Primera B Nacional

Primera B Nacional

Countries	Argentina
Confederation	CONMEBOL
Founded	1986
Number of teams	20
Levels on pyramid	2
Promotion to	Primera División
Relegation to	Primera B Metropolitana Torneo Argentino A
Current champions	Atlético Rafaela (2nd title)
Most championships	Olimpo (3 titles)
TV partners	Canal 7
Website	Officlal webpage
2011–12 season

Primera B Nacional (usually called simply Nacional B, in English National B Division) is the second most important category of Argentine football organized by the Argentine Football Association.

It is played by teams from all over the country. Clubs from Buenos Aires surroundings, as well as some from Santa Fe province, are promoted from or relegated to the Primera B Metropolitana (Metropolitan B Division) while for teams from the other provinces the Torneo Argentino A (Argentine A Tournament) is the next level down. In the league system of Argentine football, Nacional B is the second-highest league, and from it the two best team are automatically promoted to Primera División Argentina while the 3rd and 4th ranked teams played promotion/relegation playoffs against the 17th and 18th Primera Division teams.

History

It was created in 1985 to integrate unaffiliated clubs into the of Argentine football structure, which until then had only participated in Nacional championships of Argentina's First Division tournament. It brought together teams from the old Primera B (until then, the second division) and regional leagues from several Argentine provinces.

After the 1985/86, the Primera B Nacional became the second hierarchical football league in Argentina"s professional football after the First Division, and is above the Torneo Argentino A and the Primera B or Primera B Metropolitana, the last one started to act as a third division for the teams directly affiliated to AFA.

Format

The Primera B Nacional tournament had several formats during its history. Since the 2007/08 the competition format follows the usual double round-robin format. During the course of a season, which usually lasts from August to May, each club plays every other club twice, once at home and once away, for a total of 38 games. Teams receive three points for a win, one point for a draw, and no points for a loss. Teams are ranked by total points, with the highest-ranked club at the end of the season crowned champion. In the current format, both the champion and the runner-up are automatically promoted to Primera División. The two other possible spots go to the 3rd and 4th best placed teams, which have to face two Primera División teams in home and away playoff matches, referred to as promotion matches. Tie goes to best placed teams (ventaja deportiva), i.e. to Primera División teams.

The two Primera División teams playing the promotion matches are the 18th and 17th placed teams of a relegation table, calculated by using a three-year-average points system. The 18th placed team faces the 3rd placed team of Primera B Nacional; the 17th placed team faces the 4th.

Before this system was in place, the champions of both second division tournaments would face each other to determine the first promotion. Winner would be promoted and the loser would face the best placed team of the general standing, combining both second division tournaments. Winner would be promoted and the loser would face the 18th placed team of the relegation table. The last team, which would face the 17th placed team of the relegation table, was determined from the four best placed teams according to the general standing (taking out the best-placed team and the two champions). These four teams would face each other in a series of home and away playoff matches (semi-final and final) with ventaja deportiva. Winner would face the 17th placed team of the relegation table.

2011–12 season teams

Buenos Aires

Aldosivi

Atl. Tucumán

Boca Unidos

Gimnasia (LP)

Gimnasia (J)

I. Rivadavia

Instituto

Guillermo Brown

Rosario Central

Patronato

Desamparados

Locations of the 2011–12 season teams outside Greater Buenos Aires (green).

Alte. Brown

Atlanta

Chacarita Juniors

Defensa y Justicia

Deportivo Merlo

Ferro Carril Oeste

Huracán

River Plate

Quilmes

Locations of the 2011−12 season teams within Greater Buenos Aires. Buenos Aires locations (red), outside Buenos Aires within Greater Buenos Aires (blue).

