Venezuelan Primera División
Founded | 1921 |
---|---|
Country | Venezuela |
Confederation | CONMEBOL |
Number of teams | 14 |
Level on pyramid | 1 |
Relegation to | Segunda División |
Domestic cup(s) | Copa Venezuela |
International cup(s) | Copa Libertadores Copa Sudamericana |
Current champions | Deportivo Táchira (10th title) (2023 season) |
Most championships | Caracas (12 titles) |
Top goalscorer | Juan García (271 goals) |
TV partners | TVes, GolTV, Star+ |
Website | Liga FUTVE (in Spanish) Venezuelan Football Federation (in Spanish) |
Current: 2024 season |
The Primera División (pronounced [pɾiˈmeɾa ðiβiˈsjon]; English: First Division), or Liga Venezolana (locally [ˈliɣa βenesoˈlana]; English: Venezuelan League) is the top-flight professional football league of Venezuela. It was created in 1921 and turned professional in 1957. It is organized by the Federación Venezolana de Fútbol.
Format
Starting in the 2020 season, the 20 teams play in a home-and-away round-robin tournament, with the top eight teams advancing to the semi-final stage.
In the semi-final stage, the eight teams are divided in two groups of four teams each, facing the other teams in their group twice. The two group winners will advance to the Serie Final to decide the league champions.
International qualification
- The champions and runners-up qualify to the group phase of the Copa Libertadores.
- The team with the most points in the entire season qualifies to the preliminary round of the Copa Libertadores as Venezuela 3.
- The second and third team with the most points in the entire season qualifies to the Copa Sudamericana as Venezuela 1 and Venezuela 2.
- If a team won both tournaments that team qualify to the Copa Libertadores as Venezuela 1, then the first and second team with the most points in the entire season qualify to the Copa Libertadores as Venezuela 2 and Venezuela 3 and the fourth and fifth team with the most points in the entire season qualify to the Copa Sudamericana as Venezuela 1 and Venezuela 2.
- If the winner of the Copa Venezuela does not qualify to the Copa Libertadores through the aforementioned manners or through the point total in the entire season, they take the Venezuela 2 spot in the Copa Sudamericana.
Relegation
- The two lowest placed teams in the entire season are automatically relegated to the Segunda División.
2024 teams
Team | City | Stadium | Capacity |
---|---|---|---|
Academia Puerto Cabello | Puerto Cabello | La Bombonerita | 7,500 |
Angostura | Ciudad Bolívar | Ricardo Tulio Maya | 2,500 |
Carabobo | Valencia |
Misael Delgado | 10,400 |
Caracas | Caracas | Olímpico de la UCV |
23,940 |
Deportivo La Guaira | Caracas | Olímpico de la UCV |
23,940 |
Deportivo Táchira | San Cristóbal | Polideportivo de Pueblo Nuevo | 38,755 |
Estudiantes de Mérida | Mérida | Metropolitano de Mérida | 42,200 |
Inter de Barinas |
Barinas | Agustín Tovar | 29,800 |
Metropolitanos | Caracas | Olímpico de la UCV |
