The Copa Libertadores remains the most prestigious competition in South America for clubs, and the Primera División Argentina was the most successful league in the cup's history, having won the competition 24 times; Independiente has a record seven wins, followed by Boca Juniors with six, Estudiantes (LP) and River Plate with four, while Racing Club, Argentinos Juniors, Vélez Sarsfield and San Lorenzo have one apiece.
Current qualifiers As of 2025, six teams from Argentina were eligible to play the 2026 Copa Libertadores. Qualified teams are detailed as follows, with the number of berth detailed in brackets:Reglamento de torneos de la temporada 2024 Primera División (art. 27) on Liga Profesional de Fútbol (archived)
The champion of 2025 Apertura (Argentina 1) – Platense The champion of 2025 Clausura (Argentina 2) – Estudiantes (LP) The champion of 2025 Copa Argentina (Argentina 3) – Independiente Rivadavia The best placed team from an aggregate table of the 2025 Primera División Apertura and Clausura (Argentina 4) – Rosario Central The second best placed team from the same table (Argentina 5) – Boca Juniors The third best placed team from the same table (Argentina 6) – Argentinos Juniors
Note Clubs qualified via aggregate table: the first two clubs qualify for Copa Libertadores group stage, while the third team qualifies for the second stage. Lanús, as 2025 Copa Sudamericana champions, added as the 7th. Argentine team for 2026.
History In the Argentine Primera División, several qualifying methods were once adopted in the history in order to determine the Argentine clubs representatives to participate in the tournament, that was firstly held in 1960. Since that year, the league format in Argentina has gone through several changes, and thus the method to qualify to Copa Libertadores has altered several times accordingly. Moreover, the increase of number of teams in Copa Libertadores also triggered some changes.
First systems From 1960 to 1966, the Primera División was played using a double round-robin tournament system. In these years, the teams having the highest points would be crowned the champion and gain the eligibility to play in the Copa Libertadores in the following year.
In 1965 and 1966, thanks to the increase of the number of representative in Argentina, the runner-up of the In the Primera División, several qualifying methods were once adopted in the history in order to determine the Argentine clubs representatives to participate in the tournament, that was firstly held in 1960. Since that year, the league format in Argentina has gone through several changes, and thus the method to qualify to Copa Libertadores has altered several times accordingly. Moreover, the increase of number of teams in Copa Libertadores also triggered some changes. could also participate in next year's Copa Libertadores.
In 1967, the qualifying criteria were changed. Winning the Metropolitano did not gain eligibility in the Copa Libertadores. Instead, from 1967 to 1970, the champion and runner-up in the Nacional would be eligible to take part in the Copa Libertadores of the next year.
In 1971, the winner of the Nacional qualified to the Copa Libertadores directly. The winner of the Metropolitano regained the chance of qualification, as the Metropolitano champion would play against the runner-up of the Nacional in a Pre Libertadores Tournament to determine the allocation of the second spot in Copa Libertadores. The Metropolitano champion Independiente won San Loranzo 1–0 in the tournament.Argentina 1971
In 1972, the qualifying method was changed back to the system of 1968–70. The winner and runner-up of the Nacional, San Loranzo and River Plate respectively, represented Argentina to play in the Copa Libertadores 1973.Argentina 1972
In 1973, the champion of the Metropolitano and Nacional qualified to 1974 Copa Libertadores directly. Huracán and Rosario Central qualified by winner each tournament respectively.Argentina 1973
In 1974, a Pre Libertadores Tournament was held to determine the qualifying teams. The tournament was contested by Rosario Central, as the runner-up of both Metropolitano and Nacional, Newell's Old Boys, as the champion of Metropolitano and San Lorenzo, as the champion of Nacional.Argentina 1974 The tournament was held in a single round-robin format. Rosario Central and Newell's Old Boys, the first two teams in the table, qualified to Copa Libertadores 1975.
Starting from 1975, the qualifying method of 1967 was re-adopted. The winner of the Metropolitano and Nacional would automatically qualify to participate the Copa Libertadores in the following year.
When the same team had won both tournaments, a Pre-Libertadores Tournament played by the runners-up of each tournament was held to determine the qualification. This scenario happened three times, namely in 1975,Argentina 1975 1976Argentina 1976 and 1979.Argentina 1979 In 1975 and 1976, a single-legged match was played, while in 1979, the tournament was contested in two legs.
In 1985, only the Nacional was held. The Metropolitano was not held, paving the way for the new European style seasons. The champion of Nacional 1985 and the new tournament 1985–86 would qualify to the Copa Libertadores 1986.
