Bolivian Football Regional Leagues

The third tier of the Bolivian football league system consists of nine regional leagues (one for each department); the number of participants varies depending on the department. It usually has between 8 and 12 teams. The winner and the runner-up of each league compete in the Copa Simón Bolívar, with the winner of such tournament gaining promotion to the 1st Division, and the runner-up playing a play-off match with the last two placed teams in the First Division. Until 1976, all 8 regional championships (Pando didn't have an organized tournament at the time) were the top division of the national football pyramid, with the winner of the Copa Simón Bolívar being crowned as national champion.

The oldest regional championship is the one played in La Paz. It started in 1914 and it was considered for many years as the top Bolivian league, especially when it turned into a semi-professional tournament in 1950 and started to include teams from Oruro and Cochabamba.

Copa Simón Bolívar
Main article: Copa Simón Bolívar

The tournament started in 1960. Initially, only champions from La Paz, Cochabamba, Oruro and Santa Cruz participated. In later years, teams from other associations joined the cup, and the tournament eventually also had runners-up participating.

Until 1976, with the lack of a nationwide league, the cup determined the national champion and representative teams for the Copa Libertadores. With the creation of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional Boliviano, the Bolivian FA stopped organizing the tournament.

In 1989, the tournament was resurrected, with the same format of both champions and runners-up from each association, but this time each regional league was the second tier on the football pyramid so the champion was supposed to be awarded a place in the professional league. Previously, the last placed team in the 1st division was replaced by the regional champion of its department. However, that practice was kept until 1993 when finally the champion was awarded a spot in the top league.

The competition format changes frequently. In 2008, the teams were divided into three groups of six teams, to save costs. Geographically close teams were teamed up and played on a home-away round-robin basis, with group 1 consisting of teams from La Paz, Oruro and Cochabamba; group 2 of teams from Potosí, Chuquisaca and Tarija, and group 3 of teams from Santa Cruz, Beni and Pando. The top two placed teams advanced to the next round, now playing play-offs on home-away basis, the three winners and the best loser advanced to the semifinals and then the final.

Liga Nacional B
Main article: Liga Nacional B

It was announced by LFPB that, due to the change of football in First Division, Copa Simon Bolivar would be replaced by Liga Nacional B which consists of thirteen clubs, the champions from each department except for Tarija which would have two clubs (Champions and runner-up), the last two relegated teams from First division and the winners of Torneo Nacional Provincial. La Paz Football Association and Oruro Football Association Championship were against this change, however the National Football Association and Bolivian Football Federation approved this change in Bolivian Football.

List of Regional Championships

Beni Football Association Championship[1]
SeasonChampion (title count)Runner-up
2007UniversitarioPrimero De Mayo
2008Primero De MayoUniversitario
2009UniversitarioPrimero De Mayo
2010Primero de MayoAtlético Marbán
2011

Chuquisaca Football Association Championship[2]
SeasonChampion (title count)Runner-up
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005Universitario (1)Fancesa
2006Fancesa (1)Independiente Petrolero
2007Fancesa (2)Independiente Petrolero
2008Independiente Petrolero (1)Fancesa
2009Fancesa (3)Independiente Petrolero
2010Independiente Petrolero (2)Fancesa
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018

Cochabamba Football Association Championship[3]
SeasonChampion (title count)Runner-up
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007Universitario
2008Enrique HappUniversitario
2009Enrique HappUniversitario
2010Enrique HappBata
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017

La Paz Football Association Championships[4]

Oruro Football Association Championship[5]
SeasonChampion (title count)Runner-up
2007Huachacalla
2008Oruro RoyalDeportivo Cristal
2009Deportivo CristalOruro Royal
201031 de OctubreOruro Royal
2011

Potosí Football Association Championship[6]
SeasonChampion (title count)Runner-up
2007Nacional Potosí
2008Nacional PotosíStormers San Lorenzo
2009Stormers San LorenzoUniversitario
2010Nacional PotosíUniversitario de Potosi
2011

Santa Cruz Football Association Championship[7]
SeasonChampion (title count)Runner-up
2007Guabirá
2008DestroyersReal Santa Cruz
2009GuabiráDestroyers
2010Real AmericaCallejas
2011

Tarija Football Association Championship[8]
SeasonChampion (title count)Runner-up
2007Unión CentralCiclón
2008UniversitarioCiclón
2009CiclónReal Charcas
2010CiclónGarcía Agreda
2011

Pando Football Association Championship[9]
SeasonChampion (title count)Runner-up
2008Vaca DiezUniversitario
2009UniversitarioVaca Diez
2010Real Vaca DíezUniversitario de Pando
2011

References
  1. "ASOCIACION BENIANA DE FUTBOL". Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  2. "ASOCIACION CHUQUISAQUEÑA DE FUTBOL". Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  3. "ASOCIACION DE FUTBOL DE COCHABAMBA". Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  4. "ASOCIACION DE FUTBOL DE LA PAZ". Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  5. "ASOCIACION DE FUTBOL ORURO". Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  6. "ASOCIACION DE FUTBOL POTOSÍ". Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  7. "ASOCIACION CRUCEÑA DE FUTBOL". Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  8. "ASOCIACION TARIJEÑA DE FUTBOL". Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  9. "ASOCIACION PANDIÑA DE FUTBOL". Retrieved 14 October 2020.
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