2026 Copa de Primera
| Season | 2026 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 23 January – 29 November 2026 |
← 2025 2027 → | |
The 2026 Copa de Primera (officially the Copa de Primera Tigo – ueno bank 2026 for sponsorship reasons) will be the 92nd season of the División de Honor, the top-flight professional football league in Paraguay. The season, which will consist of two tournaments (Apertura and Clausura), is scheduled to begin on 23 January and end on 29 November 2026. The fixture draw for both of the season's tournaments was held on 3 December 2025.[1]
Cerro Porteño will enter the season as defending champions, having won the 2025 Clausura tournament.
Teams
Twelve teams will compete in this season: the top ten teams in the relegation table of the 2025 season and the top two teams in the 2025 Paraguayan División Intermedia.
Team changes
General Caballero (JLM) and Tembetary were relegated to the second tier league División Intermedia after ending in the bottom two places of the relegation table at the end of the 2025 season, and they were replaced by the 2025 División Intermedia champions Rubio Ñu and runners-up San Lorenzo.
Rubio Ñu, who returned to the top flight after 8 years, clinched promotion with a 1–0 win over Sportivo Carapeguá on 14 September 2025,[2] while San Lorenzo returned to the Copa de Primera for the first time since 2020 by defeating Fernando de la Mora on 4 October 2025, the final matchday of the División Intermedia tournament.[3]
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Stadia and locations
Locations of the 2026 Copa de Primera teams outside Asunción
Locations of the 2026 Copa de Primera teams – Asunción
| Team | City | Stadium[i] | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 de Mayo | Pedro Juan Caballero | Río Parapití | 25,000 |
| Cerro Porteño | Asunción | General Pablo Rojas | 45,000 |
| Guaraní | Asunción | La Arboleda[ii] | 8,000 |
| Libertad | Asunción | La Huerta | 14,000 |
| Nacional | Asunción | Arsenio Erico | 7,500 |
| Olimpia | Capiatá | Erico Galeano[iii] | 13,500 |
| Recoleta | Asunción | Ricardo Gregor[iv] | 4,000 |
| Rubio Ñu | Asunción | La Arboleda | 8,000 |
| San Lorenzo | San Lorenzo | Gunther Vogel | 5,000 |
| Sportivo Ameliano | Villeta | Ameliano Villeta | 7,000 |
| Sportivo Luqueño | Itauguá | Luis Alberto Salinas[v] | 10,000 |
| Sportivo Trinidense | Asunción | Martín Torres | 3,000 |
- Notes
- ^ Teams occasionally play home matches at Estadio Defensores del Chaco in Asunción.
- ^ Guaraní play their home matches at Estadio La Arboleda since their stadium Estadio Rogelio Livieres was closed for reconstruction.[4]
- ^ Olimpia play their home matches at Estadio Erico Galeano since their stadium Estadio Osvaldo Domínguez Dibb in Asunción was closed for reconstruction.[5]
- ^ Recoleta play their home matches at Estadio Ricardo Gregor since their stadium Estadio Roque Battilana did not meet APF requirements.[6]
- ^ Sportivo Luqueño play their home matches at Estadio Luis Alberto Salinas since their stadium Estadio Feliciano Cáceres in Luque is closed for remodeling works.