Club	City	Province	Stadium
Aldosivi	Mar del Plata	Buenos Aires	José María Minella
Almirante Brown	Isidro Casanova	Buenos Aires	Fragata Presidente Sarmiento
Atlanta	Buenos Aires	(Autonomous city)	Don León Kolbovski
Atlético Tucumán	San Miguel de Tucumán	Tucumán	Monumental Presidente Jose Fierro
Boca Unidos	Corrientes	Corrientes	José Antonio Romero Feris
Chacarita Juniors	Villa Maipú	Buenos Aires	Chacarita Juniors
Defensa y Justicia	Florencio Varela	Buenos Aires	Norberto "Tito" Tomaghello
Deportivo Merlo	Parque San Martín	Buenos Aires	José Manuel Moreno
Desamparados	San Juan	San Juan	Sportivo Desamparados
Ferro Carril Oeste	Buenos Aires	(Autonomous city)	Arq. Ricardo Etcheverry
Gimnasia y Esgrima (J)	San Salvador de Jujuy	Jujuy	23 de Agosto
Gimnasia y Esgrima (LP)	La Plata	Buenos Aires	Juan Carmelo Zerrillo
Guillermo Brown	Puerto Madryn	Chubut	Raúl Conti
Huracán	Buenos Aires	(Autonomous city)	Tomás Adolfo Ducó
Independiente Rivadavia	Mendoza	Mendoza	Bautista Gargantini
Instituto	Córdoba	Córdoba	Presidente Perón
Patronato	Paraná	Entre Ríos	Presbítero Bartolomé Grella
River Plate	Buenos Aires	(Autonomous city)	Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti
Rosario Central	Rosario	Santa Fe	Gigante de Arroyito
Quilmes	Quilmes	Buenos Aires	Centenario

Calendar year season system

Season	Champion	Runner-up	Third Place
1986–87	Deportivo Armenio	Banfield	Belgrano
1987–88	Textil Mandiyú	San Martin (Tucumán)	Chaco For Ever
1988–89	Chaco For Ever	Unión	Colón
1989–90	Huracán	Lanús	Quilmes
1990–91	Quilmes	Belgrano	Banfield
1991–92	Lanús	San Martin (Tucumán)	Almirante Brown
1992–93	Banfield	Gimnasia y Tiro	Central Córdoba
1993–94	Gimnasia (Jujuy)	Talleres	Instituto
1994–95	Estudiantes (La Plata)	Colón	San Martin (Tucumán)
1995–96	Huracán (Corrientes)	Unión	Atlético Tucumán
1996–97	Argentinos Juniors	Gimnasia y Tiro	Talleres
1997–98	Talleres	Belgrano	Aldosivi
1998–99	Instituto	Chacarita Juniors	Juventud Antoniana
1999–00	Huracán	Los Andes	Almagro
2000–01	Banfield	Nueva Chicago	Argentinos Juniors
2001–02	Olimpo	Arsenal	Huracán (Tres Arroyos)

Apertura and Clausura seasons

Season		Champion	Runner-up	Third Place
2002–03	Apertura	Atlético de Rafaela	Argentinos Juniors	Quilmes
	Clausura	Atlético de Rafaela	Argentinos Juniors	San Martín (Mendoza)
2003–04	Apertura	Instituto	Belgrano	San Martín (Mendoza)
	Clausura	Almagro	Argentinos Juniors	Huracán (Tres Arroyos)
2004–05	Apertura	Tiro Federal	Huracán	Nueva Chicago
	Clausura	Gimnasia (Jujuy)	C.A.I.	Atlético de Rafaela
2005–06	Apertura	Godoy Cruz	Almagro	Chacarita Juniors
	Clausura	Nueva Chicago	Belgrano	San Martín (San Juan)
2006–07	Apertura	Olimpo	Platense	Tigre
	Clausura	Olimpo	Defensa y Justicia	Huracán

Calendar year season system

Season	Champion	Runner-up	Third Place
2007–08	San Martín (Tucumán)	Godoy Cruz	Unión
2008–09	Atlético Tucumán	Chacarita Juniors	Atlético de Rafaela
2009–10	Olimpo	Quilmes	Atlético de Rafaela
2010–11	Atlético de Rafaela	Unión	San Martín (San Juan)
2011–12

