2022–23 Primera División de El Salvador

The 2022–23 Primera División de El Salvador, also known as the Liga Pepsi, is the 24th season and 46th and 47th Primera División tournament, El Salvador's top football division, since its establishment of an Apertura and Clausura format. C.D. FAS and TBD are the defending champions of both Apertura and Clausura tournaments respectively. The league will consist of 12 teams. There will be two seasons conducted under identical rules, with each team playing a home and away game against the other clubs for a total of 22 games per tournament. At the end of each half-season tournament, the top six teams in that tournament's regular season standings will take part in the playoffs.

The champions of Apertura or Clausura with the better aggregate record will qualify for the 2023 CONCACAF Champions League. The other champion, and the runner-up with the better aggregate record will qualify for the 2023 CONCACAF League. Should the same team win both tournaments, both runners-up will qualify for CONCACAF League. Should the final of both tournaments features the same two teams, the semi-finalist with the better aggregate record will qualify for CONCACAF League.

Promotion and relegation
A total of 12 teams will contest the league, including 11 sides from the 2021–22 Primera División and 1 promoted from the 2021–22 Segunda División.

Dragon was promoted to the Primera División in June 2022 after defeating A.D. Municipal in a playoff match by a score of 0-0.

C.D. Municipal Limeño was relegated to the 2022–23 Segunda División.

Notable death from Apertura 2022 season and 2023 Clausura season
The following people associated with the Primera Division have died between the middle of 2022 and middle of 2023.


 * Saul Lorenzo Rivero (Uruguayan ex coach of FAS, Aguila, Isidro Metapan)
 * Nahún Corro Bazan (Mexican, ex Aguila player)
 * Kiril Dojcinovski (Macedonian ex coach of LA Firpo, Limeno)
 * Romeo Blanco (ex Alianza and Atletico Marte)
 * Italo Maldonado (ex ANTEL player)
 * Julio César Madrid (ex Dragon player)
 * Raúl Corcio Zavaleta (ex Aguila, Santa Anita, Aguila, Sonsonate, Atletico Marte, Limeno)
 * Genaro Sermeño (Ex FAS player)
 * Remberto Santillana (Ex FAS, Once Lobos and Metapan FC coach)
 * Antonio “Chueño” Landaverde (Ex FAS player)
 * Francisco Osorto (ex Santiagueno, Limeno player)
 * José Angel Guerra "Gallito Guerra" (ex Platense player)
 * Ricardo Gambeta Sosa (ex Dragon, ADLER, Fuerte Aguilares and Juventud Olimpica player)
 * Nestor Matamala (ex Chilean coach, CD Aguila coach) Muere entrenador chileno y finalista con CD Águila
 * Paulo Damasco (ex Brazilian, Santiagueño player ) Falleció en Río de Janeiro el recordado ex futbolista del Santiagueño, Paulo Damasco – Diario El Salvador

Change of ownership
On 15 April 2022, FAS announced that they had been acquired by American ownership group AMG Sports

FESFUT removal and Games suspensions
On the 20th of July, The Governmental National Sports Institute (INDES) in association with the Attorney general raided Salvadoran Football Federation (FESFUT) in relation to money laundering and fraudulent administration. INDES issued an administrative resolution ordering the dismissal of FESFUT directors and the creation of a Normalizing Commission.

As a result of this internal crisis, All three main divisions games from round 2 to 4 were suspended due to referees not showing up.

FIFA said that it could suspend El Salvador if its state-led sports institute removes the heads of the Salvadoran Football Federation (FESFUT) in favor of hand-picked officials, according to a letter shared by the federation online.

After a month and a half and with the imposition of a FIFA Regulation Committee in the FESFUT, plus the delivery of credentials by INDES, the first division (as well as the second and third) obtained the green light to be able to resume their tournament, which was interrupted after a disputed date.

The Primera Division announced August 31, 2022, that the season will resume the Apertura 2022 tournament on September 17, 2022.

New main sponsor for the league
Instituto Nacional de los Deportes (INDES) signed a five-year contract with Primera División de El Salvador for five year, worth 7 millions USD (1.4 million per year). The league will be named as Liga INDES Apertura / Clausura”.

