División de Fútbol Profesional
Founded1950 (1950)
CountryBolivia
ConfederationCONMEBOL
Number of teams16
Level on pyramid1
Relegation toCopa Simón Bolívar
Domestic cup(s)Copa Bolivia
Copa de la División Profesional
International cup(s)Copa Libertadores
Copa Sudamericana
Current championsThe Strongest (16th title)
(2023)
Most championshipsBolívar (30 titles)
Most appearancesJoselito Vaca
(653 caps)
Top goalscorerVictor Hugo Antelo
(350 goals)
TV partnersTigo Sports
Websitefbf.com.bo
Current: 2024 season

The División de Fútbol Profesional is the top-flight professional football league in Bolivia. Until 2017 it was known as the "Liga de Fútbol Profesional Boliviano" (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈliɣa ðe ˈfuðβol pɾofesjoˈnal βoliˈβjano]; English: Bolivian Professional Football League).

Since 1950, a total of 16 clubs have been crowned champions of the Bolivian football league system. The current champions are The Strongest, which won the title in the 2023 tournament. Bolívar is the most successful club in the league, with 30 titles to date.

History

The organisation of football in Bolivia started in 1914 with the creation of regional associations and their respective competitions. The "La Paz Football Association" (Asociación de Fútbol de La Paz – AFLP) was the first organised body with 29 championships held between 1914 and 1949. The AFLP was considered for many years the top football tournament in the country. In 1950 the body modified its statutes allowing the professionalisation of the sport in Bolivia, so the "Torneo Profesional" was created.[1]

Between 1950 and 1959, only clubs from La Paz, Oruro (since 1954) and Cochabamba (1955) took part of the championship because football was still amateur in the rest of the regions.

At the end of 1960, the Bolivian Football Federation established a national championship, with the purpose of crowning a champion representing Bolivia in recently created Copa Libertadores. The competition, named "Copa Simón Bolívar", was contested by champions and runner ups of regional associations.

The demise of Bolivian national team in the 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification (where it was thrashed by Brazil 8–0 and Peru 5–0) encouraged some clubs to create their own league, so 16 teams separated from their respective associations to establish the "Liga de Fútbol Profesional Boliviano" (Bolivian Professional Football League – LFPB) to organise championships autonomously, in 1977.[2]

The creation of the LFPB ended the distinction. It also resulted in the creation of three separate entities: the FBF's role was restricted to the international representation of Bolivia in the sport, the newly created LFPB became the organizer of the sole first division tournament, and the LPFA, together with the rest of the regional associations, became the organizer of the second (and lower) division regionalized tournaments. It was the first and, until the formation of the basketball league (LIBOBASQUET) in 2014, the only professional sports league in the country.

In 2017, after a change of statutes in the FBF, the LFPB and the ANF were replaced by the "División Profesional" (professional division) and the "División Aficionados" (amateur division), both managed by the FBF from 2018 onwards.

Format overview

The championship format has changed over the years. Beginning in 1977, the league ran with sixteen clubs divided into two series, but switched to fourteen clubs in two series playing two tournaments each year beginning in the mid 80s and economical problems with some teams led to another cut in the number of participants to twelve in 1991. Another change came in 2005 when teams decided to adapt to the International FIFA calendar, meaning the season would be played from August to June rather than from February to December, in order to avoid problems defining which teams would qualify for international tournaments. The league played a short tournament from February to June in 2005, and the official 2005-06 season started in August. This led to yet another problem — second division teams weren't keen on the idea of putting off relegation until June 2006. After negotiations, the league determined that relegation of the lowest standing club would take place after the completion of the Apertura tournament, making the Bolivian league an odd tournament where teams were relegated in the middle of the season. But this decision was overturned in November 2006 and the league switched back to a calendar-year season in 2007 starting with the Apertura tournament in March 2007. For the 2018 season, the number of teams was increased from twelve to fourteen.

Historically, teams from La Paz, Cochabamba and Santa Cruz have dominated the league. Until 2007 only San José won the league in 1995, but since then teams from the "big three" have struggled to win the league again and 3 teams from smaller cities have won it (Real Potosí, San José and Universitario).

Three teams share the record of never been relegated to "La Simón Bolivar" (2nd division): The Strongest, Oriente Petrolero and Bolívar (although they were relegated in 1969 before the LPFB era).

