Liga Puerto Rico Pro

Liga Puerto Rico Pro
Organizing bodyPuerto Rican Football Federation
Founded2018 (2018)
Country Puerto Rico
ConfederationCONCACAF
Number of clubs11
Level on pyramid1
Relegation toNone
Domestic cupSupercopa LPR PRO
International cupCFU Club Shield
Current champion(s)Academia Quintana (4th title)
(2025)
Most championshipsMetropolitan FA
(5 titles)
Top scorer Kevin Hernández
(65 goals)
Broadcaster(s)Live Streaming
YouTube: Liga Puerto Rico Pro
Websiteligapuertorico.com
Current: 2025–26 Clausura

The Liga Puerto Rico Pro (LPR PRO) is a football competition organized by the Puerto Rican Football Federation. It is the top division football league on the island. The champion qualifies to participate in the Caribbean Club Shield each season.[1][2]

History

Following the absence of a football league in Puerto Rico for the 2017-18 season, the new Liga Puerto Rico was announced via Facebook by the Puerto Rico Football Federation in August 2018.[3] Prior to the announcement, the federation organized a preparatory tournament that ran from March until June 2018.[4] Ten teams participated in the tournament which was eventually won by Bayamón FC.[5] The league's official launch event attended by FIFA and CONCACAF delegates was held on August 23, 2018 with the league set to begin play the following month.[2]

The first season began on September 29 with 8 teams, who played a double round-robin tournament totaling 14 matches. At the end of the season, the top 6 teams advanced to the next stage; the top 2 teams qualified for the semifinals and the top 4 for the quarterfinals. The champion of the quarterfinals then qualified for the CFU Club Championship. It saw Metropolitan FA beat Bayamón Fútbol Club in the championship match. The match went to penalty kicks which Metropolitan won 4–1 after a 0–0 draw in regulation time.[6]

The second season of the league began but was abandoned because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The league did not name a champion.[7]

Prior to the 2020–21 season the league unveiled a new championship trophy designed by local artist Milton G. Rodriguez. A replica of the trophy, which is almost three feet tall and over one and a half feet wide, will be given to the champions each season while the original will remain with the Puerto Rican Football Federation.[8]

Competition

Like much of Latin America, Liga Puerto Rico is split into an Apertura and Clausura. Due to the instability of the league, often teams will participate in one half of the season but not the other. Each phase of the season teams play each other twice. After a playoff phase the winner qualifies for the CFU Club Shield.

Clubs

Locations of the current 2025-26 Clausura Season of Liga Puerto Rico Pro clubs

Current clubs

A total of eleven clubs currently compete in the 2025-26 season of Liga Puerto Rico Pro.

Team City Stadium Capacity Founded Joined Head Coach
Academia Quintana San Juan Hiram Bithorn Stadium 18,000 1969 2019 Javier Torres
Caguas Sporting FC Caguas Parque Villa del Rey 1,200 2016 2018 Rafael Ramos
Metropolitan FA San Juan Parque Reparto Metropolitano 1,000 2012 2018 Jorge Silveti
Guayama FC Guayama Pista de Atletismo Dr. Roberto Monroig 1,500 1959 2023 Elimagdier Amaro
Puerto Rico Surf SC Guaynabo Complejo Deportivo Torrimar 1,000 2020 2024 Elismanuel Ortiz
FC Mayagüez Mayagüez Mayagüez Athletics Stadium 12,175 2003 2018 Gladys Cusy
Ponce FC Ponce Los Caobos 1,000 2025 2025 Walter Zermatten
EF Taurinos de Cayey Cayey Estadio Angel Luis Correa 1,000 2004 2024 José Martinez
San Juan FC San Juan Parque de Fútbol Benjamin Pito Martinez 1,000 2011 2024 Daniel Galindo
DS Edusoccer Mayagüez Estadio Centroamericano de Mayagüez 12,175 2016 2024 David Guillemat
Guaynabo FC Guaynabo Guaynabo FC Soccer Field 1,000 2023 2026 Héctor Rivera

