In the middle of a day with multiple raids at the headquarters of the Argentine Football Association (AFA), the Ezeiza property and at least 13 first-class and promotion clubs, finally The draw for the Apertura and Clausura tournaments of the 2026 season was postponedin which all the teams, including Central and Newell’s, were going to find out their fixture.
Although there was no public communication from the AFA, the information was reported by Buenos Aires media this Tuesday morning. The draw was going to take place from noon at the Lionel Messi property in Ezeiza, after a meeting of the Executive Committee. Now it would be done on Wednesdaybefore the one that will determine the Argentine Cup matches.
There will be no changes in the format and the 30 teams will remain in the first division, which will be divided in two zones of 15. 16 dates will be played in total with two interzonals, one for the classicsand then they will go to the playoff phase. That is, it would be played exactly the same as in 2025.
According to information from journalist Gustavo Yarroch for ESPN, the day was changed due to “agenda issues” of Claudio Tapiathe president of the AFA.
Raids
Was about 35 operatives within the framework of the investigation of the case known as Sur Finanzas, a financial company that is linked to Claudio Tapia, the president of the mother house of soccer.
The operations were ordered this Tuesday by the federal judge of Lomas de Zamora Luis Armella and took place simultaneously in at least 13 Argentine soccer clubsamong which are Racing, Independiente and San Lorenzo, in addition to the headquarters of the Professional League and the AFA building at 1300 Viamonte Street, in the City of Buenos Aires.
For her part, prosecutor Cecilia Incardona asked that the fiscal and banking secrecy of the investigated clubs be lifted to try to establish whether there was a money laundering maneuver. Researchers suspect that Sur Finance lent money to clubs and charged them through television or marketing rights.