23,940 |
Monagas | Maturín | Monumental de Maturín | 51,796 |
Portuguesa | Acarigua | General José Antonio Páez | 18,000 |
Rayo Zuliano | Maracaibo | José "Pachencho" Romero | 40,800 |
Universidad Central | Caracas | Olímpico de la UCV |
23,940 |
Zamora | Barinas | Agustín Tovar | 29,800 |
List of champions
List of champions since the first championship held in 1920. The Primera División turned professional on 21 February 1957.[citation needed]
Amateur era (1921–1956)
Ed. | Season | Champion | Runner-up |
---|---|---|---|
1 |
1921 | América | Centro Atlético |
2 |
1922 | Centro Atlético (1) | América |
3 |
1923 | América | Centro Atlético |
4 |
1924 | Centro Atlético (2) | Vargas |
5 |
1925 | Loyola | Venzóleo |
6 |
1926 | Centro Atlético (3) | Venzóleo |
7 |
1927 | Venzóleo | Centro Atlético |
8 |
1928 | Deportivo Venezuela | Centro Atlético |
9 |
1929 | Deportivo Venezuela | Unión |
10 |
1930 | Centro Atlético (4) | Unión |
11 |
1931 | Deportivo Venezuela | Centro Atlético |
12 |
1932 | Unión (1) | Dos Caminos |
13 |
1933 | Deportivo Venezuela | Dos Caminos |
14 |
1934 | Unión (2) | Dos Caminos |
15 |
1935 | Unión (3) | Dos Caminos |
16 |
1936 | Dos Caminos | Centro Atlético |
17 |
1937 | Dos Caminos | Litoral |
18 |
1938 | Dos Caminos | Litoral |
19 |
1939 | Unión (4) | Litoral |
20 |
1940 | Unión (5) | Dos Caminos |
21 |
1941 | Litoral | Dos Caminos |
22 |
1942 | Dos Caminos | Loyola
|
23 |
1943 | Loyola |
Litoral |
24 |
1944 | Loyola |
Dos Caminos |
25 |
1945 | Dos Caminos | Loyola
|
26 |
1946 | Deportivo Español |
Centro Atlético |
27 |
1947 | Unión (6) | Universidad Central
|
28 |
1948 | Loyola |
Unión |
29 |
1949 | Dos Caminos | Universidad Central
|
30 |
1950 | Unión (7) | La Salle
|
31 |
1951 | Universidad Central |
Loyola
|
32 |
1952 | La Salle |
Loyola
|
33 |
1953 | Universidad Central |
La Salle
|
34 |
1954 | Deportivo Vasco |
Loyola
|
35 |
1955 | La Salle |
Deportivo Español
|
36 |
1956 | Banco Obrero |
La Salle
|
Professional era (1957–present)
Ed. | Season | Champion | Runner-up | Third | Top scorer |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
37 |
1957 | Universidad Central |
La Salle |
Banco Obrero |
Universidad Central , 12 goals)
|
38 |
1958 | Deportivo Portugués |
Deportivo Español |
Loyola |
Portugués , 6 goals)
|
39 |
1959 | Deportivo Español |
Deportivo Portugués |
Danubio | Deportivo Español , 15 goals)
|
40 |
1960 | Deportivo Portugués |
Deportivo Español |
Deportivo Italia |
Deportivo Portugués , 9 goals)
|
41 |
1961 | Deportivo Italia |
Banco Agrícola y Pecuario | Banco Francés e Italiano | Antonio Ravelo (Banco Agrícola y Pecuario, 11 goals) |
42 |
1962 | Deportivo Portugués |
Universidad Central |
Dos Caminos |
Universidad Central , 16)
|
43 |
1963 | Deportivo Italia |
Deportivo Portugués |
Tiquire Flores |
Deportivo Portugués , 15 goals)
|
44 |
1964 | Deportivo Galicia | Tiquire Flores |
Unión Deportiva Canarias | Tiquire Flores , 12 goals)
