The Chilean Primera División (English: First Division of Chile) is a professional football league, being the highest division of Chilean football league system. It is organized by the ANFP. The league was previously known as the Campeonato AFP PlanVital for sponsorship reasons. In 2023, the ANFP signed a partnership with Betsson Group to become the official naming sponsor of the competition, which became known as Campeonato Betsson.[3]
Format
As of the 2018 season, 16 teams compete in the league, playing against each other twice, once at home and once away.
Relegation and promotion
Currently, the two teams with the worst scores in the season, are relegated to Primera B, and replaced by the champions and the playoff winners of this division.
Qualification for international competitions
The league champions qualify for the following year's Copa Libertadores, as well as the runners-up and the third-placed team. The teams placing fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh qualify for the following year's Copa Sudamericana.
The Asociación de Fútbol de Santiago (also known as AFS) was the first organization in Chile to organize football tournament. It was formed in 1903 and organized non-professional football in Santiago. Later on, it was the organization responsible for holding the national professional football league in Chile.
The first edition of professional competition was contested by the eight founding teams and was won by Magallanes after defeating Colo-Colo in a decisive match. In the following year, according to the disposition of Federación de Fútbol de Chile, Liga Profesional returned to integrate with the AFS. As part of the negotiations for reunification, four teams from AFS, namely, Ferroviarios, Carlos Walker, Deportivo Alemán, and Santiago F.C., would join the 1934 professional competition. Moreover, it was also decided that the last six teams in the 1934 competition would be eliminated to form the new second division in 1935. The title of the expanded 1934 edition was again clinched by Magallanes, which won 10 out of the 11 matches that year.[4]
Locations of the 2025 Chilean Primera División teams – Santiago.
16 teams will take part in the league in this season: the top 14 teams from the 2024 tournament, plus the 2024 Primera B champions Deportes La Serena and the winners of the promotion play-offs. La Serena secured promotion to the top tier after two years on 29 September 2024, winning the Primera B tournament with a 1–0 win over Deportes Recoleta.[5] The promoted teams will replace Cobreloa and Deportes Copiapó, who were relegated to Primera B at the end of the 2024 season.
^Universidad Católica play their home matches at Estadio Santa Laura-Universidad SEK in Santiago since Estadio San Carlos de Apoquindo is closed for remodeling works.[6]
Season in Primera División
Most seasons
Below is the list of clubs that have appeared in Primera División since its inception in 1933 until the 2025 season. The teams in bold compete in Primera División currently. The year in parentheses represents the most recent year of participation at this level.