Former clubs

Team City Stadium Capacity Founded Joined Left
Ramey SC Aguadilla Pista Atlética Ana Beltrán 1,000 2004 2018 2020
Club de Balompie Junqueño Juncos Parque de Fútbol Colegio Corazón de María 1,000 2004 2019 2020
Leal Arecibo FC Arecibo UPR Arecibo 1,000 2006 2019 2020
Mirabelli SA Carolina Parque de Fútbol Colegio Corazón de María 1,000 2010 2018 2020
Bayamón Fútbol Club Bayamón Bayamón Soccer Complex 1,000 1999 2018 2024
Puerto Rico Sol FC Mayagüez Mayagüez Athletics Stadium 12,175 2016 2018 2024
Don Bosco FC San Juan Parque de Fútbol San Juan Bosco 1,000 1952 2023 2024
Guaynabo Gol SC Guaynabo Estadio Charlie Fuentes 1,000 2007 2023 2023

Champions

Below is a list of Liga Puerto Rico Pro champions and runners-up.[9]

Liga Puerto Rico

Season Champions Runners-up Ref.
2018–19 Metropolitan FA (1) Bayamon FC [6]
2019–20 Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Puerto Rico [10]
2020–21 [11]
2021 Bayamon FC (1) Metropolitan FA [12]
2022 Metropolitan FA (2) Puerto Rico Sol
2022 Apertura Metropolitan FA (3) Puerto Rico Sol
2023 Clausura Metropolitan FA (4) Academia Quintana
2023 Apertura Academia Quintana (1) Metropolitan FA [13]
2024 Clausura Academia Quintana (2) Metropolitan FA
2024 Academia Quintana (3) Metropolitan FA

Championships by team

Club Titles Runners-up
Metropolitan FA 4 4
Academia Quintana 3 1
Bayamón FC 1 1
Puerto Rico Sol 2

Liga Puerto Rico Pro

In 2025, the league was renamed as the Liga Puerto Rico Pro by the Puerto Rican Football Federation.

Season Champions Runners-up Ref.
2025 Metropolitan FA (1) Academia Quintana
2025-26 Academia Quintana (1) Puerto Rico Surf SC [14]

Championships by team

Club Titles Runners-up
Academia Quintana 1 1
Metropolitan FA 1
Puerto Rico Surf SC 1

International competition

The following is a list of results for Liga Puerto Rico clubs in international competitions. LPR club scores are listed first.

Year Club Tournament Round Opponent Home Away Agg.
2020 Metropolitan Caribbean Club Shield Group stage
Santiago de Cuba Cancelled[15]
Scholars International
Inter Moengotapoe
2021 Caribbean Club Championship[Note 2] Group stage Delfines del Este 3–0[16]
Real Rincon 4–0[17]
Semi-finals Inter Moengotapoe 1–3[18]
2021 CONCACAF League Preliminary round Santa Lucía 0–3[19] 1–2[20] 1–5
2022 Bayamón Caribbean Club Shield Group stage Junior Stars 3–3[21]
South East 6–0[22]
Semi-final Jong Holland 2–1[23]
Final Inter Moengotapoe 2–1[24]
2022 Caribbean Club Championship CONCACAF League playoff Waterhouse 0–4[25]
2023 Metropolitan Caribbean Club Shield Group stage St. Paul's United 2–0[26]
Junior Stars 3–0[27]
Jong Holland 2–0[28]
Semi-final Robinhood 0–5[29]
Third place match Club Sando 1–6[30]
2024 Metropolitan Caribbean Club Shield Round of 16 SWA Sharks FC 2–0
Quarter-finals Atlético Pantoja 0–1
2025 Academia Quintana Caribbean Club Shield Group Stage Rovers SC 5–0
Real Rincon 3–0

Footnotes

  1. ^
    GPS Puerto Rico began playing in the league in 2018 but merged with the newly formed Puerto Rico Surf SC in July 2020.
  2. ^
    As the most recent Puerto Rico champions, Metropolitan FA were automatically entered into the expanded 2021 Caribbean Club Championship after the 2021 Caribbean Club Shield was cancelled because of a COVID-19 breakout in Curaçao.[31]

