Paraguayan Football Association
The governing body responsible for organized association football in Paraguay, including national teams and domestic competitions.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
The Paraguayan Football Association, commonly known as the APF or Asociación Paraguaya de Fútbol, is the national governing body for association football in Paraguay. It administers the country's principal men's and women's competitions, oversees national representative teams, and coordinates several football formats, including futsal and beach soccer. Its headquarters are in Luque, in the metropolitan area of Asunción. The institution traces its origins to the creation of the Paraguayan Football League on June 18, 1906. Five clubs—Olimpia, Guaraní, Libertad, General Díaz and Nacional—sent representatives to establish a formal competition structure for the sport, which had been introduced in Paraguay in the late nineteenth century. Journalist Adolfo Riquelme became the organization's first president, and the first league match was played on July 8, 1906. The association developed through several institutional names. It joined the South American Football Confederation, CONMEBOL, in 1921 and became affiliated with FIFA in 1925. In 1941 its name changed to Liga Paraguaya de Football, and in 1957 it adopted the Hispanicized form Liga Paraguaya de Fútbol. On December 3, 1998, it assumed its current name, Asociación Paraguaya de Fútbol. The modern APF therefore combines more than a century of organizational continuity with a number of formal changes in identity and structure. Domestically, the APF organizes the Paraguayan league system, with men's competitions extending through multiple levels and a separate women's structure. Its responsibilities include the Primera División, lower divisions, reserve and youth competitions, the national Copa Paraguay and the Supercopa Paraguay. The Copa Paraguay, introduced in 2018, brings together clubs from different levels of the national system and teams associated with the Interior Football Union. The Supercopa Paraguay, introduced in 2021, is a single-match contest between the Primera División champion and the Copa Paraguay champion. Women's football has expanded within the APF structure. The association administers the annual women's championship and, according to the documented competition structure, the Copa EFE, Copa Paraguay FEM and Supercopa FEM, as well as an under-18 category. Futsal is organized through several divisions, including premium, Honor, Primera and Intermedia categories, with a women's competition also available. The APF additionally organizes beach-soccer events, including the Tournament of Stars and a women's beach-soccer tournament. At international level, the APF manages the Paraguay men's national team and supports the country's women's and youth representative programs. Paraguay has won the Copa América in 1953 and 1979, won an Olympic silver medal in 2004, and reached the FIFA World Cup finals eight times through the 2010 tournament. The men's team reached the quarter-finals at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. The association has not previously hosted a FIFA World Cup, but in 2022 it joined Argentina, Uruguay and Chile in a joint bid for the 2030 tournament. The APF's leadership has also been connected to wider South American football administration. Robert Harrison, previously associated with Club Nacional, became APF president in 2016 after Alejandro Domínguez left the Paraguayan post to pursue the presidency of CONMEBOL. The association appointed Argentine coach Eduardo Berizzo to lead the Paraguay men's national team in 2019. As a governing institution rather than a consumer product company, the APF's principal public-facing offerings are competitions, national-team programs, player-development pathways and regulatory services for clubs and participants.
History
Football was introduced to Paraguay in the late nineteenth century, with William Paats associated with its early development at the Escuela Normal de Maestros in Asunción. As the sport gained popularity, the need for a formal competition and administrative structure became more apparent. On June 18, 1906, representatives of the five existing clubs Olimpia, Guaraní, Libertad, General Díaz and Nacional met to establish the Paraguayan Football League, initially called Liga Paraguaya de Football Association. Journalist Adolfo Riquelme became its first president. The first recorded league match took place on July 8, 1906. The organization gradually integrated into the South American and global football systems. During Enrique Pinho's presidency, the Paraguayan Football League joined CONMEBOL in 1921. It became a FIFA member in 1925, formalizing Paraguay's participation in international football governance. The organization changed its name to Liga Paraguaya de Football in 1941 and to Liga Paraguaya de Fútbol in 1957, reflecting the increasing use of Spanish terminology in its official identity. On December 3, 1998, the institution adopted its present name, Asociación Paraguaya de Fútbol. Although the name had also been used by a separate association during an earlier period of institutional division, the 1998 change established the modern APF designation for the country's principal football authority. The association's domestic role expanded beyond the administration of a single men's league. It became responsible for a multi-level men's pyramid, reserve and youth football, women's football, and competitions involving clubs from across the country. The Interior Football Union, an affiliated body composed of departmental federations outside Asunción, helps connect the national structure with football in Paraguay's interior. The APF's competition portfolio has included the Primera División, lower divisions, the Copa Paraguay and, from 2021, the Supercopa Paraguay. The Copa Paraguay was created in 2018 as a broad national cup involving teams from different categories, while the Supercopa is a single-match meeting between the top-flight champion and the Copa Paraguay champion. Women's football has become a distinct part of the association's organizational framework. The documented structure includes an annual women's league, women's cup competitions and a women's super cup, together with youth football such as an under-18 category. The APF also administers futsal through multiple divisions and organizes beach-soccer competitions for men and women. These activities make the association responsible for several forms of organized football rather than only the traditional outdoor men's game. The APF administers Paraguay's national representative teams and coordinates the country's international football presence. Paraguay won the Copa América in 1953 and 1979 and earned Olympic silver in 2004. The men's national team qualified for eight FIFA World Cup finals through 2010, with its strongest listed World Cup performance coming in 2010, when it reached the quarter-finals before losing to eventual champion Spain. Paraguay had not hosted a FIFA World Cup as of the referenced material. In August 2022, the APF joined Argentina, Uruguay and Chile in a joint bid connected with the centenary 2030 World Cup. Leadership changes have linked the association to broader South American football politics. Juan Ángel Napout left the APF presidency in December 2015, and Alejandro Domínguez subsequently departed the Paraguayan position to pursue the CONMEBOL presidency. Robert Harrison, formerly head of Club Nacional, was appointed APF president in 2016. In 2019, the association appointed Argentine coach Eduardo Berizzo to lead the Paraguay men's national team. The APF's continuing work combines tournament organization, national-team management, club regulation, player pathways and representation of Paraguayan football in international governing institutions.