Estadio Cuscatlan Tragedy
On the 25th May 2023, during the quarter final game between Alianza and FAS an incident occurred which resulted in a crowd crush of fans in the stadium.

According to reports, fans had been sold fake tickets for the game and angry fans attempted to pull down the barricades at the stadiums at the entrance. Twelve people were killed and dozens of others injured.

Authorities were looking at pressing charges against those responsible for the event and the Salvadoran Soccer Federation suspended all the following day's matches in the count.

Suspension 2023 Clausura season
After the tragedy that occurred on the 25th of May, A reunion was called with FESFUT and members of the Primera División, the decision was made to cancel the 2023 Clausura season, no champion will be crowned and Chalatenango will be relegated.

Alianza will be punished by playing Apertura 2023 and Clausura 2024 seasons behind closed doors, Fined $30,000 United States dollars.

It was announced that FAS (Apertura 2022 Champion), Aguila (Club with the most Accumulated points in the Apertura 2022 and Clausura 2023 season) and Jocoro (Apertura 2022 Runner-up) will be the club representatives at the CONCACAF Central American Cup.

Fiscalía General de la República (El Salvador Police force) arrested the five people responsible for the poor security and issues that contributed to the tragedy, the five arrested included are President of Alianza Pedro Hernández, general manager of Alianza Edwin Abarca, Treasurer of Alianza Zoila Córdova, General manager of EDESSA the ownership group of Estadio Cuscatlán Reynaldo Contreras, and Head of security of EDESSA Samuel Montano.

Second legs
FAS won 5-4 on Aggregate

Aguila won 1-0 on Aggregate

 Jocoro won 4-3 on penalties, after tying 1-1 aggregate

Platense won 2-1 on aggregate 

Second legs
4-4. FAS won 4-3 on penalties

4-4. Jocoro won 4-2 on penalties

Records

 * Best home records: TBD (00 points out of 33 points)
 * Worst home records: TBD (0 points out of 33 points)
 * Best away records : TBD (00 points out of 33 points)
 * Worst away records : TBD (0 points out of 33 points)
 * Most goals scored: Aguila (23 goals)
 * Fewest goals scored: Firpo (6 goals)
 * Fewest goals conceded : Dragon (7 goals)
 * Most goals conceded : Chalatenango (18 goals)

Scoring

 * First goal of the season: 🇸🇻 Juan Carlos Argueta for Jocoro against Atletico Marte, 8 minutes (July 10, 2022)
 * First goal by a foreign player: 🇦🇷 Brian Calabrese for Aguila against Once Deportivo, 55th minutes (July 10, 2022)
 * Fastest goal in a match: 2 Minutes
 * 🇸🇻 Bryan Paz for Once Deportivo against Santa Tecla (October 2, 2022)
 * Goal scored at the latest goal in a match: 90+4 minutes
 * 🇸🇻 Dustin Corea goal for Aguila against Platense, (September 19, 2022)
 * First penalty Kick of the season: 🇸🇻 Miguel Lemus for Chalatenango against LA Firpo, 67th minutes (September 18, 2022)
 * Widest winning margin: 6 goals
 * Aguila 6–0 LA Firpo (October 13, 2022)
 * First hat-trick of the season: 🇸🇻 Bryan Paz for Once Deportivo against Santa Tecla  (October 2, 2022)
 * First own goal of the season: 🇸🇻 Geovanny Henriquez (Chalatenango) for Platense (September 25, 2022)
 * Most goals in a match: 6 goals
 * Aguila 6–0 LA Firpo (October 13, 2022)
 * Most goals by one team in a match: 6 goals
 * Aguila 6–0 LA Firpo (October 13, 2022)
 * Most goals in one half by one team: 4 goals
 * Jocoro 4-2 (4-2) Platense (1st half, November, 2022)
 * Most goals scored by losing team: 3 goals
 * TBD 3–5 TBD (, 2022)
 * Most goals by one player in a single match: 3 goals
 * 🇸🇻 Bryan Paz for Once Deportivo against Santa Tecla (October 2, 2022 🇸🇻 Juan Carlos Argueta for Jocoro against Chalatenango (October 24, 2022)
 * Players that scored a hat-trick':
 * 🇸🇻 Bryan Paz for Once Deportivo against Santa Tecla (October 2, 2022)
 * 🇸🇻 Juan Carlos Argueta for Jocoro against Chalatenango (October 24, 2022)

