Liga Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala

What is the Liga Nacional?

The Liga Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala — Liga Bantrab, after the sponsor that replaced Banrural in 2025–26 — is the top division of Guatemalan men’s football, organised by the league under the Federación Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala, whose regulations it publishes. Twelve clubs compete in the Liga Mayor.^[1] [6]

How does it work?

Two tournaments a year, an Apertura from July to December and a Clausura from January to May, each with a classification phase followed by two-leg quarter-finals, semi-finals and a final. The tournament champions and the best-placed non-champion on the aggregate table — three clubs a season — qualify for the Concacaf Central American Cup. The bottom two on the aggregate table are relegated to the Primera División de Ascenso and two come up; Atlético Mictlán and Achuapa went down in 2025–26.^[1] [6]

Since when does it exist?

Guatemala’s first professional tournament was played in 1942. Municipal lead the all-time list with 33 titles and Comunicaciones have 32; the last five years have been unusually open — Malacateco (Apertura 2021), Cobán Imperial (Apertura 2022), Xelajú and Antigua GFC, whose Apertura 2025 win over Municipal made them back-to-back champions for the first time, all took titles before Municipal’s 6–2 aggregate win over Xelajú in the Clausura 2026 final.^{[3] [4] [5] [7]}

Champions of the last ten tournaments.

Why does it matter?

The Liga Nacional is Guatemala’s only professional top division and sends three clubs a season into the Concacaf Central American Cup. Municipal is the country’s most successful club internationally, with a Concacaf Champions’ Cup to its name.^[1] [2]