Liga Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala

Last updated • 2 min readFrom Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia
Liga Guate Banrural
LIGA NACIONAL.png
Founded1919;106 years ago (1919) as amateur league
1942;83 years ago (1942) as professional league
CountryGuatemala
Confederation CONCACAF
Number of clubs12
Level on pyramid1
Relegation to Primera División de Ascenso
Domestic cup(s) Copa de Guatemala
International cup(s) CONCACAF Champions Cup
CONCACAF Central American Cup
Current champions Xelajú (7th title)
Most championships Comunicaciones
Municipal
(32 titles)
Most appearances Jairo Arreola (651)
Top goalscorer Juan Carlos Plata (302)
TV partnersAlbavision
Claro Sports
Tigo Sports
Fox Deportes
Website ligagt.org
Current: 2024–25 Liga Nacional de Guatemala

Liga Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala (National Football League of Guatemala), officially known as the Liga Guate Banrural for sponsorship reasons, formerly known as LigaMayor"A" (Major League "A") is a professional football division in Guatemala, the highest one in the country. It is sanctioned by the Federación Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala . The champion and runner-up teams of the Liga Nacional's official tournaments qualify to participate in international competitions within their regional confederation. Twelve teams currently compete in the league. Comunicaciones and Municipal are the most successful club in the league to date, having won 32 tournaments each. [1]

Contents

History

Its first official professional tournament took place in 1942, and succeeded what was known as the Liga Capitalina (League of the Capital), which was an amateur tournament that started in 1919. The 1942–43 tournament was played by seven teams in a double round-robin tournament. Three teams Municipal, Tipografía Nacional, and Guatemala FC finished tied for the first place after the two rounds. A playoff between the three teams was conducted to determine the winner, with Municipal earning their first national title. [2]

Competition format

The league has had several different formats throughout its history; currently, the league season is divided into two tournaments. The Apertura, which is played in the fall, and the Clausura, which is played in the spring. The first 6 clubs in the standings at the end of each competition participate in the playoffs to determine the champion, 1st and 2nd place teams qualify directly to semi-finals, while the others have to play in the quarter-finals. The winners of the Apertura and Clausura tournaments participate in the CONCACAF Champions League.

At the end of 2008-2009 Apertura and Clausura tournaments the league expanded to 12 teams to compete in a larger versions of the Apertura and Clausura tournaments. Now the 12th placed team (the team with the fewest points) in the aggregated table standings (combined standings of both the Apertura and Clausura tournaments) is relegated to the Primera División de Ascenso (2nd division) automatically at the end of the Clausura tournament in late May. The teams that finish 10th and 11th in the aggregated table standings enter into a two-legged playoff with the second- and third-placed clubs of the Primera División de Ascenso. The playoff winners play in the top division while the losers spend the next season in the second division.

2024–25 Season Clubs

TeamHome cityStadiumCapacity
Achuapa El Progreso, Jutiapa Department Estadio El Cóndor 6,000
Antigua Antigua, Sacatepéquez Department Estadio Pensativo 10,000
Cobán Imperial Cobán, Alta Verapaz Department Estadio Verapaz 15,000
Comunicaciones Guatemala City, Guatemala Department Estadio Cementos Progreso 17,000
Guastatoya Guastatoya, El Progreso Department Estadio David Cordón Hichos3,100
Malacateco Malacatán, San Marcos Department Estadio Santa Lucía 7,000
Marquense San Marcos, San Marcos Department Estadio Marquesa de la Ensenada 11,000
Mixco Mixco, Guatemala Department Estadio Santo Domingo de Guzmán7,000
Municipal Guatemala City, Guatemala Department Estadio El Trébol 7,500
Xelajú Quetzaltenango, Quetzaltenango Department Estadio Mario Camposeco 11,220
Xinabajul Huehuetenango, Huehuetenango Department Estadio Los Cuchumatanes 5,340
Zacapa Zacapa, Zacapa Department Estadio David Ordoñez Bardales 8,100

Managers

Current Liga Nacional managers
ManagerNationalityClub
Rónald Gómez Flag of Costa Rica.svg Costa RicaAchuapa
Javier LópezFlag of Spain.svg SpainAntigua
Roberto MontoyaFlag of Mexico.svg MexicoCobán Imperial
Ronald GonzálezFlag of Costa Rica.svg Costa RicaComunicaciones
Dwight PezzarossiFlag of Guatemala.svg GuatemalaGuastatoya
Roberto HernándezFlag of Mexico.svg MexicoMalacateco
Mauricio TapiaFlag of Argentina.svg ArgentinaMarquense
Fabricio BenítezFlag of Guatemala.svg GuatemalaMixco
Sebastián Bini Flag of Argentina.svg ArgentinaMunicipal
Amarini VillatoroFlag of Guatemala.svg GuatemalaXelajú
Pablo Centrone Flag of Argentina.svg ArgentinaXinabajul
Rafael DíazFlag of Guatemala.svg GuatemalaZacapa