For the 2008 season, and for the first time, three tournaments were played instead of the usual two. The Apertura tournament was played from March to July on a round-robin system; the Clausura tournament played from August to October where the teams were divided into two series of 6 teams each, Group A comprised all western teams (plus Universitario) and Group B comprised all eastern teams (plus Wilstermann and Aurora), the top two teams of each group advanced to the semifinals and the finals. The newly instated play-off tournament consisted of home-away matches (and with away goals rule used for the first time).

An average points from the previous two seasons determines relegation, with the last placed team being directly relegated and replaced by the winner of the Copa Simón Bolívar. The team placed second-from-bottom plays a relegation play-off against the runner-up of the Copa Simón Bolívar.

Current teams (2023)

Team City Stadium Capacity
Always Ready El Alto Municipal de Villa Ingenio 25,000
Aurora Cochabamba Estadio Félix Capriles 32,000
Blooming Santa Cruz Ramón Tahuichi Aguilera 38,000
Bolívar La Paz Hernando Siles 42,000
Guabirá Montero Gilberto Parada 13,000
Independiente Petrolero Sucre Olímpico Patria 30,700
Jorge Wilstermann Cochabamba Estadio Félix Capriles 32,000
Libertad Gran Mamoré Trinidad Gran Mamoré 12,000
Nacional Potosí Potosí Víctor Agustín Ugarte 32,105
Oriente Petrolero Santa Cruz Ramón Tahuichi Aguilera 38,000
Palmaflor del Trópico Villa Tunari Bicentenario 25,000
Real Santa Cruz Santa Cruz Real Santa Cruz 14,000
Real Tomayapo Tarija IV Centenario 15,000
Royal Pari Santa Cruz Ramón Tahuichi Aguilera 38,000
The Strongest La Paz Hernando Siles 42,000
Universitario de Vinto Vinto Hipólito Lazarte 2,000
Vaca Díez Cobija Roberto Jordán Cuéllar 24,000

List of champions

Tournament names:
  • 1950–1953: "Torneo Interdepartamental" (AFLP)
  • 1954–1959: "Torneo Integrado" (AFLP)
  • 1960–1976: "Copa Simón Bolívar"
  • 1977–2017: "Liga de Fútbol Profesional Boliviano"
  • 2018–present: "División de Fútbol Profesional"

Keys:

  • AFLP: Asociación de Fútbol de La Paz
  • AFC: Asociación de Fútbol Cochabamba
  • AFO: Asociación de Fútbol Oruro
Ed. Season Champion Runner-up Third place
1
1950Bolívar (1)LitoralUnión Maestranza
2
1951Always Ready (1)BolívarFerroviario
3
1952The Strongest (1)Always ReadyIngavi
4
1953Bolívar (2)Always ReadyIngavi
5
1954Litoral (1)The StrongestDeportivo Municipal
6
1955San José (1)Chaco PetroleroBolívar
7
1956Bolívar (3)Deportivo MunicipalLitoral
8
1957IntegradoAlways Ready (2)Deportivo MunicipalChaco Petrolero
Nacional [note 1]Jorge Wilstermann (1)AuroraSan José
9
1958Jorge Wilstermann (2)Deportivo MunicipalSan José
10
1959Jorge Wilstermann (3)Always ReadyBolívar
11
1960Jorge Wilstermann (4)AuroraDeportivo Municipal
12
1961Deportivo Municipal (1)The StrongestChaco Petrolero
1962La Paz league was won by Chaco Petrolero but this is not considered a national title.
13
1963Aurora (1)Jorge WilstermannSan José
14
1964The Strongest (2)Deportivo Municipal31 de Octubre
15
1965Deportivo Municipal (2)Jorge WilstermannOriente Petrolero
16
1966Bolívar (4)31 de OctubreJorge Wilstermann
17
1967Jorge Wilstermann (5)Always ReadyBlooming
18
1968Bolívar (5)GuabiráLitoral
19
1969Universitario de La Paz (1)BolívarOriente Petrolero
20
1970Chaco Petrolero (1)The StrongestOriente Petrolero
21
1971Oriente Petrolero (1)Chaco PetroleroThe Strongest
22
1972Jorge Wilstermann (6)Oriente PetroleroPetrolero
23
1973Jorge Wilstermann (7)Deportivo Municipal31 de Octubre
24
1974The Strongest (3)Jorge WilstermannBolívar
25
1975Guabirá (1)BolívarOriente Petrolero
26
1976Bolívar (6)Oriente PetroleroGuabirá
27
1977The Strongest (4)Oriente PetroleroBolívar
28
1978Bolívar (7)Jorge WilstermannOriente Petrolero
29
1979Oriente Petrolero (2)The StrongestBlooming
Bolívar
30
1980Jorge Wilstermann (8)The StrongestChaco Petrolero
31
1981Jorge Wilstermann (9)BloomingGuabirá
Deportivo Municipal
32
1982Bolívar (8)Jorge WilstermannBlooming
Oriente Petrolero
33
1983Bolívar (9)Oriente PetroleroBlooming
The Strongest
34
1984Blooming (1)BolívarOriente Petrolero
The Strongest
35
1985Bolívar (10)Jorge WilstermannReal Santa Cruz
36
1986The Strongest (5)Oriente Petrolero
37
1987Bolívar (11)Oriente Petrolero
38
1988Bolívar (12)The Strongest
39
1989The Strongest (6)Oriente Petrolero
40
1990Oriente Petrolero (3)Bolívar
41
1991Bolívar (13)San JoséOriente Petrolero
42
1992Bolívar (14)San JoséJorge Wilstermann
43
1993The Strongest (7)BolívarBlooming
44
1994Bolívar (15)Jorge WilstermannThe Strongest
45
1995San José (2)GuabiráBolívar
46
1996Bolívar (16)Oriente PetroleroThe Strongest
47
1997Bolívar (17)Oriente PetroleroBlooming
48
1998Blooming (2)Jorge WilstermannThe Strongest
49
1999Blooming (3)The StrongestBolívar
50
2000Jorge Wilstermann (10)Oriente PetroleroThe Strongest
51
2001Oriente Petrolero (4)BolívarThe Strongest
52
2002Bolívar (18)Oriente PetroleroThe Strongest
53
2003AperturaThe Strongest (8)BolívarJorge Wilstermann
54
ClausuraThe Strongest (9)Jorge WilstermannBolívar
55
2004AperturaBolívar (19)AuroraJorge Wilstermann
56
ClausuraThe Strongest (10)Oriente PetroleroReal Potosí
57
2005AdecuaciónBolívar (20)The StrongestOriente Petrolero
58
2005–06AperturaBlooming (4)BolívarOriente Petrolero
59
ClausuraBolívar (21)Real PotosíUniversitario de Sucre
60
2006Segundo TorneoJorge Wilstermann (11)Real PotosíOriente Petrolero
61
2007AperturaReal Potosí (1)BolívarLa Paz
62
ClausuraSan José (3)La PazBlooming
63
2008AperturaUniversitario de Sucre (1)La PazSan José
64
ClausuraAurora (2)BloomingLa Paz
Real Potosí
65
2009AperturaBolívar (22)Real PotosíSan José
66
ClausuraBlooming (5)BolívarThe Strongest
Oriente Petrolero
67
2010AperturaJorge Wilstermann (12)Oriente PetroleroAurora
68
ClausuraOriente Petrolero (5)BolívarAurora
69
2011AdecuaciónBolívar (23)Real PotosíOriente Petrolero
70
2011–12AperturaThe Strongest (11)Universitario de SucreOriente Petrolero
71
ClausuraThe Strongest (12)San JoséOriente Petrolero
72
2012–13AperturaThe Strongest (13)San JoséBolívar
73
ClausuraBolívar (24)Oriente PetroleroSan José
74
2013–14AperturaThe Strongest (14)BolívarSan José
75
ClausuraUniversitario de Sucre (2)San JoséThe Strongest
76
2014–15AperturaBolívar (25)Oriente PetroleroThe Strongest
77
ClausuraBolívar (26)The StrongestJorge Wilstermann
78
2015–16AperturaSport Boys (1)BolívarThe Strongest
79
ClausuraJorge Wilstermann (13)The StrongestUniversitario de Sucre
80
2016–17 2016 AperturaThe Strongest (15)BolívarOriente Petrolero
81
2017 AperturaBolívar (27)The StrongestGuabirá
82
ClausuraBolívar (28)The StrongestJorge Wilstermann
83
2018AperturaJorge Wilstermann (14)The StrongestSan José
84
ClausuraSan José (4)The StrongestRoyal Pari
85
2019AperturaBolívar (29)The StrongestNacional Potosí
86
ClausuraJorge Wilstermann (15)The StrongestBolívar
87
2020AperturaAlways Ready (3)The StrongestBolívar
Clausura
(Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic)
88
2021Independiente Petrolero (1)Always ReadyThe Strongest
89
2022AperturaBolívar (30)The Strongest
90
Clausura
(Abandoned due to civil unrest in the Santa Cruz Department)[3]
91
2023The Strongest (16)BolívarAlways Ready
Notes
  1. Dissident league tournament.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 No third-place awarded.

