Venezuelan Primera División

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.

"Venezuelan League" redirects here. For the baseball league, see Venezuelan Professional Baseball League. For the basketball league, see Liga Profesional de Baloncesto.
For other leagues called Primera División, see Primera división (disambiguation).
Liga FUTVE
Founded1921 (1921)
CountryVenezuela
ConfederationCONMEBOL
Number of teams16
Level on pyramid1
Relegation toSegunda División
Domestic cup(s)Copa Venezuela
International cup(s)Copa Libertadores
Copa Sudamericana
Current championsDeportivo Táchira (9th title)
(2021 season)
Most championshipsCaracas (12 titles)
TV partnersTVes, GolTV
Websiteligafutve.org
Current: 2022 season

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.

2022 teams
Locations of the 2022 Primera División teams
Team City Stadium Capacity
Academia Puerto CabelloPuerto CabelloLa Bombonerita7,500
AraguaMaracayOlímpico Hermanos Ghersi Páez14,000
CaraboboValenciaMisael Delgado10,400
CaracasCaracasOlímpico de la UCV23,940
Deportivo La GuairaCaracasOlímpico de la UCV23,940
Deportivo LaraBarquisimetoFarid Richa12,480
Deportivo TáchiraSan CristóbalPolideportivo de Pueblo Nuevo38,755
Estudiantes de MéridaMéridaMetropolitano de Mérida42,200
Hermanos ColmenarezBarinasAgustín Tovar29,800
MetropolitanosCaracasOlímpico de la UCV23,940
MinerosCiudad GuayanaPolideportivo Cachamay41,600
MonagasMaturínMonumental de Maturín51,796
PortuguesaAcariguaGeneral José Antonio Páez18,000
Universidad CentralCaracasOlímpico de la UCV23,940
ZamoraBarinasAgustín Tovar29,800
ZuliaMaracaiboJosé "Pachencho" Romero40,800

List of Champions

List of champions since the first championship held in 1920. The Primera División turned professional on 21 February 1957.

