Argentine football returns: Apertura 2026 starts with tight schedule | OneFootball

The wait is over for Argentine soccer fans. After 33 days of inactivity since the last match between Estudiantes and Racing on December 20, the Professional League raises the curtain on its season this Thursday, January 22, with five matches that will kick off the Torneo Apertura.

The tournament maintains the same format as in 2025: 30 teams in the top division, including the promoted Estudiantes de Río Cuarto and Gimnasia de Mendoza, will compete for a spot in the single final in June.

Tight Schedule and Midweek Matches

The 2026 sports year's schedule is conditioned by the World Cup (from June 11 to July 19), which necessitates a tight local calendar. The lack of available weekends forced the Professional League to schedule full rounds during the week.

The first round will take place from this Thursday, January 22, to Sunday, January 25. Immediately, the second round will begin on Monday, January 26, and end on Thursday, January 29, leaving only one day of rest before the third round. This intense pace will continue, with matches always within less than a week, respecting the minimum rest of 72 hours between games.

Factors Shaping the Fixture

So far, the League has detailed days and times for 12 of the 16 dates of the regular phase. The final calendar layout considers multiple variables:

This tight fixture challenges coaching staff and players, who will have to manage physical loads in a year with a minimum of 33 matches for each team.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.