Club Atlético River Plate announced its return to the meetings of the Argentine Football Association's Executive Committee after a six-month absence. The gathering will take place on Tuesday at 11:00 at the Ezeiza training complex and will define key aspects for the immediate future of domestic football, including the structure of the 2027 season.

The confirmed agenda will maintain the competitive format used in 2026 but will debate several regulatory points. One of the most significant is the system for qualifying for international tournaments, where a proposal will be evaluated to grant the third-place team in the annual table direct access to the Copa Libertadores group stage, instead of the preliminary second phase. The continuity of extra time in playoff stages, a rule introduced in the 2025 Clausura, will also be discussed.

Other technical matters on the table include the dates of the transfer windows, the definitive implementation of semi-automatic VAR, and the possibility of establishing fixed venues for tournament finals. The official adoption of hydration breaks, a measure already used in summer due to high temperatures, will also be analyzed.

In parallel, AFA president Claudio Tapia will hold a separate meeting with Liga Profesional CEO Francisco Duarte to define the schedule for matchday 11 of the current Clausura tournament. Five fixtures are scheduled for Saturday, October 3, a date that coincides with the Argentina national team's friendly against Burkina Faso during the FIFA window. Several teams set to play that day have players called up by their national teams.

Separately, the Disciplinary Tribunal will make public on Tuesday the official ruling on Vélez Sarsfield's protest over Boca Juniors fielding six foreign players in the Copa Argentina round of 16. The official communication stated the case "will be resolved in the Special Session to be held on September 22 of the current year." The ruling will confirm that the result will not be overturned on paper, so Boca retains its qualification for the quarter-finals and will only receive an economic fine. El Xeneize will face Racing in Rosario on Sunday during the FIFA break.

River's return to Argentine football's top decision-making table comes at a key moment in their season. The team from Núñez sits second in the Liga Profesional with 29 points, five behind the leader, and their next fixture is away to 11th-placed Sarmiento de Junín on October 4. Their last result was a 2-1 defeat to Huracán, which interrupted a positive run of three wins and a draw from their previous five matches. Also, so far this season, the team has averaged 63 minutes per match to score its first goal.

River Plate president Stefano Di Carlo criticized the leadership of the AFA following the club's return to the Executive Committee. Di Carlo stated at a River Foundation dinner that "the AFA belongs to the clubs, not to one person". Former president Rodolfo D'Onofrio also questioned the championship format, stating that "the Argentine championship with 30 teams doesn't work. It doesn't serve anyone". The team, which is eighth in the Liga Profesional, prepares to face Sarmiento de Junín on October 4th.

The AFA Executive Committee postponed discussion of the six-point petition presented by River Plate. According to sources at the meeting, the club defended its proposal, which includes a reform of tournaments with fewer teams. However, the majority of clubs present, according to attendees, supports the current format of the Liga Profesional. The team, which is eighth in the league with 13 points, prepares to visit Sarmiento de Junín on October 4.

Former president Rodolfo D'Onofrio also questioned the league format, stating that "the Argentine championship with 30 (teams) doesn't work. The team, which is eighth in the Liga Profesional, prepares to face Sarmiento de Junín on October 4.