List of top-division football clubs in CONMEBOL countries

A map of the world. With a few exceptions, each colour corresponds to a continent. The green area, marked "CONMEBOL", covers most of South America.
  CONMEBOL countries on this map of the world's six football confederations

The South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) is the administrative and controlling body for association football in most of South America. It consists of 10 member associations, each of which is responsible for governing football in their respective countries.[1] It includes all countries and territories within South America, with the exceptions of Guyana, French Guiana, Suriname, which are part of CONCACAF, and the disputed British and Argentine territory of the Falkland Islands, which is not a member of any confederation.[1] Each CONMEBOL member has its own football league system.[2] Clubs playing in each top-level league compete for the title as the country's club champion. Clubs also compete in the league and national cup competitions (if applicable) for places in the following season's CONMEBOL club competitions, the Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana. Due to promotion and relegation, the clubs playing in the top-level league are different every season.

Club nameClub finished the previous season as the league champion.
Club nameClub won the most recent Apertura championship.
Club nameClub won the most recent Clausura championship.
Club name Club won the most recent Apertura and Clausura championships.

For clubs playing at lower divisions, see the separate articles linked to in the relevant sections.

Argentina

The Primera División is the top level of Argentine football league, and is organized by the Argentine Football Association. Founded in 1893, it is currently composed of 20 teams. The professional era started in 1931 when professionalism was instituted. Teams from Argentina have won the most international titles with a tally of 61, which includes 22 Copa Libertadores.[3] Currently, the league is regarded as one of the strongest leagues in the world.[4]

As of 2014 season:[5]

Club City
Arsenal de Sarandí Sarandí
Atlético Rafaela Rafaela
Banfield Banfield
Belgrano Córdoba
Boca Juniors Buenos Aires
Defensa y Justicia Florencio Varela
Estudiantes (LP) La Plata
Gimnasia (LP) La Plata
Godoy Cruz Godoy Cruz
Independiente Avellaneda
Lanús Lanús
Newell's Old Boys Rosario
Olimpo Bahía Blanca
Quilmes Quilmes
Racing Avellaneda
River Plate Buenos Aires
Rosario Central Rosario
San Lorenzo Buenos Aires
Tigre Victoria
Vélez Sársfield Buenos Aires

Bolivia

Bolivia's first division, the Liga de Fútbol Profesional Boliviano, started in 1977, though football had been played in Bolivia since the early 1900s, specially in La Paz and Oruro.[6]

As of the 2011 season:[7]

Club City
AuroraCochabamba
BloomingSanta Cruz
BolívarLa Paz
GuabiráMontero
La PazLa Paz
Nacional PotosíPotosí
Oriente PetroleroSanta Cruz
Real MamoréTrinidad
Real PotosíPotosí
San JoséOruro
The StrongestLa Paz
UniversitarioSucre

Brazil

The Campeonato Brasileiro was created in 1959 using the structure of Torneio Roberto Gomes Pedrosa.[8] The system used until 1987 was similar to FIFA World Cup, Copa Libertadores or UEFA Champions League: the best clubs of each State Championship were separated in several small groups. Then the best of each group played the play-offs. But every year some aspects of format, number of entrants and rules changed.[9]

As of 2014 season:

Three-time FIFA World Cup winners Mário Zagallo and Pelé both spent the majority of their careers in Brazil.
Club City
Atlético MineiroBelo Horizonte
Atlético ParanaenseCuritiba
BahiaSalvador
BotafogoRio de Janeiro
ChapecoenseChapecó
CorinthiansSão Paulo
CoritibaCuritiba
CriciúmaCriciúma
CruzeiroBelo Horizonte
FigueirenseFlorianópolis
FlamengoRio de Janeiro
FluminenseRio de Janeiro
GoiásGoiânia
GrêmioPorto Alegre
InternacionalPorto Alegre
PalmeirasSão Paulo
SantosSantos
São PauloSão Paulo
SportRecife
VitóriaSalvador

Chile

The Primera División del Fútbol Profesional Chileno was founded on January 24, 1926, and is currently ranked 14th in the IFFHS Best Leagues of the World ranking.[10] In 2010, the league is also known as Campeonato Nacional Petrobras.

