Liga Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala

Association football league in Guatemala

Football league

Liga Nacional de Guatemala

Founded| 1919; 105 years ago (1919) as amateur league
1942; 82 years ago (1942) as professional league
Country| Guatemala
Confederation| CONCACAF
Number of teams| 12
Level on pyramid| 1
Relegation to| Primera División de Ascenso
Domestic cup(s)| Copa de Guatemala
International cup(s)| CONCACAF Champions League
CONCACAF Central American Cup
Current champions| Comunicaciones (32nd title)
Most championships| Comunicaciones
(32 titles)
Most appearances| Jairo Arreola (651)
Top goalscorer| Juan Carlos Plata (302)
TV partners| Albavision
Claro Sports
Tigo Sports
Fox Deportes
Website| ligagt.org
Current: 2023-24 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 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. Comunicaciones is the most successful club in the league to date, having won 32 tournaments.[1]

## History[edit]

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[edit]

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.

## 2023-24 Season[edit]

Antigua

Cobán

Guastatoya

Malacateco

Xelajú

Achuapa

Xinabajul

Coatepeque

Zacapa

Guatemala Department

Teams in Guatemala Department:
Comunicaciones
Mixco
Municipal

class=notpageimage|

Location of the 2023-24 Liga Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala teams

Comunicaciones

Mixco

Municipal

class=notpageimage|

Location of teams in Guatemala Department

Team  | Home city  | Stadium  | Capacity

|
|
|

Achuapa | El Progreso, Jutiapa Department | Estadio Winston Pineda | 6,000
Antigua | Antigua, Sacatepéquez Department | Estadio Pensativo | 10,000
Coatepeque | Coatepeque, Quetzaltenango Department | Estadio Israel Barrios | 20,000
Cobán Imperial | Cobán, Alta Verapaz Department | Estadio Verapaz | 15,000
Comunicaciones | Guatemala City, Guatemala Department | Estadio Doroteo Guamuch Flores | 26,000
Guastatoya | Guastatoya, El Progreso Department | Estadio David Cordón Hichos  | 3,100
Malacateco | Malacatán, San Marcos Department | Estadio Santa Lucía | 7,000
Mixco | Mixco, Guatemala Department | Estadio Santo Domingo de Guzmán  | 1,000
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[edit]

Current Liga Nacional managers  Manager  | Nationality  | Club

|
|

Milton García  |  Colombia | Achuapa
Dwight Pezzarossi  |  Guatemala | Antigua
Silvio Fernández  |  Uruguay | Coatepeque
Adrian Arias  |  Mexico | Coban Imperial
Iván Sopegno  |  Argentina | Comunicaciones
Roberto Montoya  |  Mexico | Guastatoya
Gabriel Pereyra  |  Argentina | Malacateco
Fabricio Benítez  |  Guatemala | Mixco
Sebastián Bini  |  Argentina | Municipal
Amarini Villatoro  |  Guatemala | Xelajú
Pablo Centrone  |  Argentina | Xinabajul
Adrián Fernández Leal  |  Uruguay | Zapaca