  • 1921–1956: Amateur era
  • 1957–present: Professional championship
Season Champion Runner-up Third place Topscorer
1921AméricaCentro Atlético
n/a
n/a
1922Centro Atlético (1)América
n/a
n/a
1923AméricaCentro Atlético
n/a
n/a
1924Centro Atlético (2)Vargas
n/a
n/a
1925LoyolaVenzóleo
n/a
n/a
1926Centro Atlético (3)Venzóleo
n/a
n/a
1927VenzóleoCentro Atlético
n/a
n/a
1928Deportivo VenezuelaCentro Atlético
n/a
n/a
1929Deportivo VenezuelaUnión
n/a
n/a
1930Centro Atlético (4)Unión
n/a
n/a
1931Deportivo VenezuelaCentro Atlético
n/a
n/a
1932Unión (1)Dos Caminos
n/a
n/a
1933Deportivo VenezuelaDos Caminos
n/a
n/a
1934Unión (2)Dos Caminos
n/a
n/a
1935Unión (3)Dos Caminos
n/a
n/a
1936Dos CaminosCentro Atlético
n/a
n/a
1937Dos CaminosLitoral
n/a
n/a
1938Dos CaminosLitoral
n/a
n/a
1939Unión (4)Litoral
n/a
n/a
1940Unión (5)Dos Caminos
n/a
n/a
1941LitoralDos Caminos
n/a
n/a
1942Dos CaminosLoyola
n/a
n/a
1943LoyolaLitoral
n/a
n/a
1944LoyolaDos Caminos
n/a
n/a
1945Dos CaminosLoyola
n/a
n/a
1946Deportivo EspañolCentro Atlético
n/a
n/a
1947Unión (6)Universidad Central
n/a
n/a
1948LoyolaUnión
n/a
n/a
1949Dos CaminosUniversidad Central
n/a
n/a
1950Unión (7)La Salle
n/a
n/a
1951Universidad CentralLoyola
n/a
n/a
1952La SalleLoyola
n/a
n/a
1953Universidad CentralLa Salle
n/a
n/a
1954Deportivo VascoLoyola
n/a
n/a
1955La SalleDeportivo Español
n/a
n/a
1956Banco ObreroLa Salle
n/a
n/a
1957Universidad CentralLa SalleBanco Obrero Tonho (Universidad Central, 12 goals)
1958Deportivo PortuguésDeportivo EspañolLoyola René Irazque (Portugués, 6 goals)
1959Deportivo EspañolDeportivo PortuguésDanubio Abel Benítez (Deportivo Español, 15 goals)
1960Deportivo PortuguésDeportivo EspañolDeportivo Italia José Luis Iglesias (Deportivo Portugués, 9 goals)
1961Deportivo ItaliaBanco Agrícola y PecuarioBanco Francés e Italiano Antonio Ravelo (Banco Agrícola y Pecuario, 11 goals)
1962Deportivo PortuguésUniversidad CentralDos Caminos Jaime da Silva (Universidad Central, 16)
1963Deportivo ItaliaDeportivo PortuguésTiquire Flores Nino (Deportivo Portugués, 15 goals)
1964Deportivo GaliciaTiquire FloresUD Canarias Helio Rodrigues (Tiquire Flores, 12 goals)
1965LaraDeportivo ItaliaTiquire Flores Mario Mateo (Lara, 16 goals)
1966Deportivo ItaliaDeportivo PortuguésDeportivo Galicia Ratto (Deportivo Portugués, 20 goals)
1967Deportivo PortuguésDeportivo GaliciaLara Joao Ramos (Deportivo Portugués, 28 goals)
1968UD CanariasDeportivo ItaliaDeportivo Portugués Raimundinho (Deportivo Portugués, 21 goals)
1969Deportivo GaliciaValenciaDeportivo Italia Eustaquio Batista (Deportivo Italia, 19 goals)
Lelo (Valencia, 19 goals)
1970Deportivo GaliciaDeportivo ItaliaValencia Roland Langon (Deportivo Galicia, 13 goals)
1971ValenciaDeportivo ItaliaTiquire Aragua Agostinho Sabara (Tiquire Aragua, 20 goals)
1972Deportivo ItaliaDeportivo GaliciaAnzoátegui Francisco Rodriguez (Anzoátegui, 18 goals)
1973PortuguesaValenciaEstudiantes de Mérida Jose Chiazzaro (Estudiantes de Mérida, 14 goals)
1974Deportivo GaliciaPortuguesaEstudiantes de Mérida Jose Chiazzaro (Estudiantes de Mérida, 15 goals)
Sergio Hugo Castillo (Anzoátegui Fútbol Club, 15 goals)
1975PortuguesaEstudiantes de MéridaDeportivo Galicia Pedro Pascual Peralta (Portuguesa, 20 goals)
1976PortuguesaEstudiantes de MéridaDeportivo Portugués Pedro Pascual Peralta (Portuguesa, 25 goals)
1977PortuguesaEstudiantes de MéridaValencia Jairzinho (Portuguesa, 20 goals)
Juan Cesar Silva (Portuguesa, 20 goals)
1978PortuguesaDeportivo GaliciaEstudiantes de Mérida Andrade (ULA Mérida, 23 goals)
1979Deportivo Táchira (1)Deportivo GaliciaUniversidad de Los Andes Omar Ferrari (Deportivo Táchira, 15 goals)
1980Estudiantes de MéridaPortuguesaValencia Wilfrido Campos (Portuguesa, 12 goals)
1981Deportivo Táchira (2)Estudiantes de MéridaValencia Rafael Angulo (Deportivo Táchira, 14 goals)
