2 | Juventud Antoniana | 1–2 | 0–0 |
| Libertad (S) | 8–5 | Alvarado | 6–3 | 2–2 |

### Fourth stage

| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| Unión Aconquija | 3–2 | Juventud Antoniana | 1–1 | 2–1 |
| San Martín (T) | 3–0 | Libertad (S) | 1–0 | 2–0 |

### Fifth stage

| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| Unión Aconquija | 2–4 | San Martín (T) | 0–1 | 2–3 |

## Season statistics
### Top scorers

| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
| 1 | Matías Zbrun | Libertad (S) | 13 |
| 2 | Gustavo Balvorín | Juventud Antoniana | 12 |
| 3 | Ramón Lentini | San Martín (T) | 11 |
| 3 | Diego Martínez | Unión Aconquija | 11 |
| 4 | Unión Aconquija | Juventud Antoniana | 10 |
| 5 | Williams Peralta | Mitre (SdE) | 9 |