Liga Panameña de Fútbol (LPF)
Liga Panameña de Fútbol (LPF) is the top professional football league in Panama.
Founded in 1988, it is home to important clubs such as Tauro FC, Árabe Unido, Plaza Amador, and San Francisco FC.
History and facts
The LPF was established in 1988 as the country's first unified national league. Before this, football competitions were mostly regional, especially in Panama City and Colón.
Like many CONCACAF leagues, the LPF uses a two-tournament format: Apertura and Clausura, each crowning its own champion.
Panamanian football has grown significantly in the last two decades, with clubs regularly competing in the CONCACAF Central American Cup and CONCACAF Champions Cup.
League system
The LPF is the top tier of football in Panama.
Promotion and relegation exist between the LPF and the Liga PROM, the country's second tier.
Table 1. Panamanian football structure
| League | Tier |
|---|---|
| Liga Panameña de Fútbol (LPF) | 1 |
| Liga PROM | 2 |
Below the second division are youth and regional amateur leagues.
Stats
Teams with most titles
Table 2. LPF champions by titles
| Club | Titles |
|---|---|
| Tauro FC | 16 |
| Árabe Unido | 15 |
| San Francisco FC | 9 |
| Plaza Amador | 7 |
| Sporting San Miguelito | 2 |
Tauro and Árabe Unido are the two dominant forces of Panamanian football.
Teams with most participation
Table 3. Clubs with most LPF seasons
| Club | Seasons |
|---|---|
| Plaza Amador | 70+ |
| Tauro FC | 65+ |
| San Francisco FC | 55+ |
| Árabe Unido | 50+ |
| Sporting San Miguelito | 30+ |
Plaza Amador is one of the oldest and most consistent clubs in LPF history.
Audience
Stadium capacities
Table 4. Major stadiums in Panama
| Team | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Tauro FC | Estadio Rommel Fernández | 32,000 |
| Plaza Amador | Estadio Maracaná | 6,000 |
| San Francisco FC | Estadio Agustín Sánchez | 5,000 |
| Árabe Unido | Estadio Armando Dely Valdés | 4,000 |
| Sporting San Miguelito | Estadio Los Andes | 3,000 |
Players
Famous Panamanian players
- Julio Dely Valdés
- Rommel Fernández
- Blas Pérez
- Felipe Baloy
- Gabriel Gómez
- Michael Murillo
- Armando Cooper
LPF timeline
1988
Liga Panameña de Fútbol is officially founded.
2000
San Francisco FC dominates the early 2000s.
2015
League undergoes modernization and expansion.
2020
LPF restructures with a franchise-style format.
References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liga_Panameña_de_Fútbol
https://fepafut.com
https://www.rsssf.org
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liga_Panameña_de_Fútbol
https://fepafut.com
https://www.rsssf.org