|
45 |
1965 | Lara |
Deportivo Italia |
Tiquire Flores |
Lara , 16 goals)
|
46 |
1966 | Deportivo Italia |
Deportivo Portugués |
Deportivo Galicia | Deportivo Portugués , 20 goals)
|
47 |
1967 | Deportivo Portugués |
Deportivo Galicia | Lara |
Deportivo Portugués , 28 goals)
|
48 |
1968 | Unión Deportiva Canarias | Deportivo Italia |
Deportivo Portugués |
Deportivo Portugués , 21 goals)
|
49 |
1969 | Deportivo Galicia | Valencia |
Deportivo Italia |
Valencia , 19 goals)
|
50 |
1970 | Deportivo Galicia | Deportivo Italia |
Valencia |
Roland Langon (Deportivo Galicia, 13 goals) |
51 |
1971 | Valencia |
Deportivo Italia |
Tiquire Aragua |
Tiquire Aragua , 20 goals)
|
52 |
1972 | Deportivo Italia |
Deportivo Galicia | Anzoátegui FC | Francisco Rodriguez (Anzoátegui FC, 18 goals) |
53 |
1973 | Portuguesa |
Valencia |
Estudiantes de Mérida |
Estudiantes de Mérida , 14 goals)
|
54 |
1974 | Deportivo Galicia | Portuguesa |
Estudiantes de Mérida |
Sergio Hugo Castillo (Anzoátegui FC, 15 goals) |
55 |
1975 | Portuguesa |
Estudiantes de Mérida |
Deportivo Galicia | Portuguesa , 20 goals)
|
56 |
1976 | Portuguesa |
Estudiantes de Mérida |
Deportivo Portugués |
Portuguesa , 25 goals)
|
57 |
1977 | Portuguesa |
Estudiantes de Mérida |
Valencia |
Portuguesa , 20 goals)
|
58 |
1978 | Portuguesa |
Deportivo Galicia | Estudiantes de Mérida |
ULA Mérida , 23 goals)
|
59 |
1979 | Deportivo Táchira (1) |
Deportivo Galicia | Universidad de Los Andes |
Deportivo Táchira , 15 goals)
|
60 |
1980 | Estudiantes de Mérida |
Portuguesa |
Valencia |
Portuguesa , 12 goals)
|
61 |
1981 | Deportivo Táchira (2) |
Estudiantes de Mérida |
Valencia |
Deportivo Táchira , 14 goals)
|
62 |
1982 | San Cristóbal | Deportivo Táchira |
Universidad de Los Andes |
Estudiantes , 21 goals)
|
63 |
1983 | Universidad de Los Andes |
Portuguesa |
Deportivo Italia |
Atlético Zamora , 13 goals)
|
64 |
1984 | Deportivo Táchira (3) |
Deportivo Italia |
Atlético Zamora | Zamora , 15 goals)
|
65 |
1985 | Estudiantes de Mérida |
Deportivo Táchira |
Nacional Carabobo | Deportivo Táchira , 17 goals)
|
66 |
1986 | Unión Atlético Táchira (4) |
Estudiantes de Mérida |
Marítimo |
Caracas , 8 goals)
|
67 |
1986–87 | Marítimo |
Unión Atlético Táchira |
Estudiantes de Mérida |
Portuguesa , 16 goals)
|
68 |
1987–88 | Marítimo |
Unión Atlético Táchira |
Caracas |
Unión Atlético Táchira , 22 goals)
|
69 |
1988–89 | Mineros de Guayana |
Pepeganga Margarita |
Marítimo |
Mineros , 24 goals)
|
70 |
1989–90 | Marítimo |
Unión Atlético Táchira |
Minervén |
Marítimo , 19 goals)
|
71 |
1990–91 | Universidad de Los Andes |
Marítimo |
Atlético Zamora | Monagas , 15 goals)
|
72 |
1991–92 | Caracas (1) |
Minervén |
Marítimo |
Caracas , 25 goals)
|
73 |
1992–93 | Marítimo |
Minervén |
Caracas |
Marítimo , 21 goals)
|
74 |
1993–94 | Caracas (2) |
Trujillanos |
Minervén |
Trujillanos , 20 goals)
|
75 |
1994–95 | Caracas (3) |
Minervén |
Trujillanos |