## Champions[edit]

### Liga Capitalina[edit]

#### Amateur Era[edit]

Ed.  | Season  | Champion  | Runner-up

|
|
|

| 1919 | Allies | Hércules

| 1920 | Hércules | España

| 1921 | No tournament due to the Juegos del Centenario

| 1922 | Allies | Alemán

| 1923 | La Joya | Allies

| 1924 | USAC | Allies

| 1925 | La Joya | Hércules

| 1926 | USAC | Hércules

| 1927 | Hércules | USAC

| 1928 | USAC | Allies

| 1929 | USAC | Tipografía Nacional

| 1930 | USAC | Germania

| 1931 | USAC | Germania

| 1932 | Guatemala FC | Germania

| 1933 | Escuela Politécnica | Tipografía Nacional

| 1934 | Escuela Politécnica | Tipografía Nacional

| 1935 | Cibeles | Quetzal

| 1936 | Cibeles | Quetzal

| 1937 | Quetzal | Tipografía Nacional

| 1938 | Tipografía Nacional | Municipal

| 1939 | Tipografía Nacional | Hércules

| 1940 | Tipografía Nacional | Independiente

| 1941 | Guatemala FC | Tipografía Nacional

### Liga Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala[edit]

#### Professional Era[edit]

Ed.  | Season  | Champion  | Runner-up

|
|
|

| 1942–43 | Municipal | Tipografía Nacional

| 1943 | Tipografía Nacional | Municipal

| 1944–45 | Tipografía Nacional | Municipal

| 1947 | Municipal | España

| 1948–50 | No tournament due to the 1950 Central American and Caribbean Games

| 1950–51 | Municipal | Comunicaciones

| 1952–53 | Tipografía Nacional | Comunicaciones

| 1954–55 | Municipal | Comunicaciones

| 1956 | Comunicaciones | Universidad de San Carlos

| 1957–58 | Comunicaciones | Municipal

| 1959–60 | Comunicaciones | Municipal

| 1961–62 | Xelajú | Comunicaciones

| 1963–64 | Municipal | Xelajú

| 1964 | Aurora | Municipal

| 1965–66 | Municipal | Comunicaciones

| 1966 | Aurora | Xelajú

| 1967–68 | Aurora | Municipal

| 1968–69 | Comunicaciones | Aurora

| 1969–70 | Municipal | Aurora

| 1970–71 | Comunicaciones | Aurora

| 1971 | Comunicaciones | Aurora

| 1972 | Comunicaciones | Municipal

| 1973 | Municipal | Aurora

| 1974 | Municipal | Aurora

| 1975 | Aurora | Comunicaciones

| 1976 | Municipal | Comunicaciones

| 1977–78 | Comunicaciones | Municipal

| 1978 | Aurora | Comunicaciones

| 1979–80 | Comunicaciones | Cobán Imperial

| 1980 | Xelajú | Juventud Retalteca

| 1981 | Comunicaciones | Xelajú

| 1982 | Comunicaciones | Suchitepéquez

| 1983 | Suchitepéquez | Comunicaciones

| 1984 | Aurora | Suchitepéquez

| 1985 | Comunicaciones | Juventud Retalteca

| 1986 | Aurora | Galcasa

| 1987 | Municipal | Aurora

| 1988–89 | Municipal | Aurora

| 1989–90 | Municipal | Suchitepéquez

| 1990–91 | Comunicaciones | Municipal

| 1991–92 | Municipal | Comunicaciones

| 1992–93 | Aurora | Comunicaciones

| 1993–94 | Municipal | Escuintla

| 1994–95 | Comunicaciones | Aurora

| 1995–96 | Xelajú | Comunicaciones

| 1996–97 | Comunicaciones | Aurora

| 1997–98 | Comunicaciones | Cobán Imperial

| 1998–99 | Comunicaciones | Municipal

| 1999 Apertura | Comunicaciones | Municipal

| 2000 Clausura | Municipal | Comunicaciones

| 2000 Apertura | Municipal | Comunicaciones

| 2001 Clausura | Comunicaciones | Antigua

| 2001 Reordenamiento | Municipal | Cobán Imperial

| 2002 Clausura | Municipal | Comunicaciones

| 2002 Apertura | Comunicaciones | Municipal

| 2003 Clausura | Comunicaciones | Cobán Imperial

| 2003 Apertura | Municipal | Comunicaciones

| 2004 Clausura | Cobán Imperial | Municipal

| 2004 Apertura | Municipal | Comunicaciones

| 2005 Clausura | Municipal | Suchitepéquez

| 2005 Apertura | Municipal | Comunicaciones

| 2006 Clausura | Municipal | Marquense

| 2006 Apertura | Municipal | Comunicaciones