See also

References

  1. ^ Andino, Jessica Rosa (7 July 2020). "FPF estrena reglamento para la Concesión de Licencias de Clubes" (in Spanish). Puerto Rican Football Federation. Archived from the original on 27 April 2021. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
  2. ^ a b "La Federación lanza su liga elite superior amateur llamada Liga Puerto Rico" (in Spanish). futbolboricua.co. 25 August 2018. Archived from the original on 10 January 2020. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
  3. ^ "La FPF Anuncia Lanzamiento de la Liga Puerto Rico". www.facebook.com. Archived from the original on 2019-12-07. Retrieved 2018-08-18.
  4. ^ Jusino, Edwin (27 March 2018). "Comienza el Torneo Preparatorio de la Federación" (in Spanish). Futbol Boricua. Archived from the original on 6 July 2018. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  5. ^ "Bayamón se Corona Campeón del Torneo Preparatorio - Ciudad de Bayamón". 11 June 2018. Archived from the original on 16 June 2019. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
  6. ^ a b Schöggl, Hans; Stokkermans, Karel. "Puerto Rico 2018/19". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 4 November 2022. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
  7. ^ Rosa Andino, Jessica. "Cancelados los Torneos de Futbol" (in Spanish). Liga Puerto Rico. Archived from the original on 13 April 2021. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
  8. ^ Andino, Jessica Rosa. "LPR Presenta Nuevo Trofeo Para el 2021" (in Spanish). Liga Puerto Rico. Archived from the original on 13 April 2021. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
  9. ^ Schöggl, Hans. "Puerto Rico - List of Champions". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 25 July 2022. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
  10. ^ Stokkermans, Karel. "Puerto Rico 2019/20". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 25 July 2022. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
  11. ^ "En compas de esper la FPF para reiniciar la Liga Puerto Rico" (in Spanish). Liga Puerto Rico. Archived from the original on 13 April 2021. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  12. ^ "Bayamon FC es el nuevo monarca del futbol local" (in Spanish). Liga Puerto Rico. Archived from the original on 25 January 2022. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
  13. ^ Fútbol, Federación Puertorriqueña de (December 5, 2023). "Academia Quintana Campeón del Apertura 2023 de la LPR Rama Masculina".
  14. ^ Fútbolboricua (December 13, 2025). "Academia Quintana Campeón del Apertura 2025 de la LPR PRO Rama Masculina".
  15. ^ "Update on Concacaf Caribbean Club Shield and Flow Concacaf Caribbean Club Championship". CONCACAF. 25 August 2020. Archived from the original on 13 September 2020. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
  16. ^ "Delfines Del Este FC 1 Metropolitan FA 1". CONCACAF. 12 March 2021. Archived from the original on 5 May 2021. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
  17. ^ "Metropolitan FA 4 SV Real Rincon 0". CONCACAF. 12 March 2021. Archived from the original on 5 May 2021. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  18. ^ "Inter Moengo 3 Metropolitan FA 1". CONCACAF. 12 March 2021. Archived from the original on 5 May 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  19. ^ "Santa Lucia 3 Metropolitan 0". CONCACAF. 12 March 2021. Archived from the original on 26 April 2022. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
  20. ^ "Metropolitan 1 Santa Lucia 2". CONCACAF. 12 March 2021. Archived from the original on 26 April 2022. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
  21. ^ "Bayamon FC, Junior Stars play to thrilling draw to open CCCS". CONCACAF. 11 April 2022. Archived from the original on 27 April 2022. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  22. ^ "Golden Lion, Bayamon attacks take flight as CCCS continues". CONCACAF. 11 April 2022. Archived from the original on 27 April 2022. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  23. ^ "Inter Moengo Tapoe, Bayamon punch CCCS Final tickets". CONCACAF. 21 April 2022. Archived from the original on 27 April 2022. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  24. ^ "Ranera's last-second goal lifts Bayamon FC to CCCS title". CONCACAF. 21 April 2022. Archived from the original on 27 April 2022. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  25. ^ "Waterhouse 4 Bayamon 0". CONCACAF. 12 March 2021. Archived from the original on 26 May 2022. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
  26. ^ "Metropolitan, Scholars open Caribbean Club Shield with wins". CONCACAF. 4 August 2023. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
  27. ^ "Golden Lion roar to victory in Caribbean Club Shield opener". CONCACAF. 6 August 2023. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
  28. ^ "Metropolitan, Golden Lion emerge as group winners". CONCACAF. 8 August 2023. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
  29. ^ "Robinhood, Golden Lion reach Final, earn Caribbean Cup spot". CONCACAF. 12 August 2023. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
  30. ^ "Cairo brace propels Robinhood to Shield title". CONCACAF. 14 August 2024. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
  31. ^ "Update on 2021 Concacaf Caribbean Club Competitions". CONCACAF. 23 April 2021. Archived from the original on 21 November 2022. Retrieved 24 April 2021.