Primera Nacional

Primera Nacional (usually called simply Nacional B, in English "National B Division", and known as Primera B Nacional until the 2019–20 season)[2][3] is the second division of the Argentine football league system. The competition is made up of 32 teams, divided into two zones.

Primera Nacional
Founded1986 (1986)
First season1986–87
Country Argentina
ConfederationCONMEBOL
Number of teams35 (2021)
Level on pyramid2
Promotion toPrimera División
Relegation toPrimera B Metropolitana [note 1]
Torneo Federal A [note 2]
Current championsSarmiento (J)
(2020)
Most championshipsBanfield
Olimpo (3 titles each)
Top goalscorerAdrián Czornomaz (160)[1]
TV partnersTNT Sports
TyC Sports
TyC Max
WebsiteAFA
Current: 2020

It is played by teams from all over the country. Clubs from Buenos Aires surroundings, as well as some from Santa Fe Province, are promoted from or relegated to the Primera B Metropolitana ("Metropolitan B Division") while for teams from the other provinces the Torneo Federal A ("Federal A Tournament") is the next level down. In Argentine football, Nacional B is the second-highest league, and from it the three best teams are automatically promoted to Primera División.

Primera B Nacional games are often transmitted to Argentina and abroad on television by TyC Sports.

History

It was created in 1986 to integrate unaffiliated clubs into the Argentine football structure, which until then had only participated in Nacional championships of Argentina's First Division tournament. It brought together teams from the old Primera B (until then, the second division) and regional leagues from several Argentine provinces.

After the 1985–86 season, the Primera B Nacional became the second hierarchical league in Argentina's professional football, after the Primera División, and it is above the Torneo Federal A and the Primera B Metropolitana, the last one started to act as a third division for the teams directly affiliated to AFA.

Beginning in the 2019–20 season, the name was changed dropping the B to simply be known as Primera Nacional.

Format

For the 2019–20 season, the number of teams has been increased from 25 to 32. Clubs will be divided into two zones of 16 teams each, playing each other in a double round-robin tournament. Teams will receive three points for a win, one point for a draw, and no points for a loss, being ranked by total points.

The upcoming season incorporates 5 teams promoted from Primera B Metropolitana and 2 from Torneo Federal A, plus 4 relegated from Primera División, which add to the 23 remaining from the previous season.

The champion will automatically promote to the highest division. Teams placed from 2nd to 9th qualify to play the "Torneo Reducido", a small tournament in a double knock-out stage. Winner of Reducido will be the second team to promote to Primera División. On the other hand, the two teams with the worst average will be relegated to lower divisions (Primera B Metropolitana or Torneo Federal A wheter the club is from the Buenos Aires metropolitan area or from any other province of Argentina).[4]

List of champions

Since the first season held in 1986–87, the following teams have crowned champions of the division:[5]

Season Champion Runner-up Third Place
1986–87Deportivo ArmenioBanfieldBelgrano
1987–88Deportivo MandiyúSan Martin (T)Chaco For Ever
1988–89Chaco For EverUniónColón
1989–90HuracánLanúsQuilmes
1990–91QuilmesBelgranoBanfield
1991–92LanúsSan Martin (T)Almirante Brown
1992–93BanfieldGimnasia y TiroCentral Córdoba
1993–94Gimnasia y Esgrima (J)Talleres (C)Instituto
1994–95Estudiantes (LP)ColónSan Martin (T)
1995–96Huracán (C)UniónAtlético Tucumán
1996–97Argentinos JuniorsGimnasia y TiroTalleres (C)
1997–98Talleres (C)BelgranoAldosivi
1998–99InstitutoChacarita JuniorsJuventud Antoniana
1999–00HuracánLos AndesAlmagro
2000–01BanfieldNueva ChicagoArgentinos Juniors
2001–02OlimpoArsenalHuracán (TA)
2002–03Atlético de RafaelaQuilmesArgentinos Juniors
2003–04InstitutoAlmagroHuracán (TA)
2004–05Tiro FederalGimnasia y Esgrima (J)Huracán
2005–06Godoy CruzNueva ChicagoBelgrano
2006–07OlimpoSan Martín (SJ)Huracán
2007–08San Martín (T)Godoy CruzUnión
2008–09Atlético TucumánChacarita JuniorsAtlético de Rafaela
2009–10OlimpoQuilmesAtlético de Rafaela
2010–11Atlético de RafaelaUniónSan Martín (SJ)
2011–12River PlateQuilmesInstituto
2012–13Rosario CentralGimnasia y Esgrima (LP)Olimpo
2013–14BanfieldDefensa y JusticiaIndependiente
2014
(no champion crowned) [note 3]
2015Atlético TucumánPatronatoFerro Carril Oeste
2016Talleres (C)Chacarita JuniorsGimnasia y Esgrima (J)
2016–17Argentinos JuniorsChacarita JuniorsGuillermo Brown
2017–18AldosiviAlmagroSan Martin (T)
2018–19ArsenalSarmiento (J)Nueva Chicago
2019–20
(abandoned) [note 4]
2020Sarmiento (J)Estudiantes (RC)No third-place awarded

