Argentine football: Annual standings shape 2027 Libertadores and Sudamericana race

The annual standings in Argentina's 2026 top-flight football season are crucial, not only for determining one team's relegation to the Primera Nacional but also for allocating nine coveted spots in the 2027 Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana.

Belgrano de Córdoba has already guaranteed its place in next year's Copa Libertadores by winning the 2026 Apertura tournament. The winners of the ongoing Clausura tournament and the Copa Argentina will secure the other two direct Libertadores berths.

The remaining three Copa Libertadores qualification spots will be awarded to the top three teams in the overall annual standings, which combine points from both the Apertura and Clausura tournaments. The Clausura's third matchday concluded on Monday, with Independiente Rivadavia de Mendoza and Argentinos Juniors currently tied at 38 points, followed closely by Vélez Sarsfield with 37.

Following these top contenders, the next six clubs in the annual classification will earn berths in the 2027 Copa Sudamericana. This group currently includes Estudiantes de La Plata (34 points), Rosario Central and Gimnasia de La Plata (32), Boca Juniors (31), and Independiente and Barracas Central (both 30 points).

An important consideration is that clubs qualifying for international tournaments as champions of domestic competitions (Apertura, Clausura, or Copa Argentina) may free up their spot in the annual standings if they finish within the top qualifying positions for continental tournaments. This scenario does not currently apply to Belgrano, as they sit 12th in the standings and are not in an international qualification spot.