1982San CristóbalDeportivo TáchiraUniversidad de Los Andes German Montero (Estudiantes, 21 goals)
1983Universidad de Los AndesPortuguesaDeportivo Italia Johnny Castellanos (Atlético Zamora, 13 goals)
1984Deportivo Táchira (3)Deportivo ItaliaAtlético Zamora Sergio Meckler (Zamora, 15 goals)
1985Estudiantes de MéridaDeportivo TáchiraNacional Carabobo Sergio Meckler (Deportivo Táchira, 17 goals)
1986Unión Atlético Táchira (4)Estudiantes de MéridaMarítimo Wilton Arreaza (Caracas, 8 goals)
1986–87MarítimoUnión Atlético TáchiraEstudiantes de Mérida Johnny Castellanos (Portuguesa, 16 goals)
1987–88MarítimoUnión Atlético TáchiraCaracas Miguel González (Unión Atlético Táchira, 22 goals)
1988–89Mineros de GuayanaPepeganga MargaritaMarítimo Johnny Castellanos (Mineros, 24 goals)
1989–90MarítimoUnión Atlético TáchiraMinervén Herbert Márquez (Marítimo, 19 goals)
1990–91Universidad de Los AndesMarítimoAtlético Zamora Alexander Bottini (Monagas, 15 goals)
1991–92Caracas (1)MinervénMarítimo Andreas Vogler (Caracas, 25 goals)
1992–93MarítimoMinervénCaracas Herbert Márquez (Marítimo, 21 goals)
1993–94Caracas (2)TrujillanosMinervén Rodrigo Soto (Trujillanos, 20 goals)
1994–95Caracas (3)MinervénTrujillanos Rogeiro da Silva (Mineros, 30 goals)
1995–96MinervénMineros de GuayanaCaracas Jose Luis Dolgetta (Caracas, 24 goals)
1996–97Caracas (4)Atlético ZuliaUnión Atlético Táchira Rafael Castellín (Caracas, 19 goals)
1997–98Atlético ZuliaEstudiantes de MéridaDeportivo Chacao Jose Luis Dolgetta (Estudiantes de Mérida/Carabobo, 22 goals)
1998–99Deportivo ItalchacaoUnión Atlético TáchiraEstudiantes de Mérida Gustavo Fonseca (Internacional Lara, 24 goals)
1999–00Deportivo Táchira (5)Deportivo ItalchacaoEstudiantes de Mérida Juan Enrique García (Caracas, 24 goals)
2000–01Caracas (5)TrujillanosDeportivo Italchacao Martín Brignani (Estudiantes de Mérida, 12 goals)
2001–02Nacional TáchiraEstudiantes de MéridaMonagas Juan Enrique García (Nacional Táchira, 34 goals)
2002–03Caracas (6)MaracaiboDeportivo Italchacao Juan Enrique García (Monagas/Mineros, 19 goals)
2003–04Caracas (7)Deportivo TáchiraMineros de Guayana Juan Enrique García (Mineros, 18 goals)
2004–05MaracaiboCaracasDeportivo Táchira Daniel Delfino (Carabobo, 19 goals)
2005–06Caracas (8)MaracaiboDeportivo Táchira Juan Enrique García (Deportivo Táchira, 21 goals)
2006–07Caracas (9)MaracaiboMineros de Guayana Robinson Rentería (Trujillanos, 19 goals)
2007–08Deportivo Táchira (6)CaracasDeportivo Anzoátegui Alexander Rondon (Deportivo Anzoátegui, 19 goals)
2008–09Caracas (10)Deportivo ItaliaDeportivo Táchira Daniel Arismendi (Maracaibo/Deportivo Táchira, 17 goals)
Heatklif Castillo (Aragua, 17 goals)
2009–10Caracas (11)Deportivo TáchiraDeportivo Italia Norman Cabrera (Atlético El Vigía, 20 goals)
2010–11Deportivo Táchira (7)ZamoraCaracas Daniel Arismendi (Deportivo Anzoátegui, 20 goals)
2011–12Deportivo LaraCaracasDeportivo Anzoátegui Rafael Castellín (Deportivo Lara, 21 goals)
2012–13ZamoraDeportivo AnzoáteguiCaracas Gabriel Torres (Zamora, 19 goals)
2013–14ZamoraMineros de GuayanaDeportivo Táchira Juan Falcón (Zamora, 19 goals)
2014–15Deportivo Táchira (8)TrujillanosCaracas Edwin Aguilar (Deportivo Anzoategui, 23 goals)
2015ZamoraDeportivo La GuairaMineros de Guayana Manuel Arteaga (Zulia, 17 goals)
2016ZamoraZuliaCarabobo Gabriel Torres (Zamora, 22 goals)
2017MonagasDeportivo LaraCarabobo Anthony Blondell (Monagas, 24 goals)
2018ZamoraDeportivo LaraCaracas Anthony Uribe (Zamora, 16 goals)
2019Caracas (12)Estudiantes de MéridaDeportivo Táchira Edder Farías (Atlético Venezuela, 18 goals)
2020Deportivo La GuairaDeportivo TáchiraDeportivo Lara Richard Blanco (Mineros, 8 goals)
Edder Farías (Atlético Venezuela, 8 goals)
2021Deportivo Táchira (9)CaracasMonagas Samson Akinyoola (Caracas, 18 goals)