Titles by club

Rank Club Winners Runners-up Winning years Runners-up years
1 Bolívar
30
16
1950, 1953, 1956, 1966, 1968, 1976, 1978, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2002, 2004 Apertura, 2005 Adecuación, 2005–06 Clausura, 2009 Apertura, 2011 Adecuación, 2013 Clausura, 2014 Apertura, 2015 Clausura, 2017 Apertura, 2017 Clausura, 2019 Apertura, 2022 Apertura1951, 1969, 1975, 1984, 1990, 1993, 2001, 2003 Apertura, 2005–06 Apertura, 2007 Apertura, 2009 Clausura, 2010 Clausura, 2013 Apertura, 2015 Apertura, 2016 Apertura, 2023
2 The Strongest
16
18
1952, 1964, 1974, 1977, 1986, 1989, 1993, 2003 Apertura, 2003 Clausura, 2004 Clausura, 2011 Apertura, 2012 Clausura, 2012 Apertura, 2013 Apertura, 2016 Apertura, 20231954, 1961, 1970, 1979, 1980, 1988, 1999, 2005 Adecuación, 2015 Clausura, 2016 Clausura, 2017 Apertura, 2017 Clausura, 2018 Apertura, 2018 Clausura, 2019 Apertura, 2019 Clausura, 2020 Apertura, 2022 Apertura
3 Jorge Wilstermann
15
9
1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1967, 1972, 1973, 1980, 1981, 2000, 2006 Segundo Torneo, 2010 Apertura, 2016 Clausura, 2018 Apertura, 2019 Clausura1963, 1965, 1974, 1978, 1982, 1985, 1994, 1998, 2003 Clausura
4 Oriente Petrolero
5
15
1971, 1979, 1990, 2001, 2010 Clausura1972, 1976, 1977, 1983, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2002, 2004 Clausura, 2010 Apertura, 2013 Clausura, 2014 Apertura
5 Blooming
5
2
1984, 1998, 1999, 2005–06 Apertura, 2009 Clausura1983, 2008 Clausura
6 San José
4
5
1955, 1995, 2007 Clausura, 2018 Clausura1991, 1992, 2012 Clausura, 2012 Apertura, 2014 Clausura
7 Always Ready
3
6
1951, 1957, 2020 Apertura1952, 1953, 1959, 1963, 1967, 2021
8 Deportivo Municipal
2
5
1961, 19651956, 1957 Integrado, 1958, 1964, 1973
9 Aurora
2
4
1963, 2008 Clausura1957, 1960, 1964, 2004 Apertura
10 Universitario de Sucre
2
1
2008 Apertura, 2014 Clausura2011 Apertura
11 Real Potosí
1
4
2007 Apertura2005–06 Clausura, 2006 Segundo Torneo, 2009 Apertura, 2011 Adecuación
12 Chaco Petrolero
1
2
19701955, 1971
Guabirá
1
2
19751995, 1968
14 Litoral
1
1
19541950
15 Independiente Petrolero
1
0
2021
Sport Boys
1
0
2015 Apertura
Universitario de La Paz
1
0
1969

References

  1. Comienza El Profesionalismo 1950-1959 Archived 2023-08-23 at the Wayback Machine on Historia del fútbol boliviano by Carlos Mesa Gisbert
  2. Y nació la liga Archived 2023-08-23 at the Wayback Machine by Jaime Galarza, 2 Jan 2012
  3. "El torneo Clausura de la División Profesional fue suspendido de forma definitiva" [The División Profesional's Clausura tournament was definitely suspended] (in Spanish). El Deber. 10 November 2022. Archived from the original on 23 August 2023. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
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