Important matches

Champions

Liga Capitalina

Amateur Era

Ed.SeasonChampionRunner-up
1
1919AlliesHércules
2
1920HérculesEspaña
1921No tournament due to the Juegos del Centenario
3
1922AlliesAlemán
4
1923La JoyaAllies
5
1924 USAC Allies
6
1925La JoyaHércules
7
1926 USAC Hércules
8
1927Hércules USAC
9
1928 USAC Allies
10
1929 USAC Tipografía Nacional
11
1930 USAC Germania
12
1931 USAC Germania
13
1932Guatemala FCGermania
14
1933Escuela Politécnica Tipografía Nacional
15
1934Escuela Politécnica Tipografía Nacional
16
1935CibelesQuetzal
17
1936CibelesQuetzal
18
1937Quetzal Tipografía Nacional
19
1938 Tipografía Nacional Municipal
20
1939 Tipografía Nacional Hércules
21
1940 Tipografía Nacional Independiente
22
1941Guatemala FC Tipografía Nacional

Liga Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala

Professional Era

Ed.SeasonChampionRunner-up
1
1942–43 Municipal Tipografía Nacional
2
1943 Tipografía Nacional Municipal
3
1944–45 Tipografía Nacional Municipal
4
1947 Municipal España
1948–50No tournament due to the 1950 Central American and Caribbean Games
5
1950–51 Municipal Comunicaciones
6
1952–53 Tipografía Nacional Comunicaciones
7
1954–55 Municipal Comunicaciones
8
1956 Comunicaciones Universidad de San Carlos
9
1957–58 Comunicaciones Municipal
10
1959–60 Comunicaciones Municipal
11
1961–62 Xelajú Comunicaciones
12
1963–64 Municipal Xelajú
13
1964 Aurora Municipal
14
1965–66 Municipal Comunicaciones
15
1966 Aurora Xelajú
16
1967–68 Aurora Municipal
17
1968–69 Comunicaciones Aurora
18
1969–70 Municipal Aurora
19
1970–71 Comunicaciones Aurora
20
1971 Comunicaciones Aurora
21
1972 Comunicaciones Municipal
22
1973 Municipal Aurora
23
1974 Municipal Aurora
24
1975 Aurora Comunicaciones
25
1976 Municipal Comunicaciones
26
1977–78 Comunicaciones Municipal
27
1978 Aurora Comunicaciones
28
1979–80 Comunicaciones Cobán Imperial
29
1980 Xelajú Juventud Retalteca
30
1981 Comunicaciones Xelajú
31
1982 Comunicaciones Suchitepéquez
32
1983 Suchitepéquez Comunicaciones
33
1984 Aurora Suchitepéquez
34
1985 Comunicaciones Juventud Retalteca
35
1986 Aurora Galcasa
36
1987 Municipal Aurora
37
1988–89 Municipal Aurora
38
1989–90 Municipal Suchitepéquez
39
1990–91 Comunicaciones Municipal
40
1991–92 Municipal Comunicaciones
41
1992–93 Aurora Comunicaciones
42
1993–94 Municipal Escuintla
43
1994–95 Comunicaciones Aurora
44
1995–96 Xelajú Comunicaciones
45
1996–97 Comunicaciones Aurora
46
1997–98 Comunicaciones Cobán Imperial
47
1998–99 Comunicaciones Municipal
48
1999 Apertura Comunicaciones Municipal
49
2000 Clausura Municipal Comunicaciones
50
2000 Apertura Municipal Comunicaciones
51
2001 Clausura Comunicaciones Antigua
52
2001 Reordenamiento Municipal Cobán Imperial
53
2002 Clausura Municipal Comunicaciones
54
2002 Apertura Comunicaciones Municipal
55
2003 Clausura Comunicaciones Cobán Imperial
56
2003 Apertura Municipal Comunicaciones
57
2004 Clausura Cobán Imperial Municipal
58
2004 Apertura Municipal Comunicaciones
59
2005 Clausura Municipal Suchitepéquez
60
2005 Apertura Municipal Comunicaciones
61
2006 Clausura Municipal Marquense
62
2006 Apertura Municipal Comunicaciones
63
2007 Clausura Xelajú Marquense
64
2007 Apertura Jalapa Suchitepéquez
65
2008 Clausura Municipal Comunicaciones
66
2008 Apertura Comunicaciones Municipal
67
2009 Clausura Jalapa Municipal
68
2009 Apertura Municipal Comunicaciones
69
2010 Clausura Municipal Xelajú
70
2010 Apertura Comunicaciones Municipal
71
2011 Clausura Comunicaciones Municipal
72
2011 Apertura Municipal Comunicaciones
73
2012 Clausura Xelajú Municipal
74
2012 Apertura Comunicaciones Municipal
75
2013 Clausura Comunicaciones Heredia
76
2013 Apertura Comunicaciones Heredia
77
2014 Clausura Comunicaciones Municipal
78
2014 Apertura Comunicaciones Municipal
79
2015 Clausura Comunicaciones Municipal
80
2015 Apertura Antigua Guastatoya
81
2016 Clausura Suchitepéquez Comunicaciones
82
2016 Apertura Antigua Municipal
83
2017 Clausura Municipal Guastatoya
84
2017 Apertura Antigua Municipal
85
2018 Clausura Guastatoya Xelajú
86
2018 Apertura Guastatoya Comunicaciones
87
2019 Clausura Antigua Malacateco
88
2019 Apertura Municipal Antigua
89
2020 ClausuraCanceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
90
2020 Apertura Guastatoya Municipal
91
2021 Clausura Santa Lucía Comunicaciones
92
2021 Apertura Malacateco Comunicaciones
93
2022 Clausura Comunicaciones Municipal
94
2022 Apertura Cobán Imperial Antigua
95
2023 Clausura Xelajú Antigua
96
2023 Apertura Comunicaciones Guastatoya
97
2024 Clausura Municipal Mixco
98
2024 Apertura Xelajú Cobán Imperial