Records

 * Best home records: TBD (00 points out of 33 points)
 * Worst home records: TBD (0 points out of 33 points)
 * Best away records : TBD (00 points out of 33 points)
 * Worst away records : TBD (0 points out of 33 points)
 * Most goals scored: TBD (00 goals)
 * Fewest goals scored: TBD (00 goals)
 * Fewest goals conceded : TBD (00 goals)
 * Most goals conceded : TBD (00 goals)

Scoring

 * First goal of the season: 🇸🇻 Santos Ortiz for Aguila against Santa Tecla, 16 minutes (January 29, 2023)
 * First goal by a foreign player: 🇨🇴 Victor Landázuri for Santa Tecla against Aguila, 23rd minutes (January 29, 2023)
 * Fastest goal in a match: 35 seconds
 * 🇦🇷 Gabriel Giacopetti for Platense against Atletico Marte, (April 24, 2023)
 * Goal scored at the latest goal in a match: 90+7 minutes
 * 🇨🇴 Michell Mercado goal for Alianza against Platense, (January 30, 2023)
 * 🇸🇻 Jaime Ortiz goal for Platense against Santa Tecla, (April 12, 2023)
 * First penalty Kick of the season:  Luis Ibarra for Atletico Marte against LA Firpo, 35th minutes (January 30, 2023)
 * Widest winning margin: 6 goals
 * Dragon 7-1 Chalatenango (February 12, 2023)
 * First hat-trick of the season: 🇸🇻 Marcelo Díaz for Once Deportivo against Chalatenango  (April 24, 2023)
 * First own goal of the season: 🇸🇻 Roberto Domínguez (FAS) for Aguila (February 6, 2023)
 * Most goals in a match: 8 goals
 * Dragon 7-1 Chalatenango (February 12, 2023)
 * Most goals by one team in a match: 7 goals
 * Dragon 7-1 Chalatenango (February 12, 2023)
 * Most goals in one half by one team: 4 goals
 * Dragon 4-0 (7-1) Chalatenango (1st half, February 12, 2023)
 * Most goals scored by losing team: 3 goals
 * TBD 3–5 TBD (, 2023)
 * Most goals by one player in a single match: 3 goals
 * 🇸🇻 Marcelo Díaz for Once Deportivo against Chalatenango  (April 24, 2023)
 * Players that scored a hat-trick:
 * 🇸🇻 Marcelo Díaz for Once Deportivo against Chalatenango  (April 24, 2023)

Second legs
Dragon won 3-2 on Aggregate

Match Abandoned due to stadium tragedy, FAS awarded a 2-0 victory

Season was cancelled, due to Cuscatlan stadium

Season was cancelled, due to Cuscatlan stadium

Aggregate table
The Aggregate table is the general ranking for the 2022–23 season. This table is a sum of the Apertura 2022 and Clausura 2023 tournament standings. The aggregate table is used to determine seeding for the CONCACAF tournaments and relegation to the Segunda Division.

List of foreign players in the league
This is a list of foreign players in the 2022–23 season. The following players:


 * 1) Have played at least one game for the respective club.
 * 2) Have not been capped for the El Salvador 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 is released and it is before the close of the season transfer window. \

Águila
 * 🇦🇷 Luis Acuna Blue x.svg
 * 🇦🇷 Brian Calabrese Orange x.svg
 * 🇨🇴 Edgar Medrano Blue x.svg
 * 🇲🇽 Jahir Barraza Blue x.svg
 * Jomal Williams Orange x.svg
 * 🇦🇷 Franco Toloza
 * 🇦🇷 Francisco Aman Black x.svg
 * Carlos Daniel Pimienta
 * Flavio Scarone

Alianza
 * 🇨🇴 Camilo Delgado Blue x.svg
 * 🇨🇴 Mitchel Mercado
 * 🇨🇴 Victor Labndazuri Blue x.svg
 * 🇨🇴 Camilo Mancilla
 * 🇨🇴 Hugo Palacios
 * 🇨🇴 Miguel Murillo Green x.svg

