What is the Liga Nacional?
La Liga Nacional de Básquetbol is the top division of Argentine men’s basketball, run by the Asociación de Clubes de Básquetbol de la República Argentina from Avenida Belgrano in Buenos Aires. The AdC also runs the second tier, La Liga Argentina, as well as the Liga Femenina, the youth Liga Próximo and a 3x3 league.[1]
How does it work?
The 2026–27 season, confirmed by the AdC assembly of 25 June 2026, opens on 27 September 2026 with a double round-robin to late April, a Copa Islas Malvinas for the top four of the first round in early April, then reclassification and playoffs from May and the Finals in June; the All-Star Game is on 8 January 2027. Places are promoted from La Liga Argentina — Lanús came up for 2026–27 — and defended through a relegation playoff, and a franchise place can be sold: the AdC confirmed on 10 June 2026 that Atenas had bought Obras’ place under Article 80 of the regulations. Clubs may carry at most nine senior players — born 2006 or earlier, nationals and foreigners together — with unlimited homegrown under-21s and under-23s and no more than three in-season replacements.[2] [3] [7]
Since when does it exist?
The league was born in 1985, a year after the clubs formed the AdC, and 2023–24 was its 40th edition, won by Boca Juniors 4–2 over Instituto. Atenas of Córdoba lead the all-time list with nine titles and San Lorenzo, champions four times in a row from 2015–16 and again in 2020–21, have six. Boca Juniors won back-to-back Finals against Instituto in 2024 and 2025, both with José Vildoza as MVP, before Gimnasia de Comodoro Rivadavia beat Quimsa 4–2 in June 2026 for the Patagonian club’s second title.[4] [5] [6] [8] [9]
| Season | Pool / Format | Host cities |
|---|---|---|
| 2025–26 | Gimnasia (Comodoro Rivadavia) | Finals: 4–2 vs Quimsa — Game 6 68–56, 20 June 2026; MVP Sebastián Carrasco; second title |
| 2024–25 | Boca Juniors | Finals: 4–3 vs Instituto — Game 7 78–77, 21 July 2025; MVP José Vildoza |
| 2023–24 | Boca Juniors | Finals: 4–2 vs Instituto — 20 July 2024; MVP José Vildoza; 40th edition |
| 2022–23 | Quimsa | Finals: 4–1 vs Boca Juniors |
| 2021–22 | Instituto | Finals: 3–2 vs Quimsa |
| 2020–21 | San Lorenzo | Finals: 3–2 vs Quimsa |
| 2019–20 | Not awarded | Season abandoned during the pandemic |
| 2018–19 | San Lorenzo | Finals: 4–3 vs Instituto |
| 2017–18 | San Lorenzo | Finals: 4–2 vs San Martín (Corrientes) |
| 2016–17 | San Lorenzo | Finals: 4–1 vs Regatas Corrientes |
Champions of the last ten seasons; the 2019–20 season was abandoned.
Why does it matter?
It is Argentina’s only national first division in basketball, with its own second tier and a league structure — transferable franchises, reclassification, best-of-seven Finals — that mirrors the professional model. Its champions and cup winners take FIBA’s continental berths, and its results and awards — José Vildoza the Finals MVP in 2024 and 2025, Sebastián Carrasco in 2026 — are published by the AdC itself.[1] [4] [5] [6] [9]
References
- La Liga Nacional — official site. Accessed September 2026.
- AdC — Asamblea General Ordinaria: se confirmó el formato de competencia de la temporada 2026–27. Accessed September 2026.
- AdC — Comunicado oficial: Atenas disputará la Liga Nacional 2026–27. Accessed September 2026.
- AdC — Gimnasia es el campeón de la Liga Nacional. Accessed September 2026.
- AdC — ¡Boca es el bicampeón de La Liga Nacional!. Accessed September 2026.
- Infobae — Gimnasia de Comodoro Rivadavia se consagró campeón de la Liga Nacional de Básquet: cómo quedó la tabla de títulos. Accessed September 2026.
- Uno Contra Uno — Liga Nacional 2026–27: todos los detalles para la próxima temporada. Accessed September 2026.
- AdC — ¡Boca es el campeón de La Liga Nacional! (2024). Accessed September 2026.
- En Redacción — El historial de los campeones de la Liga Nacional de Básquet. Accessed September 2026.