Argentinos Juniors won the Nacional 1985, so it gained the eligibility for the 1986 edition. However, it also won the 1985 edition, and thus qualified to next season's tournament automatically, along with River Plate, who won the 1985–86 title. Therefore, the runner-up of the 1985 Nacional, Vélez Sársfield, qualified for a Liguilla Pre-Libertadores tournament with the second to seventh-placed teams from the new double round-robin domestic 1985–96 league (together with 6 provincial qualifiers), to compete for the remaining qualification, and this tournament was won by Boca Juniors.Argentina 1985/86
Liguilla Pre-Libertadores From 1986 to 1990, the champion of the Primera División earned a place directly, whilst a Liguilla Pre-Libertadores tournament was held every year to determine the second qualifying team.
Eight teams participated in the Pre-Libertadores tournament, and it was competed under a two-legged knock-out format with the winner qualifying to the Copa Libertadores. Teams participating in this tournament were not solely drawn from the Primera División in the early years. A few teams from the Primera B Nacional, whose number varied each year, also took part in the competition.
In 1986–87, the second to sixth teams in the Primera División competed in the tournament with the first three placed teams in the Nacional B. For the next season, 1987–88, the second to eighth teams joined the competition alongside the champion of Nacional B. The winner of the Liguilla Classificación tournament this season, which was competed by the Primera Division teams that had not qualified to the Liguilla Pre-Libertadores tournament (excepting the two relegated teams), also qualified to the Liguilla Pre-Libertadores tournament of the following year.
The 1988–89 season qualified teams to 1989 Copa Libertadores as well as 1990 edition, as a result of the Libertadores changing format so that it was played in the first half of the calendar year. The first half of the season was regarded as a tournament in itself, named "Apertura" tournament. The top two teams after the first half of the season qualified to 1989 Copa Libertadores.Argentina 1988/89
After the end of the overall season of 1988–89, as in previous years, the champion of the league qualified directly and a Liguilla Pre-Libertadores tournament was held to decide the second qualifying team to 1990 Copa Libertadores. The only difference was that the qualifying teams participate in Copa Libertadores of the next season instead of the same one. The second to seventh teams from the whole season tournament, as well as Platense, the champion of the Liguilla Classificación tournament of previous season, competed in the tournament, plus the Nacional B champion. This was a double-elimination tournament and the best placed team in this season's Liguilla Classificación tournament, which was the losers bracket of the Liguilla Pre-Libertadores tournament, got the opportunity to participate in the Liguilla Pre-Libertadores tournament in the following season.
For the 1989–90 season, the normal method was reused except qualifications were now for the 1991 Copa Libertadores. The champion of the Primera División gained direct qualification and a Liguilla Pre-Libertadores tournament was contested for the other spot. The number of teams in the Liguilla Pre-Libertadores tournament was reduced to four, with all of them coming from the Primera División. The second to fourth teams in the Primera División entered this tournament, as well as Deportivo Español, the best placed team in the previous season's Liguilla Classificación tournament.Argentina 1989/90
In the 1990–91 season, the format of Argentine football changed again. Since this season, instead of playing only one double round-robin tournament, two competitions have been held each year, namely, the Apertura and Clausura. In 1990–91, a final was played between the champions of these tournaments, to determine the ultimate winner of the season. The ultimate winner was also eligible for the Copa Libertadores, while the loser needed to play in the Liguilla Pre-Libertadores tournament to compete for qualification. In this season, the Liguilla Pre-Libertadores tournament also featured the second to fourth teams in the Apertura and the second to fifth teams in the Clausura.
This practice was very controversial, especially since Boca Juniors lost the final against Newell's Old Boys, costing Boca Juniors its first official championship since 1981 despite an unbeaten run in the 1991 Clausura.
As a result, in the following season, the winner of the Apertura and Clausura tournaments did not compete in a Final but both of them were crowned the champions. However, a three-legged Liguilla Pre-Libertadores tournament between the winners was contested, and the winner of the tournament would qualify directly to Copa Libertadores.
The second to fifth teams in both the Apertura and Clausura entered an Octagonal tournament, which was a one-legged knock-out tournament. As the second to fifth team in the Apertura finished second, fourth, fifth and eighth in the Clausura, the sixth, seventh and ninth teams in the Clausura were eligible to play in the Octagonal tournament. The winner of the tournament, Vélez Sársfield then played against the loser of the Liguilla Pre-Libertadores tournament, Newell's Old Boys, to compete for the second spot of Copa Libertadores. Newell's Old Boys won the match 1–0.Argentina 1991/92
Recent methods From 1992–93 (for 1994 Copa Libertadores), the champions of the Apertura and Clausura tournaments got the eligibility for Copa Libertadores directly. When the same team won both tournaments, as was the case in 1995/96, 1996/97 and 1998/99, the runner-up of each tournament played a one-legged play-off to decide the qualification.