As of the 2013 season:[11]

Club City
Audax ItalianoSantiago
CobreloaCalama
CobresalEl Salvador
Colo-ColoSantiago
Deportes AntofagastaAntofagasta
Deportes IquiqueIquique
EvertonViña del Mar
HuachipatoTalcahuano
ÑublenseChillán
O'HigginsRancagua
PalestinoSantiago
RangersTalca
San Marcos de AricaArica
Santiago WanderersValparaíso
Unión EspañolaSantiago
Unión La CaleraLa Calera
Universidad CatólicaSantiago
Universidad de ChileSantiago

Colombia

The Categoría Primera A has been in existence since 1948. As of 2010, soft drink company Postobón will sponsor the league for the next five years and the league will be called Liga Postobon.[12] The league is rated 21st in the world according to IFFHS.[13]

As of 2014 season:[14]
Club City
Alianza Petrolera Yopal
Atlético Huila Neiva
Atlético Nacional Medellín
Boyacá Chicó Tunja
Deportes Tolima Ibagué
Deportivo Cali Cali
Deportivo Pasto Pasto
Envigado Envigado
Equidad Bogotá
Fortaleza Zipaquirá
Independiente Medellín Medellín
Itagüí Itagüí
Junior Barranquilla
Millonarios Bogotá
Once Caldas Manizales
Patriotas Tunja
Santa Fe Bogotá
Uniautónoma Sabanalarga, Atlántico

Ecuador

The Serie A has its roots in the national championship between the top teams of Ecuador's two regional leagues. Since the first tournament in 1957, a national champion has been crowned 51 times on a yearly basis (except 1958 & 1959), and twice in 2005.[15] The current format is new for the 2010 season and consists of three stages.[16][17]

As of the 2011 season:[18]

LDU Quito in 1930.
Club City
BarcelonaGuayaquil
Deportivo CuencaCuenca
Deportivo QuitoQuito
El NacionalQuito
EmelecGuayaquil
ESPOLIQuito
ImbaburaIbarra
Independiente José TeránSangolquí
LDU LojaLoja
LDU QuitoQuito
MantaManta
OlmedoRiobamba

Paraguay

Liga Paraguaya's first game was played in 1906.[19] It joined CONMEBOL in 1921, and FIFA in 1925. The professional era of the competition in the Liga started in 1941. During the 1990s, the FA changed its denomination from Liga Paraguaya del Futbol to Asociacion Paraguaya de Futbol. Currently, the league is regarded as one of the top 10 national competitions in the world.[20][21]

As of the 2011 season:[22]

Club City
3 de FebreroCiudad del Este
Cerro PorteñoAsunción
General CaballeroAsunción
GuaraníAsunción
IndependienteAsunción
LibertadAsunción
NacionalAsunción
OlimpiaAsunción
Rubio ÑúAsunción
Sol de AméricaVilla Elisa
Sportivo LuqueñoLuque
TacuaryAsunción

Peru

The Liga Peruana de Football (Peruvian Football League) was first founded in 1912 and organized the Primera División, as well as the Segunda División, until 1921. Due to disagreements in the organization of the Liga Peruana de Football, the Peruvian Football Federation was founded in 1922 and organized its first league in 1926. In 1941 the Asociación No Amateur took the stand as the league's organizer and renamed the league Campeonato de Selección y Competencia.[23][24]

As of 2014 season:[25]

Estadio Monumental "U", home of Universitario de Deportes.
Club City
Alianza LimaLima
CiencianoCusco
CobresolMoquegua
Inti GasAyacucho
José GálvezChimbote
Juan AurichChiclayo
León de HuánucoHuánuco
MelgarArequipa
Real GarcilasoCusco
Sport BoysCallao
Sport HuancayoHuancayo
Sporting CristalLima
Unión ComercioNueva Cajamarca
Universidad César VallejoTrujillo
Universidad San MartínLima
UniversitarioLima

Uruguay

Liga Profesional de Primera División, the top-flight professional football league in Uruguay, was founded in 1900 and is currently contested by 16 teams. As of 2010 the European calendar style remains,but before the beginning of each season there have been talks and votations to change it back to a year calendar, with no positive results so far.[26]

As of 2010–11 season:[27]

Club City
Bella VistaMontevideo
Central EspañolMontevideo
CerroMontevideo
DanubioMontevideo
Defensor SportingMontevideo
El Tanque SisleyMontevideo
FénixMontevideo
LiverpoolMontevideo
Miramar MisionesMontevideo
Montevideo WanderersMontevideo
NacionalMontevideo
PeñarolMontevideo
RacingMontevideo
Rampla JuniorsMontevideo
River PlateMontevideo
TacuarembóTacuarembó

