Football in Lithuania

Football in Lithuania
Country Lithuania
Governing body Lithuanian Football Federation
National team(s) men's national team
First played 1892
Registered players 280,000
Clubs 15,378
Club competitions
International competitions

Football is the second sport in Lithuania where basketball is the most popular sport. The former Soviet republic made their entrance as an independent football nation in 1992.[1][2] In the qualification for the Euro 2004, Lithuania held Germany to a 1-1 draw in Germany and won against Scotland. In the qualification for the Euro 2008 they played away to the 2006 World Cup winners Italy and drew 1-1 as well as beating Romania 3-0 in Lithuania in another shock performance.[3]

History

In 1922 in Lithuania, like in Poland, soccer championships began. Then, in the metropolitan suburban area of Piromontas, at the site of the future stadium Žalgiris Stadium there was a playground and benches for spectators. In approximately 1933-1935. townspeople made embankments, and on the eastern platform benches were put. The central tribune looked just like the modern one.

On July 23, 1953, the first competitions were held at the constructed stadium Žalgiris (the so-called "Youth Stadium", in Vilnius near the future building Seimas). Played Vilnius "Spartacus" and "Dzerzhinets" Chelyabinsk, Vilnius won a historic victory 10: 2.

Around 1955, football societies began to appear in Vilnius. The stadium gave "Spartacus". But the societies were rather weak, so in 1962 it was decided to unite "Spartacus" and "Žalgiris", so appeared the modern team Žalgiris.[4]

Domestic football

The highest men's football league - A League, founded in 1991, since 2004, is called the NFKA A League. Weaker clubs play in the LFF I league, which played 12 teams in the 2007 season. Below is the LFF II League consisting of two zones - South and West (Southern, Western and Northern zones in 2006, Southern and Northern zones in 2007). The II league competition is organized by Kaunas (South Zone) and Klaipėda (Western Zone). LFF III League matches are organized by 10 county football federations. The LFF IV (SFL) League is organized by the SFL Board.

At the end of the season, the A League winners will be awarded the LFF Championship Cup and the transitional LFF Champions Cup, which will acquire the right to represent Lithuania in the UEFA Champions League competition and the Commonwealth tournament. The last place in the A league wins the team in the I league. 2008 The first two places in the First League Championship win the title in 2009. play at league championship A Until 2007 In the second and last place in league A and second place in the 1st league, the teams played two interconnected matches for which the 1st league team won the right to play in the A league, but in 2008, reducing the number of participants to 8 clubs, no transitional competition is foreseen.

The last two places at the end of the 2nd league at the end of the season fall into the lower league, they are replaced by the winners of the II league. The teams in the last two places of the II league in both zones fall into the III league and the winners of the III league championships play in two selection stages for the right to play in the II league.

League system

Men

2017

Level

League(s)/Division(s)

1

A Lyga
8 clubs

↓↑ 1-2 clubs

2

I Lyga
11 clubs + 4 Reserve teams

↓ 3 clubs ↑ 4 clubs

3

II Lyga
15 clubs + 4 Reserve teams divided in 2 series, one of 7 clubs + 3 Reserve teams and one of 8 clubs + 1 Reserve team

2018

Level

League(s)/Division(s)

1

A Lyga
8 clubs

↓↑ 1-2 clubs

2

I Lyga
TBD

↓↑ 4 clubs

3

II Lyga
TBD

Women

Level League
1A Lyga
2LMFA I lyga

References

  1. ↑ "Football developing in Latvia, Lithuania". YouTube. 2013-08-11. Retrieved 2013-11-15.
  2. ↑ "Boost for Lithuanian football development". FIFA.com. 2007-07-20. Retrieved 2013-11-15.
  3. ↑ Wilson, Jonathan (2008-09-09). "Football: Jonathan Wilson - Lithuania drubbing exposes Romanian discord | Sport". theguardian.com. Retrieved 2013-11-15.
  4. ↑ Каралюнайте, Угне. "Открыли ворота стадиона "Жальгирис" - трава, мох и деревья". Retrieved 13 September 2018.
  • League321.com - Lithuanian football league tables, records & statistics database.


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