Primera División de El Salvador

The Primera División de Fútbol Profesional de El Salvador (First Division of Professional Football of El Salvador), more commonly known as La Liga Mayor or La Primera, also known as Liga Pepsi for sponsorship reasons, is the top professional football league in El Salvador.

It was established in 1947, and in 2011 had 10 clubs. Initially the league was run as a year-long tournament, but since 1998 there are two tournaments each year, much like in many other football leagues in the Americas.

The Apertura season runs from July to December, while the Clausura season runs from January to May.

Of the 56 teams to have competed in the league, FAS has won the title 19 times, followed by Alianza (19), Aguila (17), Firpo (11) and Isidro Metapan (10)

Competition format

La Liga Mayor follows the usual double round-robin format.

During the course of a given season (Apertura or Clausura), each club plays every other club twice, once at home and once away, for a total of 22 games.

Teams receive three points for a win, one point for a draw, and no points for a loss. Teams are ranked by total points, with the top eight clubs at the end of the season progressing through to the finals.

If points are equal between two or more clubs, goal difference usually determines their placement.

Although when it comes to qualifying for the finals, if the team in eighth and ninth spot are equal on points, then a Repechaje or Playoff is needed to determine which team gains entry into finals.

A system of relegation exists between the Primera División and the Segunda División.

In May each year, at the conclusion of both the apertura and clausura seasons, the team with the fewest points on aggregate over both seasons, is automatically relegated to the Segunda División.

CONCACAF Central American Cup

La Liga Mayor has three guaranteed spots in the CONCACAF Central American Cup. The winner of each apertura and clausura season gains automatic entry into this tournament. To determine the third spot, aggregate points over both seasons is used, the best no-champion team in the season qualified to the tournament. If the same team is to win both the apertura and clausura seasons, the last spot belongs to the second best no-champion team in the season.

History

Foundation

In 1921, the Salvadoran Sports Commission (Comisión Nacional de Educación Física) held its first National Sports Week. Although initially this event did not include any participation from football clubs, it would go on to be the basis of what would grow to be the Liga Mayor of today. In 1924, due to high demand, the commission included a football tournament in the annual Sports Week. Due to the enormous success of this event, it was decided that starting in 1926 the Sports Week tournament would in turn become the country's official National Football Championship. The championship was to be contended by three teams who represent the three different zones of the country playing in a double round robin format. The first three teams to compete in the tournament were, Nequepio (Central Zone), Chinameca Sporting Club (Eastern Zone) and Olímpic (Western Zone). This format was used until 1930.

Controversy

Controversy occurred after the 1929–30 championship when finalists Excélsior F.C. (who represented the western zone) complained that the second leg of the final against Hércules should not be registered, as they felt that the referee in that game had helped Hércules win the title. The Sports Commission did not agree and the result was not changed. As a result, Excélsior F.C. withdrew from the tournament and Hércules was crowned champion. This led to there being talk of corruption from event organisers against teams from the western part of the country, and as a result teams from that zone refused to take part in any of the following Championships. Because of this there was no national playoff held again until 1937.

Return of the National Championship

The national championship returned to its original format in 1937, but was short lived, as once again, teams complained of there still being corruption within the tournament. Again as a result, there was no national championship during 1939 and 1941. Although no national championship was played, there was still regional championships which over time are now considered to be legitimate national championships.

Introduction of a league format

In 1947 the Salvadoran Football Federation tried to organize a National Championship in league format, but this proved to be unsuccessful and the tournament was suspended after only a few rounds. It proved to be more successful the following season, but was postponed once again in 1949. Although this new format did not begin very well, because of a lack of organisation, it did prove to work very well during the 1950 championship, and throughout the 1950s.

The league begins to form

The 1950s saw interest in the league begin to grow nationwide and although the league did have some problems, with teams dropping out at the end of any given season, it would not affect the league as a whole, as there were various new teams that were anxious to take part in the league and take the place of those that had left. In 1955, league organisers announced that the championship would now be played out in a double round robin format, with a maximum of 10 teams taking part in the league. This year also saw the introduction of promotion and relegation into the league.

Switch to Apertura/Clausura format

In 1998, league officials decided to change the league format from a yearlong tournament to an Apertura/Clausura schedule, with the hope that it would garner more interest in the league and give a chance for its player to rest between seasons.

Annex Major League Soccer El Salvador

These are the three league format that existed in Salvadoran national football league until now

Short Tournament (1926–1946)

Three regional champions, faced each other in the national championship. Each team represented a different section of the country (West zone, Central zone, East zone).

League System (1947–1997)

This format consisted of all against all and twelve national teams participated.

Apertura/Clausura format (1999–present)

The current league format, consisting of two short football tournaments annually mind between opening and closing ceremonies are held.

New league format 2015/2016

For the 2015–16 season, the league will have 12 teams leaving behind 10 team years. With the approval of this new format, major league soccer Cadre El Salvador, seeks to be more competitive and bring football to more people throughout the country.

Clubs

The following 12 teams are competing in the 2025–26 Primera División season.