Team	Number of titles	Years/Tournaments Won
Olimpo	3	2001–02, 2006–07, 2009–10
Atlético de Rafaela	2	2002–03, 2010–11
Banfield	2	1992–93, 2000–01
Huracán	2	1989–90, 1999–00
Intituto	2	1998–99, 2003–04
Argentinos Juniors	1	1996–97
Atlético Tucumán	1	2008–09
Chaco For Ever	1	1988–89
Deportivo Armenio	1	1986–87
Estudiantes (La Plata)	1	1994–95
Gimnasia (Jujuy)	1	1993–94
Godoy Cruz	1	2005–06
Huracán (Corrientes)	1	1995–96
Lanús	1	1991–92
Quilmes	1	1990–91
San Martín (Tucumán)	1	2007–08
Talleres	1	1997–98
Textil Mandiyú	1	1987–88
Tiro Federal	1	2004–05

Calendar year season system

Season	Promoted	Relegated
1986/1987	Deportivo Armenio (Champions) Banfield (Winner 2nd Promotion)	Central Norte Atlético Concepción Unión (San Juan)
1987/1988	Deportivo Mandiyú (Champions) San Martín (Tucumán) (Winner 2nd Promotion)	Ferro Carril Oeste (LP) Gimnasia y Esgrima (Jujuy) Guaraní Antonio Franco
1988/1989	Chaco For Ever (Champions) Unión (Winner 2nd Promotion)	Chacarita Juniors Estación Quequén Temperley
1989/1990	Huracán (Champions) Lanús (Winner 2nd Promotion)	Deportivo Armenio Los Andes Olimpo
1990/1991	Quilmes (Champions) Belgrano (Winner 2nd Promotion)	Atlanta Cipolletti Tigre
1991/1992	Lanús (Champions) San Martín (T) (Winner 2nd Promotion)	Central Córdoba Deportivo Maipú San Martín (San Juan)
1992/1993	Banfield (Champions) Gimnasia y Tiro (Winner 2nd Promotion)	Defensa y Justicia Racing de Córdoba Villa Dálmine
1993/1994	Gimnasia y Esgrima de Jujuy (Champions) Talleres (Córdoba)(Winner 2nd Promotion)	Chaco For Ever Ituzaingó Sarmiento
1994/1995	Estudiantes (Champions) Colón (Winner 2nd Promotion)	Deportivo Laferrere Sportivo Italiano Talleres (RE)
1995/1996	Huracán Corrientes (Champions) Unión (Winner 2nd Promotion)	Tigre
1996/1997	Argentinos Juniors (Champions) Gimnasia y Tiro (Winner 2nd Promotion)	Gimnasia(Concepción del Uruguay) Juventud Antoniana Sarmiento de Junín Temperley
1997/1998	Talleres (Córdoba) (Champions) Belgrano (Winner 2nd Promotion)	Almirante Brown Chaco For Ever Douglas Haig Sportivo Italiano
1998/1999	Instituto (Champions) Chacarita Juniors (Winner 2nd Promotion)	Atlanta Douglas Haig Estudiantes (BA) Huracán Corrientes
1999/2000	Huracán (Champions) Los Andes (Winner 2nd Promotion) Almagro (Promoción)	Aldosivi Argentino de Rosario Deportivo Español Deportivo Morón Gimnasia y Tiro Temperley
2000/2001	Banfield (Champions) Nueva Chicago (Winner 2nd Promotion)	All Boys Cipolletti Estudiantes (BA) Ferro Carril Oeste General Paz Juniors San Martín (Tucumán) San Miguel
2001/2002	Olimpo (Champions) Arsenal (Winner 2nd Promotion)	Atlético Tucumán Central Córdoba Independiente Rivadavia Platense Racing de Córdoba Tigre Villa Mitre

