The Primera C Metropolitana is one of the two professional leagues that form the fourth level of the Argentine football league system. Primera C Metropolitana is made up of 20 clubs mainly from the city of Buenos Aires and its metropolitan area (Greater Buenos Aires).
The other league at level four is the Torneo Federal B, where teams from regional leagues take part.
Primera C is currently organised into two league tournaments, the Apertura (opening) and the Clausura (closing). Each team plays every other team once in the Apertura, and then once again at the reverse venue in the Clausura.
The winners of the two league titles are recognised as champions. However, the overall championship is decided with an end of season playoff. The overall champion is promoted to Primera B Metropolitana. The teams finishing 2nd to 8th enter a playoff series to determine which team will play in a promotion/relegation playoff against the 2nd lowest finishing team from Primera B Metropolitana.
The team that finishes with the worst aggregate points total is automatically relegated to Primera D. The team with the 2nd worst aggregate points total plays a promotion/relegation playoff with the winner of the Primera D playoff series. And the winner then competes in Primera C Metropolitana the following season.
Originally named "Tercera División" (second level), the first championship was held in 1900, being won by Alumni (still under the "English High School" name).[1] With the creation of División Intermedia in 1911, the division became the fourth level behind Segunda División.[2] It lasted until 1932 when the Intermedia was suppressed and Tercera División became the 3rd. division/level again since the 1933 season.
En 1944 su nombre cambió a "Primera Amateur", el cual duró hasta 1962, cuando el torneo pasó a llamarse "Primera C", [3] Desde la nueva reestructuración del sistema de ligas en 1985, la división se convirtió en la cuarta categoría del fútbol argentino. (inferior a Primera División , Primera B Nacional y Primera B Metropolitana ).
Desde sus inicios en 1899 como "Tercera División", la Primera C ha cambiado de nivel (entre 3 y 4) y de nombre varias veces. La siguiente tabla los muestra en detalle: [1] [2] [4] [5]
Fuentes: [4] [5]