2008 Categoría Primera A season
The 2008 Categoría Primera A season was the 61st season of Colombia's top-flight football league. The season started on 1 February and ended with the finals on 21 December.
Boyacá Chicó won their first ever title in the Apertura tournament, beating America de Cali 4–2 on penalties. América de Cali won their thirteenth title in the Finalizacion tournament, beating Independiente Medellín 4–1 on aggregate.
Teams
18 teams competed this season. Real Cartagena was relegated in the previous season, and were replaced by the 2007 [Categoría Primera B season|2007 Categoría Primera B] champions, Envigado.Torneo Apertura
Torneo Apertura began on 1 February and ended on 6 July.Cuadrangular playoffs
The second phase of the 2008 Apertura Tournament is disputed between the best eight teams in the first phase, which are distributed in two groups of four being divided by odd and even numbers. The winners of each group will advance to the Finals to define a champion.Group A
Source:Tiebreak rules: 1)points; 2)goal difference; 3)goals scored
Group B
Source:Tiebreak rules: 1)points; 2)goal difference; 3)goals scored
Top goalscorers
Source:Torneo Finalización
Torneo Finalizacion began on 19 July and ended on 21 DecemberCuadrangular Playoffs
The second phase of the 2008 Finalizacion takes two groups of four teams, divided by even and odd numbers. It is disputed between the best eight teams in the first phase. The winners of each group will advance to the Finals to define a champion. The first tie-breaking criterion is the team's position in the general standings.Finals
| Copa Mustang 2008 II Champion |
| América 13th Title |
Top goalscorers
Source:Overall standings
Besides the Apertura and Finalizacion champions, the team with the best overall points earned will advance to the 2009 Copa Libertadores Group Stage. The team with the second best overall points will advance to 2009 Copa Libertadores Preliminary Round. The team with the third best overall points average advances to the 2009 Copa Sudamericana, along with the 2008 Copa Colombia champions.| Pos | Team | Pts | GP | W | D | L | GS | GA | GD | Qualification |
| 1. | América de Cali | 87 | 52 | 25 | 12 | 15 | 86 | 58 | +28 | 2009 Copa Libertadores Group Stage |
| 2. | Independiente Medellín | 78 | 50 | 22 | 12 | 16 | 69 | 48 | +22 | 2009 Copa Libertadores Preliminary round |
| 3. | La Equidad | 76 | 48 | 21 | 13 | 14 | 57 | 45 | +12 | 2009 Copa Sudamericana first stage |
| 4. | Deportivo Cali | 64 | 48 | 19 | 10 | 19 | 63 | 64 | -1 | 2009 Copa Sudamericana first stage |
| 5. | Independiente Santa Fe | 64 | 42 | 18 | 10 | 14 | 49 | 41 | +8 | - |
| 6. | Boyacá Chicó | 64 | 44 | 17 | 13 | 14 | 58 | 52 | +6 | 2009 Copa Libertadores Group stage |
| 7. | Junior | 62 | 42 | 19 | 5 | 18 | 57 | 50 | +7 | - |
| 8. | Deportes Tolima | 58 | 42 | 17 | 7 | 18 | 54 | 60 | -6 | - |
| 9. | Envigado | 57 | 42 | 15 | 12 | 15 | 47 | 48 | -1 | - |
| 10. | Deportivo Pereira | 54 | 42 | 16 | 9 | 17 | 53 | 66 | -13 | - |
| 11. | Atlético Nacional | 56 | 42 | 16 | 8 | 18 | 40 | 46 | -6 | - |
| 12. | Millonarios | 52 | 36 | 14 | 10 | 12 | 49 | 41 | +8 | - |
| 13. | Deportes Quindío | 52 | 42 | 12 | 16 | 14 | 46 | 50 | -4 | - |
| 14. | Once Caldas | 46 | 36 | 12 | 10 | 14 | 40 | 48 | -8 | - |
| 15. | Atlético Bucaramanga | 45 | 36 | 12 | 9 | 15 | 33 | 47 | -14 | - |
| 16. | Cúcuta Deportivo | 40 | 36 | 11 | 7 | 18 | 29 | 39 | -10 | - |
| 17. | Atlético Huila | 38 | 36 | 8 | 14 | 14 | 42 | 51 | -9 | - |
| 18. | Deportivo Pasto | 35 | 36 | 8 | 11 | 17 | 24 | 41 | -17 | - |
Relegation
The team with the worst points average from the last five seasons, is relegated to the Second Division. The team with the second worst points average played a two-leg promotion playoff with the runner-up team from the Second Division.| Pos | Team | Pts | GP | GS | GA | GD | Avg | Result |
| 1. | Atlético Nacional | 183 | 108 | 143 | 104 | +39 | 1.694 | - |
| 2. | Cúcuta Deportivo | 173 | 108 | 138 | 107 | +31 | 1.602 | - |
| 3. | Deportes Tolima | 167 | 108 | 162 | 134 | +28 | 1.546 | - |
| 4. | Boyacá Chicó | 161 | 108 | 128 | 114 | +14 | 1.491 | - |
| 5. | Deportivo Cali | 160 | 108 | 143 | 120 | +23 | 1.481 | - |
| 6. | Independiente Medellín | 158 | 108 | 149 | 139 | +10 | 1.463 | - |
| 7. | Millonarios | 157 | 108 | 143 | 128 | +15 | 1.454 | - |
| 8. | Once Caldas | 149 | 108 | 141 | 141 | 0 | 1.349 | - |
| 9. | América de Cali | 148 | 108 | 147 | 153 | -6 | 1.370 | - |
| 10. | Deportivo Pasto | 145 | 108 | 122 | 114 | +8 | 1.343 | - |
| 11. | Deportes Quindío | 144 | 108 | 126 | 135 | -9 | 1.333 | - |
| 12. | La Equidad | 143 | 108 | 122 | 122 | 0 | 1.324 | - |
| 13. | Independiente Santa Fe | 143 | 108 | 140 | 146 | -6 | 1.324 | - |
| 14. | Atlético Huila | 134 | 108 | 125 | 151 | -26 | 1.241 | - |
| 16. | Atletico Junior | 133 | 108 | 128 | 154 | -26 | 1.231 | - |
| 16. | Deportivo Pereira | 131 | 108 | 116 | 138 | -22 | 1.213 | - |
| 17. | Envigado | 128 | 108 | 118 | 132 | -14 | 1.185 | Playoff |
| 18. | Atlético Bucaramanga | 126 | 108 | 115 | 151 | -36 | 1.167 | Relegated |
Promotion/relegation playoff
Categoria Primera B runner ups Deportivo Rionegro qualified to the promotion playoff against Envigado, who finished 17th in the relegation table.''Envigado wins the playoff, and stays in Primera A. Deportivo Rionegro remain in Primera B.''