Argentina 2023 Football Season: Two-Group Format and Elimination Rounds

The second half of Argentina’s football season unfolds through a dual-group phase followed by knockout rounds that determine the national champion.

Continuing a familiar pattern, the 2023 Argentine season features two distinct competitions with different formats. The first to open the campaign was the Professional league tournament, which saw teams facing each other across 27 rounds, with River Plate clinching the title two rounds early. Since August 18, the Professional League Cup has been played in two groups of 14 teams, featuring a special classic round and direct elimination matches for the top four in each group.

2023 PROFESSIONAL LEAGUE AVERAGES

The group compositions were drawn on November 3, 2022, yet the spring schedule dictated that Zone A would include the eventual champion River Plate and the runner-up Talleres, joined by nine other contenders engaged in a heated battle for the title. The season also determines relegation through the three-year average, along with the annual table that reserves spots for the Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana 2024.

Date seven was selected as the classic day, pairing the most storied rivals from each zone for high-stakes derbies that highlight the tradition of Argentine football.

After the regular phase concludes, the knockout phase runs from December 3 to December 10 with quarterfinals featuring 1st vs 4th and 2nd vs 3rd, moving on to the semifinals and ultimately the grand final set for December 17. While confirmation is pending, it is anticipated that all decisive matches will be played at neutral venues.

TABLE OF ZONE A POSITIONS

TABLE OF ZONE B POSITIONS

THE FIXTURE OF THE 2023 BINANCE CUP

DATE 1

Thursday, August 17

19.30 Belgrano – Students (Zone B)

Friday the 18th

4.30 pm Defense and Justice – Godoy Cruz (Zone B)

19.00 Union – Racing (Zone B)

21.00 Mond – Platense (Zone B)

Saturday 19

16.30 Independiente – Colon (Zone A)

19.00 Gymnastics – Workshops (Zone A)

21.00 Vélez – Central Barracas (Zone A)

Sunday 20

14.00 Arsenal – Institute (Zone A)

4:00 PM Sarmiento – Tigre (Zone B)

16.15 Rosario Central – Atlético Tucumán (Zone A)

18.30 Lanús – San Lorenzo (Zone B)

21.00 Argentines – River (Zone A)

Monday 21

6:00 PM Hurricane – Banfield (Zone A)

20.30 Newell’s – Central Córdoba (Zone B)

DATE 2 (August 27)

Zone A

Independent – Vélez

Colon – Gymnastics (LP)

Workshops – Hurricane

Banfield – Rosario Central

Atlético Tucumán – Institute

Arsenal – Argentines

River – Barracks

Zone B

Tigre – Racing

Student union

San Lorenzo-Belgrano

Newell’s – Lanus

Godoy Cruz – Central Cordoba

Platense – Defense and Justice

Sarmiento – Mouth

DATE 3 (September 3)

Zone A

Velez – River

Barracks Central – Arsenal

Argentines – Atletico Tucuman

Institute – Banfield

Rosario Central – Workshops

Hurricane – colon

Gymnastics (LP) – Independent

Zone B

Mouth – Tiger

Defense and Justice – Sarmiento

Central Cordoba – Platense

Lanus – Godoy Cruz

Belgrano-Newell’s

Union – San Lorenzo

Racing – Students

DATE 4 (September 17)

Zone A

Gymnastics (LP) – Velez

Independent – hurricane

Colon – Rosario Central

Workshops – Sarmiento of 2nd Ascended

Banfield – Argentines

Atlético Tucuman – Barracas Central

Arsenal – River

Zone B

Tigre – Students

San Lorenzo – Racing

Newell’s – Union

Godoy Cruz – Belgrano

Platense – Lanus

Institute – Central Cordoba

Mouth – Defense and Justice

DATE 5 (September 20)

Zone A

Velez-Arsenal

River – Atletico Tucuman

Central Barracas – Banfield

Argentines – Workshops

Sarmiento-Colon

Rosario Central – Independent

Hurricane – Gymnastics (LP)

Zone B

Defense and Justice – Tiger

Central Cordoba – Boca

Lanus – Sarmiento

Belgrano – Platense

Union – Godoy Cruz

Racing – Newell’s

Students – San Lorenzo

DATE 6 (September 24)