- 2022
Joins 2030 World Cup bid
[1]The APF joined Argentina, Uruguay and Chile in a joint bid for the 2030 FIFA World Cup.
- 2021
Supercopa Paraguay introduced
[1]The association launched a single-match super cup between the Primera División champion and Copa Paraguay champion.
- 2018
Copa Paraguay introduced
[1]The APF introduced a national cup competition designed to include clubs from multiple levels of Paraguayan football.
- 2010
World Cup quarter-final appearance
[1]Paraguay reached the quarter-finals of the FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
- 2004
Olympic silver medal
[1]Paraguay won the silver medal in Olympic men's football at Athens 2004.
- 1998
Adopts the APF name
[1]The institution changed its official name to Asociación Paraguaya de Fútbol.
- 1979
Paraguay wins a second Copa América
[1]Paraguay secured its second listed Copa América championship.
- 1953
Paraguay wins the Copa América
[1]The Paraguay national team won its first listed Copa América title under the APF's international football administration.
- 1925
Joins FIFA
[1]Paraguay became affiliated with FIFA through its national football organization.
- 1921
Joins CONMEBOL
[1]The Paraguayan Football League entered the South American confederation during the presidency of Enrique Pinho.
Products and positioning
National football governing body and competition organizer representing Paraguayan football within CONMEBOL and FIFA.
Domestic men's league
Primera División
The top level of Paraguayan men's club football, administered within the national league system by the APF. It is the country's principal domestic championship and supplies one of the participants in the Supercopa Paraguay.
National football cup · 2018
Copa Paraguay
A national cup competition introduced in 2018. It brings together clubs from different divisions and includes teams connected with the Interior Football Union, giving the competition a broader national footprint than the top-flight league.
Super cup · 2021
Supercopa Paraguay
A single-match competition introduced in 2021 between the Paraguayan Primera División champion and the Copa Paraguay champion, generally played at a neutral venue.
National team
Paraguay national football team
The APF-administered men's national team represents Paraguay in CONMEBOL, FIFA and international competitions. Its documented achievements include two Copa América titles, an Olympic silver medal and eight FIFA World Cup final-tournament appearances through 2010.
Women's football
Women's football competitions
The APF organizes the annual women's championship, Copa EFE, Copa Paraguay FEM and Supercopa FEM, along with youth structures including an under-18 category.
Futsal
Futsal competitions
The association's futsal system includes premium, Honor, Primera and Intermedia categories, as well as a women's competition.
Beach soccer
Beach-soccer competitions
APF-organized beach-soccer events include the Tournament of Stars and a women's beach-soccer tournament.
Marketing campaigns
- 2022Joint 2030 FIFA World Cup bid
Paraguay · Argentina · Uruguay · Chile
The APF joined the football associations of Argentina, Uruguay and Chile in a regional bid initiative to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup.
Outcome. The reference material records the joint bid but does not establish a final hosting outcome.
Brand decisions
2022
Participation in the 2030 World Cup bidStrategyBackground
Paraguay had not previously hosted a FIFA World Cup and joined a broader South American initiative tied to the 2030 tournament.
Action taken
The APF partnered with the associations of Argentina, Uruguay and Chile to submit a joint hosting bid.
Aftermath
The available reference identifies the bid but does not provide a final result.
2021
Launch of Supercopa ParaguayProduct launchBackground
The APF expanded its domestic competition portfolio with a match between the champions of its two principal national men's competitions.
Action taken
It introduced a single-match Supercopa Paraguay between the Primera División champion and Copa Paraguay champion.
Aftermath
The event became an additional national title contested at a neutral venue.
2018
Launch of Copa ParaguayProduct launchBackground
The APF sought to organize a national cup involving teams beyond the highest division.
Action taken
It created the Copa Paraguay for clubs from multiple levels of the Paraguayan football system, including teams linked to the Interior Football Union.
Aftermath
The competition became part of the national calendar and later supplied a participant for the Supercopa Paraguay.
1998
Adoption of the Asociación Paraguaya de Fútbol nameStrategyBackground
The organization had previously operated under several forms of the Paraguayan Football League name.
Action taken
It changed its official name to Asociación Paraguaya de Fútbol, or APF.
Aftermath
The APF designation became the institution's continuing modern identity.
Sources2 sources
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