Belgrano Defeats River Plate and Wins First League Title in 120 Years

Belgrano entered history through its widest doors after achieving its first league title in its history spanning more than a century, following a dramatic and exciting victory over River Plate with a score of 3-2 in the final of the Apertura 2026 Championship, held at the 'Mario Alberto Kempes' stadium in Córdoba.

Belgrano fans experienced an unforgettable historic night after the team managed to turn its deficit against River Plate into an exciting victory, amidst exceptional atmospheres in the stands, finally achieving the long-awaited dream since the club was founded in 1905.

This achievement is a pivotal moment in the history of the Argentine club, as Belgrano had never won the Argentine First Division League title before the 2026 generation succeeded in writing the greatest pages of the club and achieving its first league championship in its 121-year history.

The Apertura Championship this season was held in a two-group system, with 30 teams participating, 15 in each group, before the top eight teams advanced to the knockout stages, which were played in a single-elimination format.

River Plate entered the final match seeking to regain the title absent since 2023, while Belgrano approached the encounter with the ambition of creating a major surprise and achieving its first historic title.

The match also carried a revengeful tone for River Plate, which hoped to restore its honor against Belgrano, after the latter caused its historic relegation in 2011, but the team from Córdoba repeated its superiority and dealt a new blow to the Argentine giant.

The tournament also witnessed the continuation of coach Ricardo Zielinski's jinx for River Plate, as his name is associated with several painful moments in the club's history, starting from the 2011 relegation, through depriving it of the league title in 2020, to defeating it again in the 2026 final.