Torneos Apertura y Clausura

Season	Promoted	Relegated
2002/2003	Atlético de Rafaela (Season Champions) Quilmes (2nd Promotion)	Almirante Brown (Arrecifes) Deportivo Español
2003/2004	Instituto (Season Champions) Almagro (2nd Promotion) Argentinos Juniors (Playoff winners) Huracán (Tres Arroyos) (Playoff winners)	Gimnasia (Concepción del Uruguay) Los Andes
2004/2005	Tiro Federal (Season Champions) Gimnasia y Esgrima de Jujuy (2nd Promotion)	Defensores de Belgrano Sarmiento
2005/2006	Godoy Cruz (Season Champions) Nueva Chicago (2nd Promotion) Belgrano (Playoff winners)	El Porvenir Juventud Antoniana San Martín (Mendoza)
2006/2007	Olimpo (Season Champions) Huracán (Playoff) San Martín (San Juan) (2nd season) Tigre (Playoff winners)	Huracán (Tres Arroyos) Villa Mitre

Calendar year season system

Season	Promoted	Relegated
2007/2008	San Martín (T) (Champions) Godoy Cruz (2nd season)	Almirante Brown Ben Hur Nueva Chicago
2008/2009	Atlético Tucumán (Champions) Chacarita Juniors (2nd season)	Almagro Los Andes Talleres (Córdoba)
2009/2010	Olimpo (Champions) Quilmes (2nd season) All Boys (Playoff winners)	Platense Sportivo Italiano
2010/2011	Atlético de Rafaela (Champions) Unión (2nd season) San Martín (San Juan) (Playoff winners) Belgrano (Playoff winners)	Comisión de Actividades Infantiles Tiro Federal San Martín (Tucumán) (Playoff)

Teams promoted to Primera B Nacional since 1986/87

• 1986/87: Atlético Tucumán, Quilmes, Almirante Brown
• 1987/88: Estación Quequén, San Martín (Tucumán), Talleres (Remedios de Escalada)
• 1988/89: Olimpo, Atlético Rafaela, Villa Dálmine
• 1989/90: Deportivo Morón, Atlanta, Deportivo Laferrere
• 1990/91: San Martín (San Juan), Central Córdoba (Rosario), Nueva Chicago
• 1991/92: Gimnasia y Tiro, Ituzaingó, Arsenal
• 1992/93: Gimnasia y Esgrima de Jujuy, All Boys, Sarmiento
• 1993/94: Godoy Cruz, Chacarita Juniors, Los Andes
• 1994/95: San Martín (San Juan), Atlanta, Tigre
• 1995/96: Juventud Antoniana, Aldosivi, Chaco For Ever, Cipoletti, Gimnasia (Concepción del Uruguay), Olimpo, Sportivo Italiano, Estudiantes (Buenos Aires), Almagro, Sarmiento, Témperley
• 1996/97: Almirante Brown (Arrecifes), San Martín (Mendoza), Defensa y Justicia, San Miguel
• 1997/98: Gimnasia (Concepción del Uruguay), Juventud Antoniana, El Porvenir, Tigre
• 1998/99: Racing de Córdoba, Independiente Rivadavia, Villa Mitre, Argentino de Rosario, Témperley
• 1999/00: General Paz Juniors, Estudiantes (Buenos Aires)
• 2000/01: Huracán (Tres Arroyos), Defensores de Belgrano
• 2001/02: Comisión de Actividades Infantiles, Deportivo Español
• 2002/03: Tiro Federal, Ferro Carril Oeste
• 2003/04: Racing de Córdoba, Sarmiento
• 2004/05: Ben Hur, Aldosivi, Tigre
• 2005/06: Villa Mitre, San Martín (Tucumán), Platense
• 2006/07: Independiente Rivadavia, Almirante Brown,
• 2007/08: Atlético Tucumán, All Boys, Los Andes
• 2008/09: Boca Unidos, Sportivo Italiano, Deportivo Merlo
• 2009/10: Patronato, Almirante Brown
• 2010/11: Guillermo Brown, Atlanta, Desamparados

See also

• Argentine football league system
• List of football clubs in Argentina

External links

• List of Argentine second division champions by RSSSF