The Categoría Primera A is the top professional league in Colombia. The league is organized by the División Mayor del Fútbol Profesional Colombiano, better known as DIMAYOR. Because of its sponshorship by cigarette company Mustang, the official name of the league is the Copa Mustang since 1990. As of 2010, soft drink company Postobón will sponsor the league for the next five years.[1]
Each season is contested by 18 teams playing 34 regular season games in two championships. A system of promotion and relegation is operated with the Categoría Primera B. Millonarios and América de Cali are the most successful clubs having won thirteen titles each.
[edit] History
In 1948, DIMAYOR was founded in Barranquilla to officially organize football. The FIFA declared the Colombian league a breakaway league after a dispute with the existing amateur football authority in Colombia. Therefore, all Colombian teams were suspended from playing international football. The Colombia national football team was also under sanction. However, the sanction did not hurt the league. Due to a strike in Argentine football, the best footballers were signed in Colombia. This era was known as El Dorado and lasted until 1953, when Alfredo Di Stefano was transferred to Spain.
[edit] Format
[edit] League stage
During the league stage, which lasts eighteen games, each team plays against every other team once, plus an additional game against their local rival in the league. The league table is kept like a normal European league table, one point for ties and three points for a win. The top eight teams advance to the group stage (known as the Cuadrangulares).
[edit] Semifinals
The top eight teams of the league stage are divided into two groups of four teams each (teams finishing 1/3/5/7 in 1 group, 2/4/6/8 in the other), and each team plays two legged matches against all of the other teams in their group. The top team from each group then advances to the finals.
[edit] Finals
The finals involve two games. The team with the highest combined score after both home and away games wins and is crowned champion. If the game is a tie it proceeds directly to a penalty shoot-out. The away goals rule is not used.
[edit] Controversy
Commercial Logo of Copa Mustang
The setup and fixtures for the Copa Mustang have been changed many times. The current system was established in 1999. Prior to this setup, many complex fixtures and stages were used. One of the worst was the 1996-1997 cup, that actually was played for 18 months, from July 1996 to December 1997. The excuse to make an exceptionally complex league has usually been an effort to spice up the tournament. Several famous Colombian coaches have expressed a dislike of the new format and several teams have been in first place throughout the entire league stage while not even reaching the final.
[edit] TV Broadcasting
The rights for presenting matches in TV for the tournament are hold by RCN TV and other subscription channels as Telmex in a five-year contract since 2006.
[edit] Current teams
[edit] Champions
[edit] Performance by club
[edit] References
[edit] External links
