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ANAPROF (Asociación Nacional Pro Fútbol) is the top soccer league in Panama. The league season is divided into separate Opening (Apertura) and Closing (Clasura) Seasons. The Champions of each season within a calendar year face off in the SuperChampionship, where the winner is declared the national champions of the year.
The team with the fewest combined points from the Apertura and Clasura in the calendar year is relegated to the Segunda División, and the winner of a 4 team playoff is promoted from the Segunda División. The Segunda División playoff runner-up faces off against the 9th place team from ANAPRO in a two-leg series to determine which will play in ANAPRO the following year. The first 4 clubs participate in play-offs to decide the champion. The winners of the Apertura and Clasura competitions participate in the UNCAF Club Tournament. The 2006 Apertura started February 3, 2006. The Apertura Championship took place May 13, 2006 between Plaza Amador and San Francisco F.C.. San Francisco F.C. prevailed 3 goals to none.
The current president of ANAPROF is Mario Luis Barletta.
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History & Past Formats
The league was founded in 1988 after years of turmoil in Panamanian soccer. The season began on February 26th, 1988 featuring with 6 teams participating. The league wasn't split into Apertura/Clasura seasons until 2001, previously the teams played a full season with all teams playing all other teams in a home and away set as is the standard in most European leagues today.
From 1994-96 there was a schism in Panamanian soccer as both the ANAPROF and LINFUNA existed as separate leagues. LINFUNA was recognized by FIFA, but the two leagues joined together to form a 12 team, single-table league in the 1996-97 season.
In 1997-98, the league was split into two groups for the regular season with an 8 team playoff after the season was completed. The quarterfinals and semifinals were two-leg playoffs, but the final was a single match.
In 1998-99, the league was moved down to 10 teams with the best 6 teams after a home-and-away season of 18 games moved on to the secondary tournament. Each team matched up against the other qualifying teams once and the top 4 of the 6 in terms of points moved on to the home-and-away semifinals. The winners advanced to a single match final.
In 1999-2000, the league switched to a single table format for the opening round. The top 6 teams from the opening round moved on to the second round where they each played other qualifying teams once. The top 4 again moved to the home-and-away semifinals. The winners of those series played in the single match final.
The format from 1999-2000 was again used in 2000-01.
In 2001, the previous format was again used, but in both Apertura and Clasura seasons for the first time with the first round seeing each team play just 9 games and not 18. The league began using the modern Superchampionship playoff between the Apertura and Clasura winners, but in 2001, CD Árabe Unido won both halves of the season for the overall title without the playoff.
In the 2002 Apertura, 8 teams in two separate groups of 4 teams. Each team played the teams in the other group one time and the teams from its own group twice, once at home and once away. The top two teams from each group qualified for the home-and-away semifinals. The winners of those series played in the single match final.
In the 2002 Clasura, 8 teams took part in single-table home-and-away season, that saw all 8 teams play 14 games. The top 4 teams qualified for a semifinal group where each team would again play home-and-away vs all other qualified teams. The top two teams then met in a two-leg home-and-away championship, where the winner was determined by aggregate goals.
The 2003 Apertura used the same format as the 2002 Clasura.
In the 2003 Clasura, The 4 team semifinal group was dropped for a pair of home-and-away series featuring the top point getter from the 8 team, 14 game season face the fourth highest point earner and the second highest would face the third highest.
The modern format was used for the first time in the 2004 Apertura where ANAPROF increased from 8 to 10 teams.
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Teams in the league 2006-2007
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Past Champions & Runner-Ups
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Championships By Team
Tauro F.C. (7)
1989, 1991, 1996/97, 1997/98, 1999/00, 2003(A), 2003(C) |
CD Árabe Unido (6)
1998-99, 2001(A), 2001(C), 2002(A), 2004(A), 2004(C) |
Plaza Amador (5)
1998, 1990, 1992, 2002(C), 2005(A) |
San Francisco F.C. (4)
1994-95, 1995-96, 2005(C), 2006(A) |
Eurokickers F.C. (1) |
Panamá Viejo F.C. (1)
2000-01 |
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Runner-Ups By Team
Tauro F.C. (5)
1990, 1994-95, 1998-99, 2000-01, 2002(C) |
San Francisco F.C. (5)
1988, 1989, 2001(A), 2002(A), 2004(A)
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Plaza Amador (5)
1995-96, 1999-2000, 2001(C), 2004(A), 2006(A) |
CD Árabe Unido (3)
1997-98, 2003(A), 2005(A) |
Eurokickers F.C. (2) |
Sporting '89 (1) |
Bravos de Projusa (1)
1993 |
Alianza F.C. (1)
2003(C) |
CD Atlético Veragüense (1)
2005(C) |
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Top Scorers By Season
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See also
http://www.anaprof.com.pa/default_archivos/index1.asp
http://www.rsssf.com/
http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/Stadium/1367/regioclubes.html
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