Mineros , 30 goals)
|
76 |
1995–96 | Minervén |
Mineros de Guayana |
Caracas |
Caracas , 24 goals)
|
77 |
1996–97 | Caracas (4) |
Atlético Zulia | Unión Atlético Táchira |
Caracas , 19 goals)
|
78 |
1997–98 | Atlético Zulia | Estudiantes de Mérida |
Deportivo Chacao |
Carabobo , 22 goals)
|
79 |
1998–99 | Deportivo Italchacao |
Unión Atlético Táchira |
Estudiantes de Mérida |
Gustavo Fonseca (Internacional Lara, 24 goals) |
80 |
1999–00 |
Deportivo Táchira (5) |
Deportivo Italchacao |
Estudiantes de Mérida |
Caracas , 24 goals)
|
81 |
2000–01 | Caracas (5) |
Trujillanos |
Deportivo Italchacao |
Estudiantes de Mérida , 12 goals)
|
82 |
2001–02 | Nacional Táchira | Estudiantes de Mérida |
Monagas |
Juan Enrique García (Nacional Táchira, 34 goals) |
83 |
2002–03 | Caracas (6) |
Unión Atlético Maracaibo | Deportivo Italchacao |
Mineros , 19 goals)
|
84 |
2003–04 | Caracas (7) |
Deportivo Táchira |
Mineros de Guayana |
Mineros , 18 goals)
|
85 |
2004–05 | Unión Atlético Maracaibo | Caracas |
Deportivo Táchira |
Carabobo , 19 goals)
|
86 |
2005–06 | Caracas (8) |
Unión Atlético Maracaibo | Deportivo Táchira |
Deportivo Táchira , 21 goals)
|
87 |
2006–07 | Caracas (9) |
Unión Atlético Maracaibo | Mineros de Guayana |
Trujillanos , 19 goals)
|
88 |
2007–08 | Deportivo Táchira (6) |
Caracas |
Deportivo Anzoátegui |
Deportivo Anzoátegui , 19 goals)
|
89 |
2008–09 | Caracas (10) |
Deportivo Italia |
Deportivo Táchira |
Aragua , 17 goals)
|
90 |
2009–10 | Caracas (11) |
Deportivo Táchira |
Deportivo Italia |
Atlético El Vigía , 20 goals)
|
91 |
2010–11 | Deportivo Táchira (7) |
Zamora |
Caracas |
Deportivo Anzoátegui , 20 goals)
|
92 |
2011–12 | Deportivo Lara | Caracas |
Deportivo Anzoátegui |
Rafael Castellín (Deportivo Lara, 21 goals) |
93 |
2012–13 | Zamora |
Deportivo Anzoátegui |
Caracas |
Zamora , 19 goals)
|
94 |
2013–14 | Zamora |
Mineros de Guayana |
Deportivo Táchira |
Zamora , 19 goals)
|
95 |
2014–15 | Deportivo Táchira (8) |
Trujillanos |
Caracas |
Deportivo Anzoategui , 23 goals)
|
96 |
2015 | Zamora |
Deportivo La Guaira |
Mineros de Guayana |
Zulia , 17 goals)
|
97 |
2016 | Zamora |
Zulia |
Carabobo |
Zamora , 22 goals)
|
98 |
2017 | Monagas |
Deportivo Lara | Carabobo |
Monagas , 24 goals)
|
99 |
2018 | Zamora |
Deportivo Lara | Caracas |
Zamora , 16 goals)
|
100 |
2019 | Caracas (12) | Estudiantes de Mérida | Deportivo Táchira | Edder Farías (Atlético Venezuela, 18 goals) |
101 |
2020 | Deportivo La Guaira | Deportivo Táchira | Deportivo Lara | , 8 goals) |
102 |
2021 | Deportivo Táchira (9) | Caracas | Monagas | Samson Akinyoola (Caracas, 18 goals) |
103 |
2022 | Metropolitanos (1) | Monagas | Carabobo | Kevin Viveros (Carabobo, 21 goals) |
104 |
2023 | Deportivo Táchira (10) | Caracas | Portuguesa | Luifer Hernández (Academia Puerto Cabello, 18 goals) |
105 |
2024 |
Titles by club
Clubs in bold compete in Primera División as of the current season. Clubs in italic no longer exist.