{| class="wikitable sortable"

! Team

! Location

! Stadium

! Capacity

| Alianza

| San Salvador

| Estadio Cuscatlán

| 53,400

| Aguila

| San Miguel

| Estadio Juan Francisco Barraza

| 10,000

| C.D. FAS

| Santa Ana

| Estadio Óscar Quiteño

| 17,500

| Fuerte San Francisco

| San Francisco Gotera

| Estadio Correcaminos

| 12,000

| L.A. Firpo

| Usulután

| Estadio Sergio Torres

| 5,000

| Inter FA

| Santa Tecla

| Estadio Las Delicias

| 10,000

| Isidro Metapan

| Metapán

| Estadio Jorge Calero Suárez

| 10,000

| Platense

| Zacatecoluca

| Estadio Antonio Toledo Valle

| 10,000

| Municipal Limeño

| Santa Rosa de Lima

| Estadio Ramòn Berrios

| 5,000

| C.D. Hercules

| San Salvador

| Estadio Cuscatlán

| 53,400

| Cacahuatique

| Ciudad Barrios San Miguel

| Poli-Deportivo Ecológico El Amaton

| 5,000

| Zacatecoluca

| Estadio Antonio Toledo Valle

| 10,000

Sponsorship

ON January 2023, league president Pedro David Hernández announced Instituto Nacional de los Deportes de El Salvador INDES as the official sponsor, with the goal of modernizing the league's image. The contract was signed for seven years worth estimated 9 million dollars

Since 2021, Pioneer Deportes has been the official match ball manufacturer. In 2021, the contract was extended for three years concluding until 2024. In 2024, Molten was announced to be the new ball sponsor.

Companies that currently has sponsorship deals with for 2025-2026 include:

Molten Corporation – Official Ball Suppliers
Betpro – Official sponsors
INDES – Official sponsors
Pepsi – Official sponsors

Team presidents

As of December 2025

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: left"

!|No.

!|Name

!|Team president

|Rigoberto Ortiz Ostorga

|Águila

|Gonzalo Sibrian

|Alianza

|Juan Amaya

|Cacahuatique

| Ismael Guzmán

|Fuerte San Francisco

|José Sincuir

|FAS

|Ronny Hernández

|Firpo

|Carlos Rovira Alvarado

|Hércules

|José Ortíz

|Inter FA

|Alberto Rivera

|Isidro Metapán

|10

|Eduardo Chávez

|Municipal Limeño

|11

|Carlos Burgos

|Platense

|12

|TBD

|Zacatecoluca

Important matches

FAS vs Águila "Clásico Nacional"
Alianza vs Firpo "Clásico Joven"
FAS vs Isidro Metapán "Derbi Santaneco"
Águila vs Firpo "Derbi de Oriente"
Alianza vs Atlético Marte "Derbi Capitalino"
FAS vs Firpo "Clasico de los 90s"
Dragón vs Águila " Derbi Migueleño"
Jocoro vs Fuerte San Francisco " Derbi Morazeño"

International broadcasters

Americas

{| class="wikitable"

! Country

! Broadcasters

| Argentina Bolivia Costa Rica Guatemala Honduras Panama Paraguay

| Tigo Sports

| Canada

| beIN Sports

| Mexico

| TV Azteca

| United States

| beIN Sports

Middle East and North Africa

{|class="wikitable"

! Country

! Broadcasters

| MENA

| beIN Sports

Performance by club

Teams in bold are currently participating in La Liga Mayor.

(#) – Current Primera Division Champion
(†) – Defunct national team

{| class="wikitable"

!Team

!Champions

!Runners-up

!Winning years

||FAS

| style="text-align:center;" | 19

| style="text-align:center;" | 23

| 1951–52, 1953–54, 1957–58, 1961–62, 1962, 1977–78, 1978–79, 1981, 1984, 1994–95, 1995–96, Clausura 2002, Apertura 2002, Apertura 2003, Apertura 2004, Clausura 2005, Apertura 2009, Clausura 2021, Apertura 2022

| Alianza

| style="text-align:center;" | 19

| style="text-align:center;" | 15

| 1965–66, 1966–67, 1986–87, 1989–90, 1993–94, 1996–97, Apertura 1998, Apertura 2001, Clausura 2004, Clausura 2011, Apertura 2015, Apertura 2017, Clausura 2018, Apertura 2019, Apertura 2020, Apertura 2021, Clausura 2022, Clausura 2024, 2025 Clausura

| Águila

| style="text-align:center;" | 17

| style="text-align:center;" | 13

| 1959, 1960–61, 1963–64, 1964, 1967–68, 1972, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1983, 1987–88, Apertura 1999, Apertura 2000, Clausura 2001, Clausura 2006, Clausura 2012, Clausura 2019, Apertura 2023

| Luis Ángel Firpo (#)

| style="text-align:center;" | 11

| 1988–89, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1997–98, 1999 Clausura, 2000 Clausura, Apertura 2007, Clausura 2008, Clausura 2013

| Isidro Metapán

| style="text-align:center;" | 10

| style="text-align:center;" | 3

| Clausura 2007, Apertura 2008, Clausura 2009, Clausura 2010, Apertura 2010, Apertura 2011, Apertura 2012, Apertura 2013, Clausura 2014, Apertura 2014

| Atlético Marte†

| style="text-align:center;" | 8

| style="text-align:center;" | –

| 1955, 1955–56, 1956–57, 1969, 1970, 1980–81, 1982, 1985

| Hércules

| style="text-align:center;" | 7

| style="text-align:center;" | –

| 1927, 1928, 1929–30, 1930–31, 1931–32, 1932–33, 1933–34

| Quequeisque†

| style="text-align:center;" | 5

| style="text-align:center;" | –

| 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1945

| Santa Tecla†

| style="text-align:center;" | 4

| style="text-align:center;" | 2

| Clausura 2015, Apertura 2016, Clausura 2017, Apertura 2018

| Dragón

| style="text-align:center;" | 3

| 1950–51, 1952–53, Clausura 2016

| C.D. 33†

| style="text-align:center;" | 3

| style="text-align:center;" | –

| 1937, 1938, 1939

| Once Municipal†

| style="text-align:center;" | 2

| style="text-align:center;" | 6

| 1948–49, Apertura 2006

| Juventud Olímpica

| style="text-align:center;" | 2

| style="text-align:center;" | 4

| 1971, 1973

| Maya†

| style="text-align:center;" | 2