The 2008 Categoría Primera A season was the 61st season of Colombia's top-flight football league. The season started on 1 February and ended with the finals on 21 December. Boyacá Chicó won their first ever title in the Apertura tournament, beating America de Cali 4–2 on penalties. América de Cali won their thirteenth title in the Finalizacion tournament, beating Independiente Medellín 4–1 on aggregate.

Teams

18 teams competed this season. Real Cartagena was relegated in the previous season, and were replaced by the 2007 Categoría Primera B champions, Envigado.

Stadia & Locations

Torneo Apertura

Torneo Apertura began on 1 February and ended on 6 July.

Standings

Schedule

Cuadrangular playoffs

The second phase of the 2008 Apertura Tournament is disputed between the best eight teams in the first phase, which are distributed in two groups of four being divided by odd and even numbers. The winners of each group will advance to the Finals to define a champion.

Group A

<Small> Source: Tiebreak rules: 1)points; 2)goal difference; 3)goals scored

Group B

<Small> Source: Tiebreak rules: 1)points; 2)goal difference; 3)goals scored

Finals

Top goalscorers

Source:

Torneo Finalización

Torneo Finalizacion began on 19 July and ended on 21 December

Standings

Positions by round

Cuadrangular Playoffs

The second phase of the 2008 Finalizacion takes two groups of four teams, divided by even and odd numbers. It is disputed between the best eight teams in the first phase. The winners of each group will advance to the Finals to define a champion. The first tie-breaking criterion is the team's position in the general standings.

Group A

Group B

Finals

Top goalscorers

Source:

Overall standings

Besides the Apertura and Finalizacion champions, the team with the best overall points earned will advance to the 2009 Copa Libertadores Group Stage. The team with the second best overall points will advance to 2009 Copa Libertadores Preliminary Round. The team with the third best overall points average advances to the 2009 Copa Sudamericana, along with the 2008 Copa Colombia champions.

Relegation

The team with the worst points average from the last five seasons, (2006-I, 2006-II, 2007-I, 2007-II, 2008-I, and 2008-II) is relegated to the Second Division. The team with the second worst points average played a two-leg promotion playoff with the runner-up team from the Second Division.

Promotion/relegation playoff

Categoria Primera B runner ups Deportivo Rionegro qualified to the promotion playoff against Envigado, who finished 17th in the relegation table. Envigado wins the playoff, and stays in Primera A. Deportivo Rionegro remain in Primera B.