Summary
Primera División de Nicaragua (NCA1) is the top level of league style football competition in Nicaragua. The 2023-2024 NCA1 season is split into two championships, the Torneo Apertura and the Torneo Clausura. At the end of the 2023-2024 Torneo Clausura, the NCA1 teams listed below qualify for the following non-league play:
- 2024 CNCFCAC Group Stage:
- 2023-2024 Apertura and Clausura champions
- 2023-2024 Best non-champion with the most 2023-2024 NCA1 Aggregate Table points
If the same team wins both the 2023-2024 Torneo Apertura and the Torneo Clausura, then the runner-up with the most 2023-2024 NCA1 Aggregate Table points from both torneos is awarded the 2nd 2024 CNCFCAC champions berth.
Aggregate points are determined by combining results from the 2023-2024 Torneo Apertura and 2023-2024 Torneo Clausura into the 2023-2024 NCA1 Aggregate Table.
Leagues Pyramid - Nicaragua
| Abbrev | League | # of Teams |
|---|---|---|
| NCA1 | Liga Primera | 10 |
| NCA2 | Segunda División de Nicaragua | 20 |
| NCA3 | Tercera División de Nicaragua | - |
| NCA3 | Tercera División de Nicaragua | - |
| NCA4 | Cuarta División de Nicaragua | - |
Competition Structure
Season | # of Teams | ||
| Apertura - Regular 27 Jul 2023 - 26 Nov 2023 Apertura - Playoffs 29 Nov 2023 - 17 Dec 2023 | Clausura - Regular 19 Jan 2024 - 28 Apr 2024 Clausura - Playoffs 1 May 2024 - 18 May 2024 | 10: NCA1 (8 minimum), NCA2 (2 maximum) | |
Season Format
The 2023-2024 NCA1 season is split into two championships, the Torneo Apertura and the Torneo Clausura. In each torneo, each NCA1 team plays Home-Away matches with the other 9 NCA1 teams for a total of 18 league matches. A playoff is held upon the completion of each torneo to determine the torneo champion. Table ranking ties are broken by (1) goal difference, (2) goals scored, (3) head-to-head points, (4) head-to-head goal difference, (5) head-to-head goals scored, then (6) a draw.
Playoffs
At the end of each torneo, the top 6 eligible NCA1 teams participate in playoffs. In the Quarterfinals, 3rd plays 6th and 4th plays 5th in a "Knockout" matches. The winners advance to a Home-Away highest aggregate goal wins Semifinals. The Semifinals winners advance to a Home-Away highest aggregate goal wins Final.
Relegation
Immediately following the 2023-2024 Torneo Clausura, the 10th place team in the 2023-2024 NCA1 Aggregate Table is immediately relegated to NCA2, while the 9th place team enters into a Promotion/Relegation playoff with the 2nd place NCA2 team. The playoff winner plays in the 2023-2024 NCA1 and the loser plays in the NCA2.
More Info...
Clausura - Finals
| Date | Home | Status | Road | Venue | ||||
| Aggregate | Real Estelí FC | 23 | Diriangén FC |
| 12.05.24 |  | 21 | Diriangén FC | Estadio Independencia (Estelí) |
| 18.05.24 | | 20 | Real Estelí FC | Estadio Cacique Diriangén |
Clausura - Semifinals
| Date | Home | Status | Road | Venue | ||||
| Aggregate | ART Municipal Jalapa | 03 | Diriangén FC |
