Peru - Primera Division

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The Liga 1 de Fútbol Profesional del Perú, also known as Liga 1 or Liga 1 Movistar for sponsorship reasons, is the top football category in that country. The first edition of this tournament was held in 1912, and after two long pauses, the Peruvian league went professional by 1951 and has been going on ever since.

This league’s format has changed over time. As of now, 18 teams play 34 games in the Peruvian Primera División, which are divided into two different tournaments, which are held every calendar year. The winner of each tournament enters a playoff stage, along with the two best teams in the overall standings. The winner of said playoffs is crowned as the absolute champion in the Peruvian top-flight. Added to that, eight teams get to play in continental competitions, as the top four teams in the overall standings enter the Copa Libertadores, while the next four get to play in the Copa Sudamericana.

The 2018 season was the last one played under the old format, in which three tournaments were played in one year. Sporting Cristal was the last champion under that format by beating Alianza Lima with a 7-1 aggregate. Melgar and Alianza Lima made it to the group stage of the Copa Libertadores, while Real Garcilaso earned a spot in the preliminary rounds. Deportivo Municipal, Sport Huancayo, UTC, and Binacional made it to the Copa Sudamericana, while Sport Rosario and Comerciantes Unidos were relegated to Liga 2.

The Torneo Apertura, which was the first under the new format, began on February 15 and concluded on June 11, 2019. Deportivo Binacional won the title, with Sporting Cristal finishing four points behind them. The Clausura tournament will start on July 12, and the final dates will be revealed as the tournament unfolds.

In order to complete the 18-team quota, there were four promoted teams prior to the start of the 2019 tournaments. Those teams that earned their spot in the Peruvian top tier were Universidad César Vallejo, Pirata FC (as Cup winners), Carlos Mannucci and Alianza Universidad.

Did you know? Universitario de Deportes is the most successful team in Peruvian football, with 26 titles to their name considering the amateur era. Alianza Lima follows them closely with 23 championships, and Sporting Cristal is third with 19, but all of the titles won by “La Máquina Celeste” have been won since Peruvian football was considered to be a professional league.