Zone A

Hurricane – Velez

Gymnastics (LP) – Rosario Central

Independent – Institute

Colon – Argentines

Workshops – Central Barracas

Banfield River

Atletico Tucuman-Arsenal

Zone B

Tiger – Saint Lawrence

Newell’s – Students

Godoy Cruz – Racing

Platense – Union

Sarmiento-Belgrano

Mouth – Lanús

Defense and Justice – Central Córdoba

DATE 7 – Interzonal (October 1)

Central Barracks – sarmiento

Columbus – Union

San Lorenzo – Hurricane

Students – Gymnastics (LP)

Rosario Central – Newell’s

Racing – Independent

Mouth – River

Workshops – Belgrano

Platense – Argentines

Velez – Tiger

Defense and Justice – Arsenal

Banfield-Lanus

Atletico Tucuman – Central Cordoba

Godoy Cruz – Institute

DATE 8 (October 8)

Zone A

Velez-Atletico Tucuman

Arsenal – Banfield

River – Workshops

Barracas Central – Colon

Argentines – Independent

Institute – Gymnastics (LP)

Rosario Central – Hurricane

Zone B

Central Cordoba – Tigre

Lanús – Defense and Justice

Belgrano – Mouth

Union – Sarmiento

Racing – Platense

Students – Godoy Cruz

San Lorenzo-Newells

DATE 9 (October 18)

Zone A

Rosario Central-Velez

Hurricane – Institute

Gymnastics (LP) – Argentines

Independent – Barracas Central

Colon – River

Workshops – Arsenal

Banfield – Atletico Tucuman

Zone B

Tiger – Newell’s

Godoy Cruz-San Lorenzo

Platense – Students

Sarmiento – Racing

Mouth – Union

Defense and Justice – Belgrano

Central Córdoba – Lanús

DATE 10 (October 25)

Zone A

Velez-Banfield

Atlético Tucumán – Workshops

Arsenal – Colon

River – Independent

Barracas Central – Gymnastics (LP)

Argentines – Hurricane

Institute – Central Rosary

Zone B

Lanus – Tigre

Belgrano – Central Cordoba

Union – Defense and Justice

Racing – Mouth

Students – Sarmiento

San Lorenzo Platense

Newell’s – Godoy Cruz

DATE 11 (October 30)

Zone A

Institute – Velez

Rosario Central – Argentines

Hurricane – Central Barracas

Gymnastics (LP) – River

Independent – Arsenal

Colon – Atletico Tucuman

Workshops – Banfield

Zone B

Tiger – Godoy Cruz

Platense – Newell’s

Sarmiento San Lorenzo

Mouth – Students

Defense and Justice – Racing

Central Córdoba – Union

Lanus-Belgrano

DATE 12 (November 5)

Zone A

Velez – Workshops

Banfield – Colon

Atlético Tucumán – Independent

Arsenal – Gymnastics (LP)

River – Hurricane

Barracas Central – Rosario Central

Argentines – Institute

Zone B

Belgrano – Tiger

Union – Lanus

Racing – Central Cordoba

Students – Defense and Justice

San Lorenzo – Mond

Newell’s – Sarmiento

Godoy Cruz – Platense

DATE 13 (November 12)

Zone A

Argentines – Velez

Institute – Central barracks

Rosario Central – River

Hurricane – Arsenal

Gymnastics (LP) – Atlético Tucumán

Independent – Banfield

Columbus – Workshops

Zone B

Tiger – Platense

Sarmiento – Godoy Cruz

Mouth – Newell’s

Defense and Justice – San Lorenzo

Central Córdoba – Students

Lanus – Racing

Belgrano – Union

DATE 14 (November 26)

Zone A

Velez-Colon

Workshops – Independent

Banfield – Gymnastics (LP)

Atlético Tucumán – Hurricane

Arsenal – Rosario Central

river Institute

Barracas Central – Argentines

Zone B

Union – Tiger

Racing – Belgrano

Students – Lanus

San Lorenzo – Central Cordoba

Newell’s – Defense and Justice

Godoy Cruz – Mouth

Platense Sarmiento

Note: all fixtures are listed for organizational clarity across the entire season’s schedule.