Attending an Apertura Tournament football game in Buenos Aires is one of the city’s most representative experiences for those wanting a true taste of Argentine culture. Argentine’s direct the same level of passion and devotion that they profess for their leaders and cultural icons - Carlos Gardel, Evita, Maradona, to name a few – toward their football teams, most likely as an imperative need to identify with figures who represent them as a population.

Those who visited Buenos Aires during the World Cup probably saw with their own eyes that here, watching football on TV and heading to the stadium on Sundays is another form of religion, almost as sacred as the one practiced in church. So what are you waiting for? Choose an Apertura tournament match and discover a fun way to experience one of the single most important aspects of Argentine culture – from the inside.

La 12 – Boca Juniors Supporters

The Apertura Tournament

This year, the Torneo de Apertura celebrates its 80th season. The Apertura Tournament, as its meaning in Spanish suggests, is the first of two seasons for teams playing in Argentina’s Primera División league. The tournament takes place in Buenos Aires, mostly on weekends, and this season is scheduled to run from August 8 to December 12. The champion of the 2010 Apertura tournament will join the winner of the last Clausura tournament, Argentinos Juniors, in a fight for the 2011 Libertadores Cup.

Football supporters have high expectations for this Apertura tournament, as the most highly regarded teams on an international level, Boca Juniors and River Plate, turned in poor performances in their last two contests. River Plate must finish among the top three to avoid being relegated to the second-tier league Primera B Nacional, which would be humiliating for both the club and its fans. River Plate’s eternal rival, Boca Juniors, faces a big challenge as well, since Boca’s last championship title came two years ago in the 2008 Apertura tournament. This past year, the team made many significant changes to its coaching staff and management, which will force Boca to respond with increased goal scoring and more impressive results in order to appease the club’s fans.

With the big-name clubs competing to stand out from the rest, taking the title from Argentinos Juniors will be a hard mission to accomplish. Surprises can arise from the less popular (internationally speaking) but no less skilled teams such as Estudiantes De La Plata, who won the Libertadores Cup last year; Independiente, also called the Red Devils (los Diablos Rojos); and, Racing, from Avellaneda.

Come share in this dynamic and unforgettable Apertura tournament experience while getting caught up in the contagious spirit of the world of Argentine football: pick a team to root for, wear its jersey, learn the team’s songs and chants, and pray like crazy for the players to score a goal. Just make sure to avoid wearing a t-shirt or jersey in the opposing team’s colors at the game, and do not show a drop of enthusiasm or admiration for the opponent, even if it is Messi himself!

Attention travelers to Argentina: Do not forget that Argentina is getting ready to host the 2011 Copa América. If your plans include a visit to Buenos Aires next year, try to arrange your travel for dates between July 3 and July 24. It will be the sports experience of a lifetime!

Click here to see the tournament schedule for the 2010 Torneo Iveco del Bicentenario Apertura. Please take into account that due to the unpredictable nature of Argentine football, the dates may change at any time.

We will make our best effort to keep our calendar updated and to inform you about changes that may arise; however, if you find any inconsistency with the information posted on other websites, please feel free to contact our Customer Support for confirmation of dates.

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