The beautiful game has undergone a major makeover this season. UEFA has expanded and revamped its flagship Champions League, doing away with the traditional eight groups of four in favor of a monster 36-team initial league phase and an additional knockout round. FIFA, meanwhile, has finally looked to capitalize on the Club World Cup, restructuring the tournament so that it mirrors the international spectacle with 36 teams vying for the honor to be called world champions, rather than the continental champions from each confederation.
One league that has followed suit is Argentina’s Liga Profesional. This season has brought about an ambitious league structure in a bid to make the league more competitive and get more eyes on the product, primarily from overseas. With 30 teams, the Argentinian top flight is one of the biggest top divisions on the planet, and here is all you need to know for the newly kicked-off 2025 campaign.
New League Structure
This year, the AFA introduced a new system that splits the league into two groups of 15 teams, with the groupings decided by location. Clubs play against every team in their group as well as two interzonal matches, one of which is a rivalry game. Not only that, but the season is split into two separate tournaments, the Torneo Apertura and Clausura. Both follow the same structure, ending with single-elimination playoffs.
Each group’s top 8 finishers progress to the knockout stages, culminating in a grand final where the champion is crowned. Additionally, relegation has returned this season after being suspended last year, with two teams set to fall through the trapdoor – one from each group – with the unlucky teams being determined by the league table and historical average points.
Reigning Champions
The reigning champions, Vélez Sarsfield, came out on top in the 2024 season, proving they could go toe-to-toe with Argentina’s biggest clubs. After an impressive year, they’re now facing the challenge of defending their title in a much-expanded league format. Unfortunately, their campaign started rocky in the Apertura, as they sit near the bottom of Group B and are already struggling to find their form.
Their ongoing struggles are a far cry from last term. El Fortín managed to upset the apple cart last year, finishing ahead of more illustrious rivals such as Bova Juniors and River Plate to emerge victorious. 12 goals from veteran striker Braian Romero managed to propel them to their first piece of silverware in 11 years, ultimately finishing three points clear of fellow underdogs Talleres.
The pressure is now on Vélez to bounce back from their poor start to the current campaign as fans and rivals know the unpredictability of this new structure leaves little room for early-season faltering. They recently picked up their first win of the season at the ninth time of asking, beating San Martin by a solitary goal to nil, but that has done little to convince the sports odds providers that a successful title defense could be on the cards. The latest live sports odds currently price them as a rank +3300 outsider to reclaim the crown this term, some way behind frontrunners River (+275) and Boca (+335).
Most Popular Teams
You might have noticed that we’ve already mentioned both Boca Juniors and River Plate. Well, no conversation about Argentine football is complete without the two Buenos Aires giants. These two legendary teams are the heartbeat of the league, their rivalry sparking unparalleled passion among fans worldwide. Their “superclásico” clash is considered the biggest rivalry on the planet, even bigger than the ones across the Atlantic between Real Madrid and Barcelona.
Boca are off to a strong start in Group A, riding high on a five-game winning streak and currently just behind leaders Argentinos Juniors. Meanwhile, River is holding its own in Group B but has faltered with a surprising draw against Godoy Cruz. Both teams remain heavy favorites to reach the playoffs.
Other prominent teams making waves in 2025 include Racing Club, San Lorenzo, and Estudiantes. The latter of that trio spent big in the close season, bringing in the likes of Cristian Medina and Facundo Farias to bolster their title hopes. They recently combined to secure a 2-0 victory away at River in a blockbuster clash, and they will be aiming to string together more victories in a bid for a first championship since 2010.
Upcoming Important Fixtures
Boca Juniors vs Estudiantes – April 20th: Estudiantes will look to complete a famous away double against their more illustrious capital city-sharing rivals as they head to the Bombanera to face Boca. They have already beaten River on enemy territory this term, and a victory away at Boca would certainly send a message to the rest of the division.
River Plate vs Boca Juniors – April 27th: A week later, Boca have the small matter of traveling across Buenos Aires to face their archrivals on enemy territory for the first Superclásico of the campaign. Victory for either side could rejuvenate their season, while the loser will have to live with handing the bragging rights to their arch-nemesis until the pair face off again in the penultimate game of the season in November.
