It's been a long time, but Argentine soccer's first division will return to a league format after two straight domestic cups. The Liga Profesional 2021 tournament is just around the corner and the battle for the domestic trophy will have the soccer community in for a treat in the upcoming months.
Argentina's top-flight has suffered the pandemic's impact as it had to be played in two unusual contests with the Copa Diego Maradona and the subsequent Copa de la Liga Profesional but it will return to normalcy with a round-robin system.
After struggling in the last competition, the five "Grandes" will be seeking to dethrone the reigning champions Colón, who were crowned against all odds by destroying Racing Club 3-0 in the final. With the Liga Profesional 2021 looming around, let's take a look at its format, schedule, and key dates.
Argentine Liga Profesional 2021 Format
Following two straight league cups that replaced the traditional league play, the Argentine first division will be contested in a round-robin system for the first time since the 2019/20 campaign. The Liga Profesional 2021 tournament, to run from Friday, July 16, to Sunday, December 12, will gather 26 teams and it will consist of 25 rounds.
Once again, there won't be relegated sides but two teams from the second-tier would join the top-flight next year. The first ranked side at the end of the tournament will win the Liga Profesional 2021 title and secure a place in the 2022 Copa Libertadores. Meanwhile, the remaining spots for that tournament and the Sudamericana will be decided through an annual table that considers the previous league cup.
At least four of the 25 rounds would be played in midweek fixtures to finish the tournament before the Christmas holidays. For the first time in Argentina's first division, the Liga Profesional 2021 will have VAR (Video Assistant Referee). River Plate have won the most Argentine leagues so far, amassing 35 titles throughout history, but they have failed to do it since 2014.
Argentina Liga Profesional 2021 Schedule
The Liga Profesional 2021 draw has taken place and we already know how each of the 25 rounds will be played. Here, check out the 2021 Argentine Liga Profesional tournament full schedule round by round:
Argentina Liga Profesional 2021 Round 1
Unión vs. Boca Juniors
Central Córdoba vs. Banfield
Arsenal vs. San Lorenzo
Newell's vs. Talleres
Independiente vs. Argentinos Juniors
Sarmiento vs. Estudiantes
Aldosivi vs. Patronato
Gimnasia vs. Platense
Vélez vs. Racing
Godoy Cruz vs. Rosario Central
Huracán vs. Defensa y Justiia
Lanús vs. Atlético Tucumán
River vs. Colón
Argentine Liga Profesional 2021 Round 2
River - Unión
Colón - Lanús
Atlético Tucumán - Huracán
Defensa y Justicia - Godoy Cruz
Rosario Central - Vélez
Racing - Gimnasia
Platense - Aldosivi
Patronato - Sarmiento
Estudiantes - Independiente
Argentinos Juniors - Newell's
Talleres - Arsenal
San Lorenzo - Central Córdoba
Banfield - Boca
Argentine Liga Profesional 2021 Round 3
Unión - Banfield
Boca - San Lorenzo
Central Córdoba - Talleres
Arsenal - Argentinos Juniors
Newell's - Estudiantes LP
Independiente - Patronato
Sarmiento - Platense
Aldosivi - Racing
Gimnasia - Rosario Central
Vélez - Defensa y Justicia
Godoy Cruz - Atlético Tucumán
Huracán - Colón
Lanús - River
Argentine Liga Profesional 2021 Round 4
Lanús - Unión
River - Huracán
Colón - Godoy Cruz
Atlético Tucumán - Vélez
Defensa y Justicia - Gimnasia
Rosario Central - Aldosivi
Racing - Sarmiento
Platense - Independiente
Patronato - Newell's
Estudiantes - Arsenal
Argentinos Juniors - Central Córdoba
Talleres - Boca
San Lorenzo - Banfield
Argentine Liga Profesional 2021 Round 5
Unión - San Lorenzo
Banfield - Talleres
