With the 2026 World Cup tournament approaching later this year, the Paraguayan football season begins earlier than usual. The Torneo Apertura, the first of two full competitions of Paraguayan club football, kicks off on Friday 23 January, marking the 134th edition of the Paraguayan top-flight championship. Twelve teams will compete over the coming months, each with their own objective: glory, qualifying for international competitions, or avoiding relegation.
The Apertura consists of 22 league matches, starting on 23 January and concluding on 24 May, just ahead of the World Cup. Four matches have been brought forward due to the international football calendar. With two more adjustments planned for the Clausura Tournament, the second full competition in Paraguayan club football in the second half of 2025.
Championship favourites clashing
Defending champions Cerro Porteño open their campaign against Libertad in the first fixture of the league. Cerro aim to retain their title, while Libertad will be eager to reclaim it. Beyond domestic ambitions, both clubs have their sights firmly set on the Copa Libertadores. Whatever the outcome, the opening match promises to be a statement of intent from two of the league’s main contenders.
Another standout fixture sees Olimpia face Guaraní in the opening round. Their clash is known as the oldest classic in Paraguayan football, as they contested the first-ever professional football match in the country.
Guaraní finished as runners-up behind Cerro, and are chasing a league title after a decade-long drought. Olimpia, meanwhile, are looking to quickly put last season behind them, with a Copa Sudamericana play-off looming in early February. Two traditional candidates, each with different pressures, make this another unmissable encounter.
The relegation battle
In Paraguayan football, two teams are relegated each year, although this could change in the future with discussions about expanding the Primera División, Paraguay’s top football league. Relegation is determined by the average system, which calculates a club’s points accumulated over the last three seasons, divided by the total number of matches played during that period. After the 2025 season, General Caballero JLM and Atlético Tembetary relegated, and will not be back for the 2026 battle.
Rubio Ñu and San Lorenzo are the newly promoted sides, both familiar names in the First Division. Their main objective will be to secure permanence in the league, while also dreaming of international qualification. Either through the Copa Paraguay or by accumulating enough points across the season.
More pressure
Other clubs under pressure include Sportivo Ameliano and Sportivo Luqueño. Ameliano, one of the recent Cinderella stories in Paraguayan football, will aim to collect as many points as possible to stay clear of relegation. Their campaign begins against Rubio Ñu, making the opening match a direct battle between rivals with similar goals.
Luqueño, meanwhile, know that their passionate supporters would not tolerate another relegation, which would be their second in five years. They face Sportivo 2 de Mayo, runners-up in the most recent Copa Paraguay and currently in a stronger position in the averages table. For Luqueño, the challenge is clear: survive in the top flight and improve their long-term numbers.
A full year of football
In an unusual season, with Paraguay in the World Cup and the domestic calendar starting earlier than normal, one thing is sure: a packed year of football. Between the Apertura, Copa Libertadores, Copa Sudamericana and the World Cup itself, Paraguayan fans can expect moments of joy, frustration, last-minute hopes, and inevitable heartbreak.
So, who are you rooting for? One of the traditional giants, a Cinderella story, or simply survival? Whatever your choice, The Asunción Times has you covered with the Passion and Pride series.
