Primera Division (Guatemala)

Primera División (Guatemala) (Primera División de Guatemala) - Guatemala’s second-tier league and the country’s primary promotion division, administered by the Liga Primera División and the Guatemalan Football Federation (FEDEFUT). Regulations: the season is typically split into two tournaments, and each tournament uses a group-league stage followed by a knockout phase, with 20 clubs divided into two geographically based groups of 10, playing a double round-robin within the group (18 matchdays), awarding 3 points for a win, 1 for a draw and 0 for a loss, and breaking ties in the group table in order by goal difference, goals scored, head-to-head results, away goals, position in the coefficient table (cociente), fair play rankings, and if needed a draw. After the group stage, 1st-2nd in each group advance directly to the quarterfinals, 3rd-6th enter a preliminary round to reach the quarterfinals, and all knockout rounds are played over two legs with the higher-ranked team hosting the second leg, with extra time (2x15 minutes) and then penalties used if the aggregate score is level. Promotion: places in Liga Nacional are allocated based on the two-tournament season structure, with a club earning direct promotion if it wins one tournament and reaches the final of the other, and the remaining promotion spot decided via a Serie de Ascenso between the other season finalists. International qualification is not awarded from this division, and relegation to Segunda División is defined by the season’s competition rules and aggregate metrics.