Titles by club

Clubs in bold compete in Primera División as of the current season. Clubs in italic no longer exist.

Club Winners Runners-Up Winning years Runners-Up years
Caracas1241991–92, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1996–97, 2000–01, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2008–09, 2009–10, 20192004–05, 2007–08, 2011–12, 2021
Deportivo Táchira991979, 1981, 1984, 1986, 1999–00, 2007–08, 2010–11, 2014–15, 20211982, 1985, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1989–90, 1998–99, 2003–04, 2009–10, 2020
Unión731932, 1934, 1935, 1939, 1940, 1947, 19501929, 1930, 1948
Dos Caminos671936, 1937, 1938, 1942, 1945, 19491932, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1940, 1941, 1944
Deportivo Petare571961, 1963, 1966, 1972, 1998–991965, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1984, 1999–00, 2008–09
Portuguesa531973, 1975, 1976, 1977, 19781974, 1980, 1983
Centro Atlético471922, 1924, 1926, 19301921, 1923, 1927, 1928, 1931, 1936, 1946
Deportivo Galicia451964, 1969, 1970, 19741967, 1972, 1978, 1979
Deportivo Portugués431958, 1960, 1962, 19671959, 1963, 1966
Marítimo411986–87, 1987–88, 1989–90, 1992–931990–91
Zamora4[note 1]12012–13, 2013–14, 2016, 20182010–11
Deportivo Venezuela4—1928, 1929, 1931, 1933—
Loyola351925, 1943, 19441942, 1945, 1951, 1952, 1954
Universidad Central331951, 1953, 19571947, 1949, 1962
Estudiantes de Mérida281980, 19851975, 1976, 1977, 1981, 1986, 1997–98, 2001–02, 2019
Deportivo Español231946, 19591955, 1958, 1960
La Salle221952, 19551950, 1953
América211921, 19231922
Universidad de Los Andes2—1983, 1990–91—
Litoral1419411937, 1938, 1939, 1943
Maracaibo132004–052002–03, 2005–06, 2006–07
Minervén131995–961991–92, 1992–93, 1994–95
Deportivo Lara122011–122017, 2018
Mineros de Guayana121988–891995–96, 2013–14
Carabobo1219711969, 1973
Venzóleo1219271925, 1926
Atlético Zulia111997–981996–97
Banco Obrero1—1956—
Deportivo La Guaira1—2020—
Deportivo Vasco1—1954—
Lara1—1965—
Monagas1—2017—
Nacional Táchira1—2001–02—
San Cristóbal1—1982—
UD Canarias1—1968—
  1. Zamora won the Torneo de Adecuación in 2015, but this title is not counted as it was not a full season.

See also

References
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