Liga Panameña (Panama)

Liga Panameña (Panama) (Liga Panameña de Fútbol, LPF) - the top professional club division in Panama organized under the national federation and the league authority. Regulations: the season is split into two separate tournaments, Apertura and Clausura, each played by 12 clubs divided into two conferences of six, with a 16 matchday regular phase on a mixed schedule, using the 3-1-0 points system. If teams are level on points, league rules set the ranking order, typically applying goal difference, goals scored, head-to-head results, away goals scored, and if still level a draw of lots may be used. The final stage commonly features six qualifiers, with conference leaders advancing directly to the semifinals, second and third placed teams entering single-match playoffs, and ties in knockout matches decided by extra time and then penalties, with the final played as a one-off match. Relegation and rotation mechanisms are defined by the aggregate season table and licensing decisions, with the exact procedure approved per season. International qualification for Panamanian clubs follows Concacaf access rules and is typically awarded to the Apertura and Clausura champions plus the best non-champion on aggregate for the Concacaf Central American Cup, which serves as a pathway to the Concacaf Champions Cup.