Venezuela

The Primera División was created in 1921 and turned professional in 1957. The 2010–11 season consists of 18 clubs. Currently, the league is rated 41st in the world by IFFHS.[28]

As of 2010–11 season:[29]

Carlos Maldonado Piñeiro.
Club City
AraguaAragua
Atlético El VigíaEl Vigía
Atlético VenezuelaMaiquetía
CaraboboCarabobo
CaracasCaracas
CaroníCiudad Guayana
Deportivo AnzoáteguiPuerto La Cruz
Deportivo LaraBarquisimeto
Deportivo PetareCaracas
Deportivo TáchiraSan Cristóbal
Estudiantes de MéridaMérida
Mineros de GuayanaCiudad Guayana
MonagasMaturín
Real EspporCaracas
TrujillanosValera
YaracuyanosSan Felipe
ZamoraBarinas
ZuliaMaracaibo

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 "Congreso para modernizar el estatuto de la Conmebol" (in Spanish). Asociación del Fútbol Argentino. 7 July 2009. Retrieved 13 August 2010.
  2. "Liechtenstein making strides" (in Spanish). Confederación Sudamericana de Fútbol. Retrieved 13 August 2010.
  3. "Lista de títulos internacionales oficiales a nivel clubes de la AFA" (in Spanish). Asociación del Fútbol Argentino.
  4. IFFHS (5 January 2010). "La Mejor Liga de Fútbol del Mundo 2009" (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 January 2010.
  5. "Programación del Torneo IVECO del Bicentenario Apertura 2010" (in Spanish). Asociación del Fútbol Argentino.
  6. "Lista de Campeones bolivianos" (in Spanish). RSSSF.
  7. "IV – 2010 Campeonato Clausura Entel" (in Spanish). Liga de Fútbol Profesional Boliviano.
  8. "Quem é o maior Campeão Brasileiro? date=" (in Portuguese).
  9. Revista Placar Guia do Brasileirão 2008 e 2009
  10. IFFHS
  11. "Campeonato Nacional Petrobras 2010" (in Spanish). Chilean Primera División.
  12. Soccernet (5 January 2010). "Postobón sponsored".
  13. IFFHS (24 September 2013). "La Mejor Liga de Fútbol del Mundo 2012".
  14. "Liga Postobón" (in Spanish). Categoría Primera A.
  15. Futbolizados Ecuador (18 March 2010). "Campeonato Ecuatoriano se llamará Copa CREDIFE hasta 2014". futbolizados.com.
  16. Federación Ecuatoriana de Fútbol (16 December 2009). "Directivos establecieron sistema de campeonato para 2010". Retrieved 20 December 2009.
  17. El Universo (17 December 2009). "Congreso de fútbol resolverá si aprueba sistema del 2010". Retrieved 20 December 2009.
  18. "Clubes de Primera Categoría "A"" [Primera Categoría "A" Clubs] (in Spanish). Retrieved June 3, 2010.
  19. "Paraguay - League History 1906-1964" (in Spanish). RSSSF.
  20. "La Ligas más Fuertes del Mundo en 2009: Primeras tendencias". IFFHS. July 2009. Retrieved 24–07–09. Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  21. Nicolás Ledesma (21–07–09). "El campeonato paraguayo está entre los diez mejores del Mundo". APF. Retrieved 24–07–09. Check date values in: |date=, |accessdate= (help)
  22. "Intermedia 2010" (in Spanish). Paraguayan Primera División.
  23. "Campeones del Futbol Peruano Primera Division". FPF. Retrieved 27 August 2009.
  24. "La Asociación". ADFP. Retrieved 27 August 2009. Los campeonatos organizados por la Federación Peruana de Fútbol, en plena era amateur, tuvieron vigencia hasta 1940, en que se crea la ANA (Asociación No Amateur) y cuya existencia alcanzó 10 años.
  25. "Torneos – Clubes Profesionales (Primera División)" [Tournaments – Professional Clubs (Primera División)] (in Spanish). Retrieved June 3, 2010.
  26. Terra/AFP (18/08/09) «Fútbol uruguayo inicia con cambios la temporada 2009–2010». Consultado el 18 de agosto de 2009.
  27. "Clubes – Primera División" [Clubs – Primera División] (in Spanish). Retrieved June 3, 2010.
  28. IFFHS (5 January 2010). "La Mejor Liga de Fútbol del Mundo 2009". Retrieved 5 January 2010.
  29. "CLASIFICACION TORNEO APERTURA 2010" (in Spanish). Venezuelan Primera División.

External links