2018–19 Liga Primera


The 2018–19 Liga Primera de Nicaragua season was divided into two tournaments and determined the 71st and 72nd champions in the history of the Liga Primera de Nicaragua, the top division of football in Nicaragua. The Apertura tournament was played in the second half of 2018, while the Clausura was played in the first half of 2019.

Format

The Apertura play-off format was changed from previous years, while the Clausura will use the same 4-team play-off format. For the Apertura, the top four teams from the regular stage advanced to a "quadrangular" double-round robin instead of a play-off stage. The regular stage and quadrangular winners would have played to decide the tournament's champion, but ultimately the same team won both and the final was not necessary. The same format was recently adopted by the Costa Rican Primera División, but for both half seasons.

Team information

A total of ten teams contested the league, including eight sides from the 2017–18 Primera División, and two sides from the 2017–18 Segunda División.
FC San Francisco Masachapa finished last in the aggregate table and were relegated to the Segunda División. The champions from the Segunda División, ART Municipal Jalapa were promoted in their place.
The 9th place team in the aggregate table, Chinandega FC, faced the second place team from the Segunda División, Deportivo Sebaco, in a playoff for a spot in the Primera División. However, due to Sebaco's financial problems, they were not allowed in the playoff, meaning Chinandega remained in Primera División.

Promotion and relegation

Promoted from Segunda División as of July, 2018.
Relegated to Segunda División as of July, 2018.

Managerial changes

Before the start of the season

TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyReplaced byDate of appointmentPosition in table
Walter Ferretti

During the Apertura season

TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureReplaced byPosition in table
Real Madriz

Between Apertura and Clausura seasons

TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyReplaced byDate of appointmentPosition in table
Ocotal

Clausura 2019 seasons

TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyReplaced byDate of appointmentPosition in table
Real Madriz

Apertura

Standings



Playoffs

Quarterfinals

Juventus Managua progressed.
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''Diriangén progressed.''

Semifinals

TBD wins on away goals
First leg
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Second leg
Real Esteli won 7-3 on aggregate.
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''Managua won 4-1 on aggregate.''

Final

First leg
Second leg
''Managua won 1-0 on aggregate.''

Clausura

Standings



Playoffs

Quarterfinals

Walter Ferretti progressed.
----
''Diriangén progressed.''

Semifinals

First leg
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Second leg
Real Esteli progressed 3-1 on aggregate.
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''Managua F.C. advances 1-0 on away goals.''

Final

First leg
Second leg
''3-3, Real Esteli won on away goal.''

Aggregate table



List of foreign players in the league

This is a list of foreign players in the 2018–19 season. The following players:
  1. Have played at least one game for the respective club.
  2. Have not been capped for the Nicaragua national football team on any level, independently from the birthplace
A new rule was introduced this season, that clubs can have four foreign players per club and can only add a new player if there is an injury or a player/s is released and it is before the close of the season transfer window.
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