Personnel and kits
| Team | Head coach | Kit manufacturer | Main shirt sponsors |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 de Mayo | Eduardo Ledesma | Kyrios | Zero Grau, Banco Continental, Fleming |
| Cerro Porteño | Jorge Bava | Puma | Tigo, Ueno |
| Guaraní | Víctor Bernay | Kyrios | Tigo, Ueno, Aposta.La |
| Libertad | Francisco Arce | Puma | Tigo |
| Nacional | Felipe Giménez | Kappa | Kia, Banco Continental, Coca-Cola, Santa Clara |
| Olimpia | Pablo Sánchez | Nike | Tigo, Visión Banco |
| Recoleta | Jorge González | Running Sport | Ueno, BYD, Universidad Central del Paraguay |
| Rubio Ñu | Gustavo Morínigo | Garcis | Lácteos Trébol, Pinturas Bambi |
| San Lorenzo | Sergio Órteman | Temple | Ochsi, Guairá Pisos |
| Sportivo Ameliano | Roberto Nanni | Netanya Sport | Kia, Banco Continental, Ayres |
| Sportivo Luqueño | Lucas Barrios | Kyrios | Comercial Vírgen del Rosario, Ueno, Betsson |
| Sportivo Trinidense | José Arrúa | Lotto | Noroda, Lácteos Trébol, Chorti Beef, Ueno |
Managerial changes
| Team | Outgoing head coach | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in table | Incoming head coach | Date of appointment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Torneo Apertura | ||||||
| Olimpia | Ever Almeida | Sacked | 26 November 2025[7] | Pre-season | Pablo Sánchez | 28 November 2025[8] |
| 2 de Mayo | Felipe Giménez | Resigned | 27 November 2025[9] | Eduardo Ledesma | 5 December 2025[10] | |
| Libertad | Pablo Guiñazú | Sacked | 1 December 2025[11] | Francisco Arce | 5 December 2025[12] | |
| Nacional | Pedro Sarabia | End of contract | 1 December 2025[13] | Felipe Giménez | 15 December 2025[14] | |
| Rubio Ñu | Héctor Marecos | 11 December 2025[15] | Gustavo Morínigo | 11 December 2025[15] | ||
Torneo Apertura
The Torneo Apertura will be the 133rd official División de Honor championship and the first tournament of the 2026 season. It is scheduled to begin on 23 January and end on 24 May 2026.[16]
Standings
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 de Mayo | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Qualification for Copa Libertadores group stage |
| 2 | Cerro Porteño | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 | Guaraní | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 4 | Libertad | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 5 | Nacional | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 6 | Olimpia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 7 | Recoleta | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 8 | Rubio Ñu | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 9 | San Lorenzo | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 10 | Sportivo Ameliano | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 11 | Sportivo Luqueño | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 12 | Sportivo Trinidense | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
First match(es) will be played: 23 January 2026. Source: APF
Rules for classification: 1) Points, 2) Head-to-head points, 3) Head-to-head goal difference, 4) Overall goal difference, 5) Goals for, 6) Playoff game (if needed to decide championship between two teams) or Drawing of lots (if three teams or more are tied).
Rules for classification: 1) Points, 2) Head-to-head points, 3) Head-to-head goal difference, 4) Overall goal difference, 5) Goals for, 6) Playoff game (if needed to decide championship between two teams) or Drawing of lots (if three teams or more are tied).
Results
Torneo Clausura
The Torneo Clausura will be the 134th official División de Honor championship and the second tournament of the 2026 season. It is scheduled to begin on 24 July and end on 29 November 2026.[17]
Standings
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 de Mayo | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Qualification for Copa Libertadores group stage |
| 2 | Cerro Porteño | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 | Guaraní | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 4 | Libertad | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 5 | Nacional | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 6 | Olimpia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 7 | Recoleta | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 8 | Rubio Ñu | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 9 | San Lorenzo | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 10 | Sportivo Ameliano | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 11 | Sportivo Luqueño | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 12 | Sportivo Trinidense | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
First match(es) will be played: 24 July 2026. Source: APF
Rules for classification: 1) Points, 2) Head-to-head points, 3) Head-to-head goal difference, 4) Overall goal difference, 5) Goals for, 6) Playoff game (if needed to decide championship between two teams) or Drawing of lots (if three teams or more are tied).
Rules for classification: 1) Points, 2) Head-to-head points, 3) Head-to-head goal difference, 4) Overall goal difference, 5) Goals for, 6) Playoff game (if needed to decide championship between two teams) or Drawing of lots (if three teams or more are tied).
Results
Relegation
Relegation is determined at the end of the season by computing an average of the number of points earned per game over the past three seasons. The two teams with the lowest average will be relegated to the División Intermedia for the following season.
| Pos |
Team |
2024 Pts |
2025 Pts |
2026 Pts |
Total Pts |
Total Pld |
Avg | Relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cerro Porteño | 74 | 85 | 0 | 159 | 88 | 1.807 | |
| 2 | Guaraní | 66 | 83 | 0 | 149 | 88 | 1.693 | |
| 3 | Libertad | 74 | 70 | 0 | 144 | 88 | 1.636 | |
| 4 | Olimpia | 80 | 59 | 0 | 139 | 88 | 1.58 | |
| 5 | Recoleta | — | 59 | 0 | 59 | 44 | 1.341 | |
| 6 | 2 de Mayo | 65 | 51 | 0 | 116 | 88 | 1.318 | |
| 7 | Nacional | 55 | 60 | 0 | 115 | 88 | 1.307 | |
| 8 | Sportivo Trinidense | 46 | 67 | 0 | 113 | 88 | 1.284 | |
| 9 | Sportivo Luqueño | 61 | 47 | 0 | 108 | 88 | 1.227 | |
| 10 | Sportivo Ameliano | 56 | 48 | 0 | 104 | 88 | 1.182 | |
| 11 | Rubio Ñu | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Relegation to División Intermedia |
| 12 | San Lorenzo | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Source: APF
References
- ^ "Calendario listo para la temporada 2026" [Schedule set for the 2026 season] (in Spanish). Paraguayan Football Association. 3 December 2025. Retrieved 5 December 2025.
