Liga Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala

Liga Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala (National Football League of Guatemala), formerly known as Liga Mayor "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. C.S.D. Municipal is the most successful club in the league to date, having won 31 tournaments. Comunicaciones is 2nd with 30.[1]

Liga Nacional de Guatemala
Founded1919 (amateur) 1942 (professional)
CountryGuatemala
ConfederationCONCACAF
Number of teams12
Level on pyramid1°
Relegation toPrimera División de Ascenso
Domestic cup(s)Copa de Guatemala
International cup(s)CONCACAF Champions League
Current championsAntigua GFC (4th Title)
Most championshipsC.S.D. Municipal (31 titles)
Websitehttps://ligagt.org
Current: 2020–21 Liga Nacional de Guatemala

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, respectively. The playoff winners play in the top division while the losers spend the next season in the second division.

Current Teams
Location of the 2020-21 Liga Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala teams
Team Home city Stadium Capacity
Achuapa El Progreso, Jutiapa Estadio Municipal Manuel Ariza 1,500
Antigua GFC Antigua, Sacatepequez Estadio Pensativo 9,000
Cobán Imperial Cobán, Alta Verapaz Estadio José Ángel Rossi 15,000
Comunicaciones Guatemala City Estadio Doroteo Guamuch Flores 26,000
Guastatoya Guastatoya, El Progreso Estadio David Cordón Hichos 5,000
Iztapa Iztapa, Escuintla Estadio Armando Barillas 10,000
Malacateco Malacatán, San Marcos Estadio Santa Lucía 7,000
Municipal Guatemala City Estadio Manuel Felipe Carrera 7,500
Sacachispas Chiquimula, Chiquimula Estadio Las Victorias 9,000
Sanarate Sanarate, El Progreso Estadio Municipal de Sanarate 4,000
Sta Lucía Cotz Santa Lucía Cotzumalguapa, Escuintla Estadio Municipal Santa Lucía Cotzumalguapa 9,500
Xelajú Quetzaltenango Estadio Mario Camposeco 11,220

Champions in Guatemalan Football History

Champions were:[3] Amateur and Professional Champions.

Professional Champions
Team Location Champions
Municipal Guatemala City 31
Comunicaciones Guatemala City 30
Aurora F.C. Guatemala City 8
Xelajú MC Quetzaltenango 5
Antigua GFC Antigua Guatemala 4
Tipografía Nacional Guatemala City 3
Suchitepéquez Mazatenango 2
CD Jalapa Jalapa 2
Deportivo Guastatoya Guastatoya 2
Cobán Imperial Cobán 1

Liga Nacional Guate.jpg

Amateur Champions
Team Location Champions
Universidad SC
(formerly Escuela de Medicina)		 Guatemala City 6
Tipografia Nacional Guatemala City 3
Allies Guatemala City 2
Cibeles Guatemala City 2
Escuela Politécnica Guatemala City 2
Guatemala FC
(formerly Escuela Normal)		 Guatemala City 2
Hércules Guatemala City 2
La Joya Guatemala City 2
Quetzal Guatemala City 1

See also

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.
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