| 04.05.24 |  | 02 | Diriangén FC | Estadio Alejandro Ramos |
| 08.05.24 | | 10 | ART Municipal Jalapa | Estadio Cacique Diriangén |
| Aggregate | CD Ocotal | 17 | Real Estelí FC |
| 04.05.24 |  | 02 | Real Estelí FC | Estadio Roy Fernando Bermúdez |
| 08.05.24 | | 51 | CD Ocotal | Estadio Independencia (Estelí) |
Clausura - Quarterfinals
| Date | Home | Status | Road | Venue | ||||
| 21 | CD Walter Ferretti | Estadio Roy Fernando Bermúdez |
 | 23 | ART Municipal Jalapa | Estadio Nacional de Fútbol |
Torneo Clausura
| League | Home | Road | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| POS | MP | W - D - L | PTS | CPTS | GF | GA | GD | MP | W - D - L | PTS | GF | GA | GD | MP | W - D - L | PTS | GF | GA | GD | |
| 1 | Diriangén FC | 18 | 14 -2-2 | 44 | - | 43 | 12 | 31 | 9 | 8 -1-0 | 25 | 30 | 6 | 24 | 9 | 6 -1-2 | 19 | 13 | 6 | 7 |
| 2 | Real Estelí FC | 18 | 10 -5-3 | 35 | - | 33 | 13 | 20 | 9 | 7 -2-0 | 23 | 20 | 3 | 17 | 9 | 3 -3-3 | 12 | 13 | 10 | 3 |
| 3 | Managua FC | 18 | 8 -6-4 | 30 | - | 32 | 20 | 12 | 9 | 4 -3-2 | 15 | 16 | 10 | 6 | 9 | 4 -3-2 | 15 | 16 | 10 | 6 |
| 4 | CD Ocotal | 18 | 8 -3-7 | 27 | - | 23 | 29 | -6 | 9 | 6 -1-2 | 19 | 15 | 10 | 5 | 9 | 2 -2-5 | 8 | 8 | 19 | -11 |
| 5 | CD Walter Ferretti | 18 | 7 -4-7 | 25 | - | 20 | 14 | 6 | 9 | 5 -3-1 | 18 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 9 | 2 -1-6 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| 6 | ART Municipal Jalapa | 18 | 7 -4-7 | 25 | - | 20 | 25 | -5 | 9 | 5 -2-2 | 17 | 13 | 8 | 5 | 9 | 2 -2-5 | 8 | 7 | 17 | -10 |
| 7 | Indígenas de Matagalpa FC | 18 | 6 -3-9 | 21 | - | 27 | 32 | -5 | 9 | 5 -2-2 | 17 | 13 | 10 | 3 | 9 | 1 -1-7 | 4 | 14 | 22 | -8 |
| 8 | UNAN Managua | 18 | 6 -3-9 | 21 | - | 25 | 32 | -7 | 9 | 4 -1-4 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 0 | 9 | 2 -2-5 | 8 | 10 | 17 | -7 |
| 9 | H&H Export Sébaco FC | 18 | 4 -6-8 | 18 | - | 25 | 40 | -15 | 9 | 2 -3-4 | 9 | 16 | 19 | -3 | 9 | 2 -3-4 | 9 | 9 | 21 | -12 |
| 10 | Orgánica Masachapa FC | 18 | 1 -2-15 | 5 | - | 19 | 50 | -31 | 9 | 1 -1-7 | 4 | 7 | 23 | -16 | 9 | 0 -1-8 | 1 | 12 | 27 | -15 |
Clausura - Semifinals Clausura - Quarterfinals | ||||||||||||||||||||
Apertura - Finals
| Date | Home | Status | Road | Venue | ||||
| Aggregate | Diriangén FC | 21 | Real Estelí FC |
| 17.12.23 | | 10 | Real Estelí FC | Estadio Cacique Diriangén |
| 22.12.23 | | 11 | Diriangén FC | Estadio Independencia (Estelí) | ||
| AET | ||||||
Apertura - Semifinals
| Date | Home | Status | Road | Venue | ||||
| Aggregate | H&H Export Sébaco FC | 15 | Diriangén FC |
| 03.12.23 |  | 12 | Diriangén FC | Estadio Carlos Fonseca Amador |
| 09.12.23 | | 30 | H&H Export Sébaco FC | Estadio Cacique Diriangén |
| Aggregate | Managua FC | 01 | Real Estelí FC |
| 10.12.23 | | 01 | Real Estelí FC | Estadio Nacional de Fútbol |
| 14.12.23 | | 00 | Managua FC | Estadio Independencia (Estelí) |
Apertura - Quarterfinals