- ^ "Luego de 8 años, Rubio Ñu regresa a Primera" [Rubio Ñu return to Primera after 8 years] (in Spanish). Unicanal. 14 September 2025. Retrieved 30 November 2025.
- ^ "Sportivo San Lorenzo vuelve a la Primera División" [Sportivo San Lorenzo return to the First Division] (in Spanish). RDN. 5 October 2025. Retrieved 30 November 2025.
- ^ "Guaraní: Carpa del Cacique en La Arboleda" [Guaraní: Chief's Tent at La Arboleda] (in Spanish). ABC Color. 29 July 2025. Retrieved 5 December 2025.
- ^ "¡Olimpia alquilará la cancha de Capiatá para jugar de local!" [Olimpia will rent Capiatá's field to play their home games!] (in Spanish). Onefootball. 29 July 2025. Retrieved 5 December 2025.
- ^ "Es oficial: Se viene el primer estadio con cancha sintética en la División de Honor" [It is official: The first stadium with synthetic turf in the División de Honor is coming] (in Spanish). Versus. 4 December 2024. Retrieved 5 December 2024.
- ^ "Confirmado: Éver Hugo Almeida no continuará como entrenador de Olimpia en 2026" [Confirmed: Éver Hugo Almeida will not continue as Olimpia's coach in 2026] (in Spanish). DSports. 25 November 2025. Retrieved 30 November 2025.
- ^ "Pablo Sánchez: "Feliz de estar en el más grande de este país"" [Pablo Sánchez: "Happy to be at the biggest club in this country"] (in Spanish). ABC Color. 28 November 2025. Retrieved 30 November 2025.
- ^ "¡Se va el Gato! Giménez cierra otro ciclo exitoso con el 2 de Mayo" [The Cat is leaving! Giménez closes another successful cycle with 2 de Mayo] (in Spanish). D10. 27 November 2025. Retrieved 30 November 2025.
- ^ "Eduardo Ledesma, nuevo técnico del 2 de Mayo" [Eduardo Ledesma, 2 de Mayo's new head coach] (in Spanish). D10. 2 December 2025. Retrieved 2 December 2025.
- ^ "Libertad anunció la salida de Pablo Guiñazú" [Libertad announced the exit of Pablo Guiñazú] (in Spanish). D10. 1 December 2025. Retrieved 2 December 2025.
- ^ "Oficial: Francisco Arce es el nuevo entrenador de Libertad" [Official: Francisco Arce is the new manager of Libertad] (in Spanish). ABC Color. 5 December 2025. Retrieved 5 December 2025.
- ^ "Pedro Sarabia dejó de ser el director técnico de Nacional" [Pedro Sarabia ceased to be the head coach of Nacional] (in Spanish). Ñandutí Diario Digital. 1 December 2025. Retrieved 2 December 2025.
- ^ "Felipe Giménez, nuevo técnico de Nacional" [Felipe Giménez, new Nacional manager] (in Spanish). D10. 15 December 2025. Retrieved 15 December 2025.
- ^ a b "Rubio Ñu: Morínigo recala en La Arboleda" [Rubio Ñu: Morínigo lands at La Arboleda] (in Spanish). ABC Color. 11 December 2025. Retrieved 13 December 2025.
- ^ "El fixture del Torneo Apertura 2026" [The 2026 Torneo Apertura's fixture] (in Spanish). D10. 4 December 2025. Retrieved 5 December 2025.
- ^ "El fixture del Torneo Clausura 2026" [The 2026 Torneo Clausura's fixture] (in Spanish). D10. 4 December 2025. Retrieved 5 December 2025.
External links
- APF's official website (in Spanish)