Atletico Marte
 * 🇨🇴 Luis Arturo Peralta Blue x.svg
 * 🇨🇴 Tardelius Pena Blue x.svg
 * 🇨🇴 Yeffer Duvan Sanchez Yellow x.svg
 * 🇨🇴 John Machado
 * Sandro Melgarejo
 * 🇯🇵 Sergio Escudero Green x.svg
 * Luis Ibarra

Chalatenango
 * 🇨🇴 Jhony Moran Blue x.svg
 * 🇨🇴 Hector Renteria Yellow x.svg
 * 🇲🇽 Dieter Vargas Blue x.svg
 * Henry Niño Blue x.svg
 * 🇯🇲 Kemal Beckford Blue x.svg
 * 🇪🇨 André Hurtado
 * 🇪🇨 Dany Cetre
 * 🇪🇨 Joe Arboleda
 * 🇪🇨 Eder Moscoso

Dragon
 * 🇨🇴 Kevin Moreno
 * 🇨🇴 Jhon Montaño
 * 🇨🇴 Luis Angulo
 * 🇨🇴 Yair Arboleda

FAS
 * 🇨🇴 Yílmar Filigrana Blue x.svg
 * 🇲🇽 Omar Rosas Yellow x.svg
 * 🇵🇪 Pier Larrauri Yellow x.svg
 * Santiago Carrera Blue x.svg
 * 🇲🇽 Luis Ángel Mendoza Blue x.svg
 * 🇦🇷 Wilson Gómez
 * 🇨🇴 Juan Camilo Salazar
 * 🇲🇽 Luis Madrigal
 * 🇵🇦 Rolando Blackburn

Firpo
 * 🇧🇷 Daniel Floró Da Silva Yellow x.svg
 * 🇧🇷 Tales Jose da Silva Yellow x.svg
 * 🇨🇴 Steven Riascos Blue x.svg
 * 🇨🇴 Heiner Caicedo
 * 🇨🇴 Raúl Peñaranda Blue x.svg
 * 🇨🇱 Felipe Andres Brito
 * 🇨🇱 Sebastian Julio Munoz
 * 🇨🇴 Tardelius Pena

Isidro Metapán
 * 🇪🇸 Gregori Diaz
 * 🇦🇷 Luca Orozco
 * 🇦🇷 Leandro Martin Blue x.svg
 * 🇨🇴 Carlos Salazar
 * 🇨🇴 Luis Peralta

Jocoro
 * Henry Romero Blue x.svg
 * Junior Padilla
 * 🇨🇴 Santiago Córdoba Yellow x.svg
 * 🇨🇴 Diego Angulo Yellow x.svg
 * Roque Caballero Blue x.svg
 * Oscar Franco Blue x.svg
 * 🇦🇷 Luis Acuna
 * 🇨🇴 Camilo Delgado
 * 🇯🇲 Kemal Beckford

Once Deportivo
 * 🇨🇴 Ronald Benavides  Blue x.svg
 * 🇲🇽 Adrián Muro Blue x.svg
 * 🇦🇷 David Boquin
 * 🇲🇽 Jesús Dautt
 * 🇲🇽 José Luis Calderón
 * Jomal Williams

Platense
 * 🇦🇷 Juan Marcelo Aimar Orange x.svg
 * 🇨🇴 John Machado Blue x.svg
 * 🇦🇷 Gabriel Eduardo Giacopetti
 * 🇨🇴 Wilber Arizala
 * 🇨🇴 Briand Andrés Díaz Blue x.svg
 * 🇲🇽 Omar Rosas
 * 🇧🇿 Krisean Lopez

Santa Tecla
 * 🇨🇴 Victor Labndazuri
 * 🇲🇽 Joel Almeida
 * 🇨🇴 Yessy Mina
 * 🇲🇽 Elio Castro
 * 🇦🇷 Eloy Rodríguez Blue x.svg
 * 🇨🇴 Andres Quejeda  Blue x.svg
 * José Miguel Barreto Blue x.svg

(player released during the Apertura season due suspension of season, Never played a game) (player released during the Apertura season) (player released between the Apertura and Clausura seasons) (player released during the Clausura season) (player naturalized for the Clausura season) (player released beginning the Clausura season, Never played a game)