Rank | Club | Winners | Runners-Up | Winning years | Runners-Up years |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Caracas | 12 | 5 | 1991–92, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1996–97, 2000–01, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2019 | 2004–05, 2007–08, 2011–12, 2021, 2023 |
2 | Deportivo Táchira | 10 | 9 | 1982, 1985, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1989–90, 1998–99, 2003–04, 2009–10, 2020 | |
3 | Unión | 7 | 3 | 1932, 1934, 1935, 1939, 1940, 1947, 1950 | 1929, 1930, 1948 |
4 | Dos Caminos | 6 | 7 | 1936, 1937, 1938, 1942, 1945, 1949 | 1932, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1940, 1941, 1944 |
5 | Deportivo Petare |
5 | 7 | 1961, 1963, 1966, 1972, 1998–99 | 1999–00, 2008–09
|
Portuguesa | 5 | 3 | 1973, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978 | 1974, 1980, 1983 | |
7 | Centro Atlético | 4 | 7 | 1922, 1924, 1926, 1930 | 1921, 1923, 1927, 1928, 1931, 1936, 1946 |
Deportivo Galicia | 4 | 5 | 1964, 1969, 1970, 1974 | 1967, 1972, 1978, 1979 | |
Deportivo Portugués |
4 | 3 | 1958, 1960, 1962, 1967 | 1959, 1963, 1966 | |
Marítimo |
4 | 1 | 1986–87, 1987–88, 1989–90, 1992–93 | 1990–91 | |
Zamora | 4[note 1] | 1 | 2012–13, 2013–14, 2016, 2018 | 2010–11 | |
Deportivo Venezuela | 4 | — | 1928, 1929, 1931, 1933 | — | |
13 | Loyola |
3 | 5 | 1925, 1943, 1944 | 1942, 1945, 1951, 1952, 1954 |
Universidad Central | 3 | 3 | 1951, 1953, 1957 | 1947, 1949, 1962 | |
15 | Estudiantes de Mérida | 2 | 8 | 1980, 1985 | 1975, 1976, 1977, 1981, 1986, 1997–98, 2001–02, 2019 |
Deportivo Español |
2 | 3 | 1946, 1959 | 1955, 1958, 1960 | |
La Salle |
2 | 2 | 1952, 1955 | 1950, 1953 | |
América | 2 | 1 | 1921, 1923 | 1922 | |
Universidad de Los Andes |
2 | — | 1983, 1990–91 | — | |
20 | Litoral | 1 | 4 | 1941 | 1937, 1938, 1939, 1943 |
Unión Atlético Maracaibo | 1 | 3 | 2004–05 | 2002–03, 2005–06, 2006–07 | |
Minervén |
1 | 3 | 1995–96 | 1991–92, 1992–93, 1994–95 | |
Deportivo Lara | 1 | 2 | 2011–12 | 2017, 2018 | |
Mineros de Guayana | 1 | 2 | 1988–89 | 1995–96, 2013–14 | |
Carabobo | 1 | 2 | 1971 | 1969, 1973 | |
Venzóleo | 1 | 2 | 1927 | 1925, 1926 | |
Atlético Zulia | 1 | 1 | 1997–98 | 1996–97 | |
Monagas | 1 | 1 | 2017 | 2022 | |
Banco Obrero |
1 | — | 1956 | — | |
Deportivo La Guaira | 1 | — | 2020 | — | |
Deportivo Vasco |
1 | — | 1954 | — | |
Lara |
1 | — | 1965 | — | |
Metropolitanos | 1 | — | 2022 | — | |
Nacional Táchira | 1 | — | 2001–02 | — | |
San Cristóbal | 1 | — | 1982 | — | |
Unión Deportiva Canarias | 1 | — | 1968 | — |
- ^ Zamora won the Torneo de Adecuación in 2015, but this title is not counted as it was not a full season.
See also
References
External links
- Official website (in Spanish)
- News in Spanish about the First Division of the Venezuelan Football/Soccer
- News and pictures (in Spanish)
- League statistics at RSSSF
- FuriaVinotinto – Unofficial Forum Archived 2008-02-14 at the Wayback Machine (in Spanish)