The 2026 Torneo Apertura starts. Here’s what you need to know

The Torneo Apertura, the opening stage of the Argentine football league, is set to start on Thursday, with a five-match slate.  The season is kicking off at 5 p.m. Argentine time, as Mar del Plata’s Aldosivi — which narrowly avoided relegation last year — hosts Defensa y Justicia. The action continues at 8 p.m., as Banfield takes on Huracán and Unión de Santa Fe faces off against Platense. Central Córdoba (Santiago del Estero) will host top-tier newcomers Gimnasia (Mendoza) at 10:15 p.m., while Instituto (Córdoba) will receive Vélez Sarsfield at the same time to wrap up the first day of the tournament. Friday will see the first two of the big teams play, as San Lorenzo will face Lanús at their home at 7 p.m., while Independiente will host reigning Argentine soccer champions Estudiantes de La Plata at 8 p.m.  If you’re eager to watch Boca Juniors or River Plate, you’re going to have to wait until the weekend. The Millonario will travel to Barracas Central on Saturday at 5 p.m., while the Xeneize will host Deportivo Riestra on Sunday at 6:30 p.m.  Racing will visit Gimnasia (La Plata) on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. All times are Argentina time. In order to watch any of the matches at home in Argentina, you’ll need a cable TV subscription and the additional Pack Fútbol — which grants access to premium channels ESPN Premium and TNT Sports. The league format For 2026, the league format will remain mostly the same as last year. The 30 teams in the Primera Division will be split into two groups of 15, who will play each other once in the Torneo Apertura (from January to May) and the Torneo Clausura (from July or August to December). They will also play two games against teams in the other group, one at random and one against their derby rival. The top eight teams in each group will advance to the knockout stages. In that phase, they’ll face off in a single-game elimination series, with home advantage for the top-seeded teams, until the final, played at a neutral stadium. That will see two Argentine champions crowned, with the Campeón de Liga title going to the team that racks up the most points throughout the year in the aggregated group stages. Additionally, throughout the season, the Copa Argentina will be played with its classic 64-team format. There will be eight trophies up for grabs this season, with the Recopa de Campeones making a debut for 2026.