Football returns: Estudiantes defend crown as Apertura kicks off | OneFootball

The Apertura Tournament of the Professional Football League will begin this Thursday with an intense matchday featuring five games. The championship will maintain the same format as 2025, in a context of various competitions organized by the Argentine Football Association.

The tournament will be structured into two zones, each consisting of 15 teams. After 16 rounds of competition, the top eight from each group will advance to the round of 16. During this regular phase, each team will face the other 14 members of its zone, as well as play one interzonal match and another against its classic rival.

Starting from the round of 16, the format will be single elimination. Matches will be played at the stadium of the team that achieved a better position in the group stage, except for the final, which will be held at a neutral venue.

The current champion of Argentine football is Estudiantes de La Plata, who defeated Racing in the final of the Clausura Tournament in a penalty shootout.

Key details of the Apertura Tournament format:

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