| Date | Home | Status | Road | Venue | ||||
| 30 | ART Municipal Jalapa | Estadio Carlos Fonseca Amador | |||
| AET | ||||||
| 41 | UNAN Managua | Estadio Nacional de Fútbol |
Torneo Apertura
| League | Home | Road | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| POS | MP | W - D - L | PTS | CPTS | GF | GA | GD | MP | W - D - L | PTS | GF | GA | GD | MP | W - D - L | PTS | GF | GA | GD | |
| 1 | Real Estelí FC | 18 | 13 -3-2 | 42 | - | 37 | 9 | 28 | 9 | 8 -0-1 | 24 | 18 | 3 | 15 | 9 | 5 -3-1 | 18 | 19 | 6 | 13 |
| 2 | Diriangén FC | 18 | 10 -3-5 | 33 | - | 24 | 18 | 6 | 9 | 6 -1-2 | 19 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 9 | 4 -2-3 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 2 |
| 3 | H&H Export Sébaco FC | 18 | 9 -3-6 | 30 | - | 29 | 32 | -3 | 9 | 5 -2-2 | 17 | 17 | 12 | 5 | 9 | 4 -1-4 | 13 | 12 | 20 | -8 |
| 4 | Managua FC | 18 | 6 -7-5 | 25 | - | 33 | 26 | 7 | 9 | 5 -2-2 | 17 | 25 | 16 | 9 | 9 | 1 -5-3 | 8 | 8 | 10 | -2 |
| 5 | UNAN Managua | 18 | 7 -4-7 | 25 | - | 29 | 29 | 0 | 9 | 4 -2-3 | 14 | 17 | 11 | 6 | 9 | 3 -2-4 | 11 | 12 | 18 | -6 |
| 6 | ART Municipal Jalapa | 18 | 5 -7-6 | 22 | - | 22 | 25 | -3 | 9 | 3 -5-1 | 14 | 11 | 8 | 3 | 9 | 2 -2-5 | 8 | 11 | 17 | -6 |
| 7 | Orgánica Masachapa FC | 18 | 6 -3-9 | 21 | - | 18 | 32 | -14 | 9 | 5 -1-3 | 16 | 14 | 15 | -1 | 9 | 1 -2-6 | 5 | 4 | 17 | -13 |
| 8 | Indígenas de Matagalpa FC | 18 | 4 -5-9 | 17 | - | 23 | 27 | -4 | 9 | 3 -3-3 | 12 | 13 | 10 | 3 | 9 | 1 -2-6 | 5 | 10 | 17 | -7 |
| 9 | CD Walter Ferretti | 18 | 3 -8-7 | 17 | - | 17 | 24 | -7 | 9 | 3 -5-1 | 14 | 13 | 9 | 4 | 9 | 0 -3-6 | 3 | 4 | 15 | -11 |
| 10 | CD Ocotal | 18 | 4 -3-11 | 15 | - | 21 | 31 | -10 | 9 | 3 -2-4 | 11 | 11 | 12 | -1 | 9 | 1 -1-7 | 4 | 10 | 19 | -9 |
Apertura - Semifinals Apertura - Quarterfinals | ||||||||||||||||||||
Results
| 10 | CD Ocotal | Estadio Nacional de Fútbol |
| 10 | Indígenas de Matagalpa FC | Estadio Independencia (Estelí) |
| 63 | H&H Export Sébaco FC | Estadio Nacional de Fútbol |
| 10 | Diriangén FC | Estadio Alejandro Ramos |
| 51 | Orgánica Masachapa FC | Estadio Nacional de Fútbol |
| 10 | CD Walter Ferretti | Estadio Cacique Diriangén |
| 11 | UNAN Managua | Estadio Alejandro Ramos |
| 30 | H&H Export Sébaco FC | Estadio Roy Fernando Bermúdez |
| 15 | Real Estelí FC | Estadio Nacional de Fútbol |
| 02 | Managua FC | Estadio Municipal de Matagalpa |
| 01 | Diriangén FC | Estadio Nacional de Fútbol |
| 21 | Managua FC | Estadio Independencia (Estelí) |
| 05 | CD Walter Ferretti | Estadio Nacional de Fútbol |
| 11 | ART Municipal Jalapa | Estadio Roy Fernando Bermúdez |
| 22 | Indígenas de Matagalpa FC | Estadio Municipal de Matagalpa |
| 13 | UNAN Managua | Estadio Nacional de Fútbol |
| 11 | Real Estelí FC | Estadio Nacional de Fútbol |
| 60 | H&H Export Sébaco FC | Estadio Cacique Diriangén |
| 23 | ART Municipal Jalapa | Estadio Nacional de Fútbol |
| 21 | CD Ocotal | Estadio Municipal de Matagalpa |