Argentina: New top division with 38 clubs

The organisation of South American club football often seems complex to people in other parts of the world, but now the Argentinian Football Association has announced plans to overhaul their domestic football leagues which will create one top division of 38 (!) clubs. The AFA plans are set to be implemented from the 2012/13 season onwards.

The AFA has decided to merge the two top divisions of the country into a 38 team league which will be split into two zones of 19 teams each in which bitter local rivals like River Plate and Boca Juniors from Buenos Aires will be kept apart. In a second stage 10 of these clubs will move into a Championship Round, while the rest of the teams will play to avoid relegation from the expanded top tier.

Currently the Argentinian club football year is divided into two halves - Apertura and Clausura in which two champions per season are crowned. Now the AFA wants to streamline the system, but also ensure TV rights income for the clubs.

The decision also means that River Plate Buenos Aires, who where relegated last month ( http://arunfoot.blogspot.com/2011/06/argentinas-river-plate-are-relegated.html Argentina's River Plate are relegated) for the first time from the top tier in their 110 year history, will be back amongst the best after a season in Nacional B.