Primera Nacional (Argentina)

Primera Nacional (Argentina) (Primera Nacional, formerly Primera B Nacional) - the second tier of Argentina’s professional league system organized by the Argentine Football Association. Regulations: 36 clubs compete split into two zones of 18, playing a double round-robin within each zone (home and away) under a 3-1-0 points system. The two zone winners meet in a single neutral-venue final to decide the champion and the first direct promotion to Liga Profesional de Fútbol (LPF), with extra time and penalties if level. A second promotion place is decided via the Torneo Reducido playoff: teams placed 2nd to 8th in each zone (14 total) plus the final loser enter, the first round is a single match where the higher seed advances if drawn, then subsequent rounds are played over two legs with advancement rules tied to seeding when aggregate points and goal difference are level, while the playoff final is decided by penalties if still level after the two legs. Zone standings ties are broken by AFA criteria in order of goal difference, goals scored, and a head-to-head mini-table among the tied teams (points, then goal difference, then goals scored), repeated as needed, while ties that determine relegation are resolved through neutral-venue playoff match or matches with extra time and penalties. Relegation is four clubs total, the bottom two in each zone, with the destination division depending on club affiliation status, and continental qualification is not a direct outcome of this competition.