Boca - Argentinos Juniors
Central Córdoba - Estudiantes
Arsenal - Patronato
Newell's - Platense
Independiente - Racing
Sarmiento - Rosario Central
Aldosivi - Defensa y Justicia
Gimnasia - Atlético Tucumán
Vélez - Colón
Godoy Cruz - River
Huracán - Lanús
Argentine Liga Profesional 2021 Round 6
Huracán - Unión
Lanús - Godoy Cruz
River - Vélez
Colón - Gimnasia
Atlético Tucumán - Aldosivi
Defensa y Justicia - Sarmiento
Rosario Central - Independiente
Racing - Newell's
Platense - Arsenal
Patronato - Central Córdoba
Estudiantes - Boca
Argentinos Juniors - Banfield
Talleres - San Lorenzo
Argentine Liga Profesional 2021 Round 7
Unión - Talleres
San Lorenzo - Argentinos Juniors
Banfield - Estudiantes
Boca - Patronato
Central Córdoba - Platense
Arsenal - Racing
Newell's - Rosario Central
Independiente - Defensa y Justicia
Sarmiento - Atlético Tucumán
Aldosivi - Colón
Gimnasia - River
Vélez - Lanús
Godoy Cruz - Huracán
Argentine Liga Profesional 2021 Round 8
Godoy Cruz - Unión
Huracán - Vélez
Lanús - Gimnasia
River - Aldosivi
Colón - Sarmiento
Atlético Tucumán - Independiente
Defensa y Justicia - Newell's
Rosario Central - Arsenal
Racing - Central Córdoba
Platense - Boca
Patronato - Banfield
Estudiantes - San Lorenzo
Argentinos Juniors - Talleres
Argentine Liga Profesional 2021 Round 9
Unión - Argentinos Juniors
Talleres - Estudiantes LP
San Lorenzo - Patronato
Banfield - Platense
Boca - Racing
Central Córdoba - Rosario Central
Arsenal - Defensa y Justicia
Newell's - Atlético Tucumán
Independiente - Colón
Sarmiento - River
Aldosivi - Lanús
Gimnasia - Huracán
Vélez - Godoy Cruz
Argentine Liga Profesional 2021 Round 10
Vélez - Unión
Godoy Cruz - Gimnasia
Huracán - Aldosivi
Lanús - Sarmiento
River - Independiente
Colón - Newell's
Atlético Tucumán - Arsenal
Defensa y Justicia - Central Córdoba
Rosario Central - Boca
Racing - Banfield
Platense - San Lorenzo
Patronato - Talleres
Estudiantes - Argentinos Juniors
Argentine Liga Profesional 2021 Round 11
Unión - Estudiantes LP
Argentinos Juniors - Patronato
Talleres - Platense
San Lorenzo - Racing
Banfield - Rosario Central
Boca - Defensa y Justicia
Central Córdoba - Atlético Tucumán
Arsenal - Colón
Newell's - River
Independiente - Lanús
Sarmiento - Huracán
Aldosivi - Godoy Cruz
Gimnasia - Vélez
Argentine Liga Profesional 2021 Round 12
Gimnasia - Unión
Vélez - Aldosivi
Godoy Cruz - Sarmiento
Huracán - Independiente
Lanús - Newell's
River - Arsenal
Colón - Central Córdoba
Atlético Tucumán - Boca
Defensa y Justicia - Banfield
Rosario Central - San Lorenzo
Racing - Talleres
Platense - Argentinos Juniors
Patronato - Estudiantes LP
Argentine Liga Profesional 2021 Round 13
Unión - Patronato
Estudiantes - Platense
Argentinos Juniors - Racing
Talleres - Rosario Central
San Lorenzo - Defensa y Justicia
Banfield - Atlético Tucumán
Boca - Colón
Central Córdoba - River
Arsenal - Lanús
Newell's - Huracán
Independiente - Godoy Cruz
Sarmiento - Vélez
Aldosivi - Gimnasia
Argentine Liga Profesional 2021 Round 14
Aldosivi - Unión
Gimnasia - Sarmiento
Vélez - Independiente
Godoy Cruz - Newell's
Huracán - Arsenal
Lanús - Central Córdoba
River - Boca
Colón - Banfield
Atlético Tucumán - San Lorenzo
Defensa y Justicia - Talleres
Rosario Central - Argentinos Juniors
Racing - Estudiantes LP
Platense - Patronato
Argentine Liga Profesional 2021 Round 15
Unión - Platense
Patronato - Racing
Estudiantes - Rosario Central
Argentinos Juniors - Defensa y Justicia
Talleres - Atlético Tucumán
San Lorenzo - Colón
Banfield - River
Boca - Lanús
Central Córdoba - Huracán
Arsenal - Godoy Cruz
Newell's - Vélez
Independiente - Gimnasia
Sarmiento - Aldosivi
Argentine Liga Profesional 2021 Round 16
Sarmiento - Unión
Aldosivi - Independiente
