Liga Nacional (Guatemala) 2026/27

Liga Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala sits at the apex of the national football pyramid. It operates as the top-tier professional league in the country, distinguished by its specific seasonal structure and promotion mechanics.

The competition runs on a split-season model comprising two tournaments: the Apertura and the Clausura. Each phase follows a round-robin format, often grouped, before concluding with a playoff stage called the Liguilla. This structure yields two champions per calendar year, both of whom earn qualification for CONCACAF competitions. The league currently features twelve clubs, including Suchitepéquez, Malacateco FC, Sololá, Marquense, Cobán Imperial, and Achuapa. The remaining six participants join these sides in the annual contest.

Relegation is determined by an aggregate table. The lowest-ranked side faces automatic expulsion to the Primera División de Ascenso. Meanwhile, the teams finishing tenth and eleventh enter a playoff against challengers from the second division to determine survival. This system ensures that the bottom of the table remains fluid every season.

Historical dominance belongs to C.S.D. Municipal, which holds 33 titles. Comunicaciones F.C. follows closely with 32 victories. These two entities have consistently controlled the championship landscape since the league’s establishment as a professional entity in 1942. They succeeded the amateur Liga Capitalina, which had run since 1919 under the Federación Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala (FENAFUTG).

Recent results show Xelajú MC as the Apertura 2024 winner, while Municipal claimed the Clausura 2024 title. Individual records remain separate from team achievements; Juan Carlos Plata holds the all-time scoring mark with 302 goals. The league has also adopted various names due to sponsorship deals, most recently Liga Bantrab.

The broader Guatemalan football calendar includes the Supercopa de Guatemala. This tournament differs from standard super cups by involving teams from the first through fourth divisions in a single knockout event. It has replaced the former Copa Centenario, integrating the domestic cup into this larger format.