Torneo Argentino A

Full Name: Torneo Argentino A
Level: 3
Number of Teams: 25

Official Website: afa.org.ar

Description:

The Torneo Argentino A (Argentine A Tournament) is one of two leagues at the third level in Argentina. It is restricted to teams from the interior of the country, ie not from greater Buenos Aires.

Format:

The teams are divided into three groups of 8, 8 and 9 and play two tournaments per season, an Apertura (Opening) from August to December and a Clausura (Closing) from February to June. The group composition is (somewhat) different in each tournament. In each tournament the teams play every team in their two group twice in a Fase Clasificación (Classification Phase). Additionally the teams in the 8-team groups play an interzonal rival. In total the teams play 16 games in the Fase Clasificación. The top three teams from each group plus the best 4th place team qualify for the Fase Campeonato (Championship Phase). In the Fase Campeonato (Championship Phase) the ten teams are divided into two groups of 5 who play each other once for a total of 4 games. The two group winners from each Fase Campeonato tournament (a total of 4 teams) advance to the season-ending Serie Final.

In the Serie Final the two Apertura Fase Campeonato winners play home and away series with the two Clausura Fase Campeonato winners. The winners of the two semifinal series then meet in another home and away series. The winner of that series is automatically promoted to the Primera B Nacional while the loser advances to a promotion/relegation playoff with a team from the Primera B Nacional.

The two teams with the worst record in the combined Apertura/Clausura Fase Clasificación are automatically relegated to the Torneo Argentino B while the 3rd and 4th worst enter a promotion/relegation playoff with two further teams from the Torneo Argentino B.