Titles by club in Guatemalan Football History

Champions were: [3] Amateur and Professional Champions.

Amateur Era

ClubWinnersRunners-upWinning years
USAC 611924, 1926, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931
Tipografia Nacional 351938, 1939, 1940
Hércules241920, 1927
Allies231919, 1922
Cibeles201935, 1936
Escuela Politécnica201933, 1934
Guatemala FC201932, 1941
La Joya201923, 1925
Quetzal121937

Professional Era

ClubWinnersRunners-upWinning years
Comunicaciones 32261956, 1957-58, 1959-60, 1968-69, 1970-71, 1971, 1972, 1977-78, 1979-80, 1981, 1982, 1985, 1990-91, 1994-95, 1996-97, 1997-98, 1998-99, 1999 Apertura, 2001 Clausura, 2002 Apertura, 2003 Clausura, 2008 Apertura, 2010 Apertura, 2011 Clausura, 2012 Apertura, 2013 Clausura, 2013 Apertura, 2014 Clausura, 2014 Apertura, 2015 Clausura, 2022 Clausura, 2023 Apertura
Municipal 32261942-43, 1947, 1950-51, 1954-55, 1963-64, 1965-66, 1969-70, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1987, 1988-89, 1989-90, 1991-92, 1993-94, 2000 Clausura, 2000 Apertura, 2001 Reordenamiento, 2002 Clausura, 2003 Apertura, 2004 Apertura, 2005 Clausura, 2005 Apertura, 2006 Clausura, 2006 Apertura, 2008 Clausura, 2009 Apertura, 2010 Clausura, 2011 Apertura, 2017 Clausura, 2019 Apertura, 2024 Clausura
Aurora 8101964, 1966, 1967-68, 1975, 1978, 1984, 1986, 1992–93
Xelajú 761961–62, 1980, 1995–96, 2007 Clausura, 2012 Clausura, 2023 Clausura, 2024 Apertura
Antigua 442015 Apertura, 2016 Apertura, 2017 Apertura, 2019 Clausura
Guastatoya 332018 Clausura, 2018 Apertura, 2020 Apertura
Tipografía Nacional 311943, 1944–45, 1952–53
Suchitepéquez 251983, 2016 Clausura
Cobán Imperial 242004 Clausura, 2022 Apertura
Jalapa 202007 Apertura, 2009 Clausura
Malacateco 112021 Apertura
Santa Lucía 102021 Clausura

Top goalscorers

Nr.PlayerCountryGoals
1 Juan Carlos Plata Flag of Guatemala.svg 302
2 Oscar Sánchez Flag of Guatemala.svg 259
3 Julio César Anderson Flag of Guatemala.svg 220
4 Carlos Kamiani Félix Flag of Mexico.svg 211
5 Edwin Westphal Flag of Guatemala.svg 188
6 Israel Silva Flag of Brazil.svg 186
7 René Morales Flag of Guatemala.svg 172
8 Mario Acevedo Flag of Guatemala.svg 170
9 Agustín Herrera Flag of Mexico.svg 161
10 Selvin Pennant Flag of Guatemala.svg 156
11 León Ugarte Flag of Argentina.svg 156
12 Edgar Araiza Flag of Guatemala.svg 150
13 Fredy García Flag of Guatemala.svg 144
14 Hugo Peña Flag of Guatemala.svg 136
15 Rolando Fonseca Flag of Costa Rica.svg 135
16 Rudy Ramírez Flag of Guatemala.svg 130
17 Carlos Toledo Flag of Guatemala.svg 129
18 Jhonny Cubero Flag of Costa Rica.svg 124
19Julio Rodas Flag of Guatemala.svg 123
20José Emilio Mitrovich Flag of Argentina.svg 121