Gimnasia - Newell's
Vélez - Arsenal
Godoy Cruz - Central Córdoba
Huracán - Boca
Lanús - Banfield
River - San Lorenzo
Colón - Talleres
Atlético Tucumán - Argentinos Juniors
Defensa y Justicia - Estudiantes LP
Rosario Central - Patronato
Racing - Platense
Argentine Liga Profesional 2021 Round 17
Unión - Racing
Platense - Rosario Central
Patronato - Defensa y Justicia
Estudiantes - Atlético Tucumán
Argentinos Juniors - Colón
Talleres - River
San Lorenzo - Lanús
Banfield - Huracán
Boca - Godoy Cruz
Central Córdoba - Vélez
Arsenal - Gimnasia
Newell's - Aldosivi
Independiente - Sarmiento
Argentine Liga Profesional 2021 Round 18
Independiente - Unión
Sarmiento - Newell's
Aldosivi - Arsenal
Gimnasia - Central Córdoba
Vélez - Boca
Godoy Cruz - Banfield
Huracán - San Lorenzo
Lanús - Talleres
River - Argentinos Juniors
Colón - Estudiantes LP
Atlético Tucumán - Patronato
Defensa y Justicia - Platense
Rosario Central - Racing
Argentine Liga Profesional 2021 Round 19
Unión - Rosario Central
Racing - Defensa y Justicia
Platense - Atlético Tucumán
Patronato - Colón
Estudiantes - River
Argentinos Juniors - Lanús
Talleres - Huracán
San Lorenzo - Godoy Cruz
Banfield - Vélez
Boca - Gimnasia
Central Córdoba - Aldosivi
Arsenal - Sarmiento
Newell's - Independiente
Argentine Liga Profesional 2021 Round 20
Newell's - Unión
Independiente - Arsenal
Sarmiento - Central Córdoba
Aldosivi - Boca
Gimnasia - Banfield
Vélez - San Lorenzo
Godoy Cruz - Talleres
Huracán - Argentinos Juniors
Lanús - Estudiantes
River - Patronato
Colón - Platense
Atlético Tucumán - Racing
Defensa y Justicia - Rosario Central
Argentine Liga Profesional 2021 Round 21
Unión - Defensa y Justicia
Rosario Central - Atlético Tucumán
Racing - Colón
Platense - River
Patronato - Lanús
Estudiantes - Huracán
Argentinos Juniors - Godoy Cruz
Talleres - Vélez
San Lorenzo - Gimnasia
Banfield - Aldosivi
Boca - Sarmiento
Central Córdoba - Independiente
Arsenal - Newell's
Argentine Liga Profesional 2021 Round 22
Arsenal - Unión
Newell's - Central Córdoba
Independiente - Boca
Sarmiento - Banfield
Aldosivi - San Lorenzo
Gimnasia - Talleres
Vélez - Argentinos Juniors
Godoy Cruz - Estudiantes
Huracán - Patronato
Lanús - Platense
River - Racing
Colón - Rosario Central
Atlético Tucumán - Defensa y Justicia
Argentine Liga Profesional 2021 Round 23
Unión - Atlético Tucumán
Defensa y Justicia - Colón
Rosario Central - River
Racing - Lanús
Platense - Huracán
Patronato - Godoy Cruz
Estudiantes - Vélez
Argentinos Juniors - Gimnasia
Talleres - Aldosivi
San Lorenzo - Sarmiento
Banfield - Independiente
Boca - Newell's
Central Córdoba - Arsenal
Argentine Liga Profesional 2021 Round 24
Central Córdoba - Unión
Arsenal - Boca
Newell's - Banfield
Independiente - San Lorenzo
Sarmiento - Talleres
Aldosivi - Argentinos Juniors
Gimnasia - Estudiantes LP
Vélez - Patronato
Godoy Cruz - Platense
Huracán - Racing
Lanús - Rosario Central
River - Defensa y Justicia
Colón - Atlético Tucumán
Argentine Liga Profesional 2021 Round 25
Unión - Colón
Atlético Tucumán - River
Defensa y Justicia - Lanús
Rosario Central - Huracán
Racing - Godoy Cruz
Platense - Vélez
Patronato - Gimnasia
Estudiantes - Aldosivi
Argentinos Juniors - Sarmiento
Talleres - Independiente
San Lorenzo - Newell's
Banfield - Arsenal
Boca - Central Córdoba
Argentine Liga Profesional 2021 Key Dates
Matchday 1
Unión vs. Boca - Friday, July 16 - 6 PM (ET)
River vs. Colón - Sunday, July 18 - 5 PM (ET)
Superclásico
River vs. Boca - Round 14
Other derbies
Boca vs. San Lorenzo - Round 3
Independiente vs. Racing - Round 5
Newell’s vs. Rosario Central - Round 7
Boca vs Racing - Round 9
River vs. Independiente - Round 10
Huracán vs. San Lorenzo - Round 18
Independiente vs. Boca - Round 22