Titles by club
Team Titles Years won
Banfield31992–93, 2000–01, 2013–14
Olimpo32001–02, 2006–07, 2009–10
Huracán21989–90, 1999–00
Argentinos Juniors21996–97, 2016–17
Talleres (C)21997–98, 2016
Instituto (C)21998–99, 2003–04
Atlético de Rafaela22002–03, 2010–11
Atlético Tucumán22008–09, 2015
Deportivo Armenio11986–87
Deportivo Mandiyú11987–88
Chaco For Ever11988–89
Quilmes11990–91
Lanús11991–92
Gimnasia y Esgrima (J)11993–94
Estudiantes (LP)11994–95
Huracán (C)11995–96
Tiro Federal (R)12004–05
Godoy Cruz12005–06
San Martín (T)12007–08
River Plate12011–12
Rosario Central12012–13
Aldosivi12017–18
Arsenal12018–19
Sarmiento (J)
1
2020

Top scorers
Season Player Team Goals
1986–87 José Raúl IglesiasHuracán36
1987–88 Daniel LeaniQuilmes24
1988–89 Daniel AquinoBanfield
24
Sergio RecchiuttiAlmirante Brown
1989–90 Juan AlmadaDefensa y Justicia
20
Abel BlasónQuilmes
1990–91 Roberto OsteDefensa y Justicia24
1991–92 Carlos CardozoAlmirante Brown26
1992–93 Miguel AmayaGimnasia y Tiro (S)21
1993–94 Dante FernándezQuilmes29
1994–95 Alejandro AbaurreGodoy Cruz29
1995–96 Adrián CzornomazLos Andes22
1996–97 Eduardo BennettArgentinos Juniors23
1997–98 Alejandro GlaríaBanfield30
1998–99 Adrián CzornomazAtlético Tucumán26
1999–00 Gastón CasasHuracán30
2000–01 Daniel JiménezInstituto23
2001–02 Diego CeballosGimnasia y Esgrima (CdU)26
2002–03 Daniel GiménezGodoy Cruz
13
Diego TorresQuilmes
2003–04 Julio BevacquaCom. Activ. Infantiles13
2004–05 Rubén RamírezTiro Federal15
2005–06 Daniel Bazán VeraUnión (SF)18
2006–07 Ismael BlancoOlimpo29
2007–08 Cristian MillaChacarita Juniors
20
Leandro ZárateUnión
2008–09 Luis RodríguezAtlético Tucumán20
2009–10 Leandro ArmaniTiro Federal19
2010–11 César CarignanoAtlético de Rafaela21
2011–12 Gonzalo CastillejosRosario Central26
2012–13 Luis RodríguezAtlético Tucumán20
2013–14 Juan M. LuceroDefensa y Justicia24
2014 Ramón ÁbilaHuracán
9
Nicolás MazzolaInstituto (C)
2015 Fernando ZampedriJuventud Unida (G)
25
2016 Germán LesmanAll Boys
17
2016–17 Rodrigo SalinasChacarita Juniors
30
2017–18 Jonathan HerreraDep. Riestra / Ferro C. Oeste13
2018–19 Patricio CucchiGimnasia y Esgrima (M)15
2019–20 Pablo MagnínSariento (J)
15
2020 Claudio BielerAtlético Rafaela
5

Notes
  1. Clubs from Buenos Aires (autonoumous city and suburban areas)
  2. Clubs from the rest of the Argentine provinces
  3. At the end of the season, the 10 best-placed teams were directly promoted to Primera División.
  4. On 28 April 2020, AFA decided to abandon the competition and declare the season finished due to the COVID-19 pandemic with no champion crowned. All official football competitions were suspended on 17 March 2020.

References
  1. "Y se sacó el parche" on Olé, 28 Jan 2007
  2. La AFA le cambió el nombre a la Primera B Nacional, Infobae, 10 Jul 2019
  3. La Primera B Nacional renueva su formato, Diario Uno, 10 Jul 2019
  4. Reglamento B Nacional 2018–19 on AFA website
  5. List of Argentine second division champions at RSSSF
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