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deportivo Marquense</span> Guatemalan football club

Club Deportivo Marquense, or simply Marquense, is a Guatemalan professional football club based in San Marcos, Department of San Marcos. They compete in the Liga Nacional, the top tier of Guatemalan football following promotion from qualifying for back to back finals in the 2023-24 Primera División season and winning the Clausura 2024. Their home venue is at the Estadio Marquesa de la Ensenada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Antigua GFC</span> Guatemalan football club

Antigua Guatemala Fútbol Club is a Guatemalan professional football team based in Antigua Guatemala. They compete in the Liga Nacional, the top tier of Guatemalan football. They play their home games at the Estadio Pensativo. They are nicknamed Los Panzas Verdes in reference to the local avocados grown in the city and as represented by the green stripes on the team uniform.

The 2009–10 Liga Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala season is the 11th season in which the Apertura and Clausura season is used.

The 2010–11 Liga Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala season is the 12th season in which the Apertura and Clausura season is used. The league season is divided into two tournaments, the Apertura, which is played from August to December, and the Clausura which is played from January to May.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paulo Centurión</span> Argentine footballer (born 1982)

Paulo Centurion is an Argentine professional footballer who most recently played as a defender for Guatemalan club Comunicaciones in 2018.

The 2011–12 Liga Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala season is the 13th season in which the Apertura and Clausura season is used. The season began on 9 July 2011 and will end in May 2012.

The 2012–13 Liga Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala season was the 14th season in which the Apertura and Clausura season is used. The season began on 15 July 2012 and ended in May 2013. Comunicaciones won both the Apertura and Clausura tournaments.

The 2014–15 Liga Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala season was the 16th season in which the Apertura and Clausura season was used. The season began on 19 July 2014 and ended on 23 May 2015.

The 2015–16 Liga Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala season was the 17th season in which the Apertura and Clausura season was used. The season began in 2015 and ended in 2016.

The 2018–19 Liga Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala season was the 21st season of the Liga Nacional de Guatemala, the top football league in Guatemala, in which the Apertura and Clausura season is used. The season began in July 2018 and ended in May 2019.

The 2019–20 Liga Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala season is the 22nd season of the Liga Nacional de Guatemala, the top football league in Guatemala, in which the Apertura and Clausura season is used. The season will begin in July 2019 and will end in May 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stheven Robles</span> Guatemalan footballer

Stheven Adán Robles Ruiz, nicknamed El Pelón, is a Guatemalan professional footballer who plays as a midfielder or right-back for Liga Nacional club Comunicaciones and the Guatemala national team.

The 2020–21 Liga Nacional de Guatemala season is the 23rd season of the Liga Nacional de Guatemala, the top football league in Guatemala, in which the Apertura and Clausura season is used. The season will begin in August 2020 and will end in May 2021.

Rudy Ronaldo Barrientos Reyes is a Guatemalan professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Liga Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala club Municipal.

José Carlos Pinto Samayoa is a Guatemalan professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Liga Nacional club Comunicaciones and captains the Guatemala national team.

The 2021–22 Liga Nacional de Guatemala season was the 24th season of the Liga Nacional de Guatemala, the top football league in Guatemala, in which the Apertura and Clausura season is used. The season began on 30 July 2021 and ended on 29 May 2022.

Rafael Andrés Lezcano Montero is a professional footballer who plays as a forward for Liga Nacional club Mixco. Born in Costa Rica, he plays for the Guatemala national team.

The 2022–23 Liga Nacional de Guatemala, also known as Liga Guate Banrural for sponsorship reasons, was the 70th season of the Liga Nacional de Guatemala, the top-flight football league in Guatemala. The season began on 23 July 2022, when the Apertura 2022 tournament started, and ended on 27 May 2023 with the Clausura 2023 tournament second leg final.

The 2024–25 Liga Nacional de Guatemala, also known as Liga Guate Banrural for sponsorship reasons, is the 72nd season of the Liga Nacional de Guatemala, the top-flight football league in Guatemala. The season began on 3 August 2024, when the Apertura 2024 tournament started, and is scheduled to end in May 2025 with the Clausura 2025 tournament second leg final.

References

  1. "Liga Nacional – Lista de campeones". livefutbol.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 2020-05-24.
  2. "Guatemala, 100 años de fútbol – Municipal". Archived 2006-12-09 at the Wayback Machine – prensalibre.com – Prensa Libre newspaper, Guatemala.
  3. "Guatemala – List of Champions". RSSSF . Retrieved 1 October 2011.