I've been trying to research online how each of the SA leagues work....I'm particularly interested, (but not limited) to the ones that have playoffs and/or two short seasons... For example, the one seen most on TV here in the US is Mexico's league: They have two "seasons" per year: Clausura/Apertura- Invierno/verano. Since there are 18 teams, each "season" 17 games are played per club and the best 8 go to the playoffs..home and away make it 4, then 2 , and then the champ surfaces....Hence, there are 2 champions each season.....No bonus points given.... From what i've seen Argentina is similar, just w/o the playoffs....19 games each time for the 20-club league, and a straight table determines the champ....one for apertura, and one for the clausura.... From what i see, it appears Ecuador, Chile, Colombia each have their own quirks regarding how their leagues work..but from what i can gather, all three have playoffs......Could someone please explain and provide more details?...Tried researching online but it is very hard to get info, as it is next to impossible to figure out an appropriate search method w/o getting a bunch of soccer scores.... For example, I see issues such as bonus points and i want to learn more about it and how it works....
In Colombia: Two "semesters" (Apertura - beginning of year. Summer recess. Clausura - End of Year) 18 teams, they play "Todos contra todos - Primera vuelta" (all teams play eachother once + un clasico) then the top 8 after the 18 games, classify into 2 groups of 4, they fall into A and B (groups split into their respective place in the table at the end of the season 1st place -3rd-5th-7th and 2nd place-4th-6th-8th) they play home and away amongs the group, top team from each group play the final, in a home and away series, who ever has the most points is crowned champion. Here are the rules in Spanish: http://www.dimayor.com.co/reglamento.htm here are the fixtures: http://www.dimayor.com.co/fixturetxt2v04.htm heres the official page: www.dimayor.com.co
Thanks a lot....Doing the math, it would seem as if a team does very well throughout a whole year, they could end up playing up to 56 games, without even countiing Copa Libertadores or Copa Sudamericana matches.... That's a lot of games!!!...... So it must be either Ecuador or Chile i remember reading as having some sort of bonus points going on...
peru systems goes something like this we have an apertura and a clausura the winners of these 2 tournaments play each other at the end of the year to determine the national champion the only condition that exists is that the champion of the apertura must finnish within the top 6 of the clausura to have the right to play the clausura champ the same applies for the clausura champ
I know that Peru does not have "playoffs", but what happens if, for that final game one of the two was not among the top 6....Does the other team automatically become champion of the whole year? Or if neither does well enough to be on the top 6 of the tourney they did not win, what happens then?
then the national champion is the one the got the most points troughout the year(out of the apertura and clausura champions) if they are tied on points then i assume it would go on goals scored and if they are tied on that then they would draw it out of a hat
Ecuador... 3 Stages 1) All teams (10), play "All against All" in 18 rounds, this is called "Primera Etapa", first 3 teams gain classification to the playoffs with 2, 1 and 0.5 bonus points. 2) All teams, all against All" in 18 rounds, this is called "Segunda Etapa", first 3 teams gain classification to the playoffs with 2, 1 and 0.5 bonus points. If a team that already gain classification to the playoffs repeats in "Segunda Etapa" the team gains the Bonus Points and the classification is determinated with an accumulated (1st an 2nd stages) table. 3) Playoffs, All teams (6), play "All against All" in 10 rounds, this is called "Liguilla final", first 3 teams gain classification to Copa Libertadores, who won the playoffs is the Champion after its 46th match! The relegation is determinated after the 2nd stage, two botton teams in an accumulated (1st an 2nd stages) table.
Chile's league is organized EXACTLY the same way as the Mexican league. No differences at all. Hope that helps
Thanks Danmarce... Some strange quirks and another example of a long season, although not quite like Colombia's.... DanRod78, you mean both Apertura and Clausura are pretty much like Argentina's versions, right?.....I mean..... except for the one final? Caturro, i believe you are a bit off there..According to what i've been seeing on Fox Sports, there is an "hexagonal final" (6teams) in the playoffs, where even the best loser goes on to the semis, or something like that.... Very weird, and to be honest, confusing stuff...Even the commentators were saying how they did not like how the Chilean playoffs were set up.....
I like the bonus points for the one that leads 3 or 4 wks... and then the finals change things In colombia, we had America entering the finals as a big candidate for the championship but 2 games away from the end they are almost out!
Argentina, Chile and Colombia have 2 championships by year (Apertura-Clausura) and doesn´t have games between the winners. They have 2 winners every year. Argentina - Apertura : 20 teams, 1 round, 19 games. - Clausura : same thing with opposite fixture. Colombia : Apertura and Clausura with the same system. - 1º Round : 18 teams, 1 round, 18 games. - Cuadrangulares : Best 8 teams in 2 groups of 4. - Final : Winners of Cuadrangulares. Chile : Apertura and Clausura with the same system. - 1º Round : 18 teams, 1 round, 17 games. For qualify to playoffs, the teams are distributed in 4 groups and qualify 3 teams by group. - Repechaje : Best 4th places can play against Worst 3rd places for qualify to playoffs. - Playoffs : 12 teams in 6 couples, qualify the winners and 2 best losers. - Quaterfinals, Semifinals, Finals. -------------- Brazil use the traditional model (League+Cup used in Europe). League 1º Division - 24 teams, 2 rounds, 46 games. Cup - Best teams of every state of Brazil. ----------------------- Ecuador have one championship divided in 3 stages. Ecuador : 1 champion. - 1º Stage : 10 teams, 2 rounds, 18 games. - 2º Stage : 10 teams, 2 rounds, 18 games. - Hexagonal : 6 teams, best 3 of each stage, 2 rounds, 10 games. - There is bonus points for teams qualified to Hexagonal. --------------- The rest of South American countries use Apertura-Clausura but they have finals between the winners for deciding the winner of the year. Bolivia - Apertura : 12 teams, 2 rounds, 22 games. - Clausura 1º Stage : 2 groups of 6 teams, 10 games. - Clausura 2º Stage : 8 teams (4 by group), 14 games. - Finals : Winner Apertura - Winner Clausura. Paraguay - Apertura : 10 teams, 2 rounds, 18 games. - Clausura : 10 teams, 2 rounds, 18 games. - Finals : Winner Apertura - Winner Clausura. Peru - Apertura : 14 teams, 2 rounds, 26 games. - Clausura : 14 teams, 2 rounds, 26 games. - Finals : Winner Apertura - Winner Clausura. Uruguay - Clasificatorio : 18 teams, 1 round, 17 games. - Apertura : Best 10 teams, 1 round, 9 games. - Clausura : Best 10 teams, 1 round, 9 games. - Finals : Winner Apertura - Winner Clausura. Venezuela - Apertura : 10 teams, 2 rounds, 18 games. - Clausura : 10 teams, 2 rounds, 18 games. - Finals : Winner Apertura - Winner Clausura. ----------------- In my opinion, the best system is the most simple, I don´t like Apertura-Clausura systems and their variations, because is difficult to explain when the teams are winners or qualifying for international cups, an Apertura Winner can be the last team in Clausura and play Copa Libertadores, another team could be have more points in the year and don´t win Apertura or Clausura. Simple things are better than complicated things. I prefer European systems, Best team is the Champion of the Year, another best teams go to Champions League or Uefa Cup and the worst teams are relegated. In southamerica only Brazil have a system like Europe.