| 2007 Clausura | Xelajú | Marquense

| 2007 Apertura | Jalapa | Suchitepéquez

| 2008 Clausura | Municipal | Comunicaciones

| 2008 Apertura | Comunicaciones | Municipal

| 2009 Clausura | Jalapa | Municipal

| 2009 Apertura | Municipal | Comunicaciones

| 2010 Clausura | Municipal | Xelajú Mario Camposeco

| 2010 Apertura | Comunicaciones | Municipal

| 2011 Clausura | Comunicaciones | Municipal

| 2011 Apertura | Municipal | Comunicaciones

| 2012 Clausura | Xelajú | Municipal

| 2012 Apertura | Comunicaciones | Municipal

| 2013 Clausura | Comunicaciones | Heredia

| 2013 Apertura | Comunicaciones | Heredia

| 2014 Clausura | Comunicaciones | Municipal

| 2014 Apertura | Comunicaciones | Municipal

| 2015 Clausura | Comunicaciones | Municipal

| 2015 Apertura | Antigua | Guastatoya

| 2016 Clausura | Suchitepéquez | Comunicaciones

| 2016 Apertura | Antigua | Municipal

| 2017 Clausura | Municipal | Guastatoya

| 2017 Apertura | Antigua | Municipal

| 2018 Clausura | Guastatoya | Xelajú

| 2018 Apertura | Guastatoya | Comunicaciones

| 2019 Clausura | Antigua | Malacateco

| 2019 Apertura | Municipal | Antigua

| 2020 Clausura | Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic

| 2020 Apertura | Guastatoya | Municipal

| 2021 Clausura | Santa Lucía | Comunicaciones

| 2021 Apertura | Malacateco | Comunicaciones

| 2022 Clausura | Comunicaciones | Municipal

| 2022 Apertura | Cobán Imperial | Antigua

| 2023 Clausura | Xelajú | Antigua

| 2023 Apertura | Comunicaciones | Guastatoya

## Titles by club in Guatemalan Football History[edit]

Champions were:[3] Amateur and Professional Champions.

### Amateur Era[edit]

Club  | Winners  | Runners-up  | Winning years

|
|
|

Universidad de San Carlos  | 6  | 1  | 1924, 1926, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931
Tipografia Nacional | 3  | 5  | 1938, 1939, 1940
Hércules  | 2  | 4  | 1920, 1927
Allies  | 2  | 3  | 1919, 1922
Cibeles  | 2  | 0  | 1935, 1936
Escuela Politécnica  | 2  | 0  | 1933, 1934
Guatemala FC  | 2  | 0  | 1932, 1941
La Joya  | 2  | 0  | 1923, 1925
Quetzal  | 1  | 2  | 1937

### Professional Era[edit]

Club  | Winners  | Runners-up  | Winning years

|
|
|

Comunicaciones | 32  | 26  | 1956, 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 | 31  | 26  | 1942-43, 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
Aurora | 8  | 10  | 1964, 1966, 1967-68, 1975, 1978, 1984, 1986, 1992–93
Xelajú | 6  | 5  | 1961–62, 1980, 1995–96, 2007 Clausura, 2012 Clausura, 2023 Clausura
Antigua | 4  | 4  | 2015 Apertura, 2016 Apertura, 2017 Apertura, 2019 Clausura
Guastatoya | 3  | 3  | 2018 Clausura, 2018 Apertura, 2020 Apertura
Tipografía Nacional | 3  | 1  | 1943, 1944–45, 1952–53
Suchitepéquez | 2  | 5  | 1983, 2016 Clausura
Cobán Imperial | 2  | 4  | 2004 Clausura, 2022 Apertura
Jalapa | 2  | 0  | 2007 Apertura, 2009 Clausura
Malacateco | 1  | 1  | 2021 Apertura
Santa Lucía | 1  | 0  | 2021 Clausura

## Top goalscorers[edit]

Nr.  | Player  | Country  | Goals

|
|
|

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

## See also[edit]

* Guatemala national football team

## References[edit]

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.

## External links[edit]

* Liga Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala (in Spanish)
* League at FIFA
* Guatemala, 100 años de fútbol \- prensalibre.com - Prensa Libre newspaper, Guatemala. (in Spanish)
* guatefutbol.com (in Spanish)
* League Summary at Soccerway (in English)

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Liga Nacional de Guatemala

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