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's 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.
Liga FUTVE
Founded1921 (1921)
CountryVenezuela
ConfederationCONMEBOL
Number of teams20
Level on pyramid1
Relegation toSegunda División
Domestic cup(s)Copa Venezuela
International cup(s)Copa Libertadores
Copa Sudamericana
Current championsCaracas (12th title)
(2019)
Most championshipsCaracas (12 titles)
WebsiteFVF's website
2020 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.

2020 teams
Locations of the 2020 Primera División teams
Team City Stadium Capacity
Academia Puerto CabelloPuerto CabelloLa Bombonerita7,500
AraguaMaracayOlímpico Hermanos Ghersi Páez14,000
Atlético VenezuelaCaracasBrígido Iriarte10,000
CaraboboValenciaMisael Delgado10,400
CaracasCaracasOlímpico de la UCV23,940
Deportivo La GuairaCaracasOlímpico de la UCV23,940
Deportivo LaraCabudareMetropolitano de Cabudare47,913
Deportivo TáchiraSan CristóbalPolideportivo de Pueblo Nuevo38,755
Estudiantes de MéridaMéridaMetropolitano de Mérida42,200
GV MaracayMaracayGiuseppe Antonelli7,500
LALACiudad GuayanaPolideportivo Cachamay41,600
MetropolitanosCaracasOlímpico de la UCV23,940
MinerosCiudad GuayanaPolideportivo Cachamay41,600
MonagasMaturínMonumental de Maturín51,796
PortuguesaAcariguaGeneral José Antonio Páez18,000
TrujillanosValeraJosé Alberto Pérez25,000
YaracuyanosSan FelipeFlorentino Oropeza10,000
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.[1]

Season Champion Runner-up Third Place Topscorer(s)
1920–21AméricaCentro Atlético
1922Centro AtléticoAmérica
1923AméricaCentro Atlético
1924Centro AtléticoVargas
1925LoyolaVenzóleo
1926Centro AtléticoVenzóleo
1927VenzóleoCentro AtléticoNueva Esparta
1928Deportivo VenezuelaCentro Atlético
1929Deportivo VenezuelaUnión
1930Centro AtléticoUnión
1931Deportivo VenezuelaCentro Atlético
1932UniónDos CaminosDeportivo Venezuela
1933Deportivo VenezuelaDos Caminos
1934UniónDos Caminos
1935UniónDos Caminos
1936Dos CaminosCentro AtléticoDeportivo Venezuela
1937Dos CaminosLitoralCentro Atlético
1938Dos CaminosLitoral
1939UniónLitoral
1940UniónDos CaminosLitoral
1941LitoralDos CaminosUnión
1942Dos CaminosLoyola
1943LoyolaLitoral
1944LoyolaDos Caminos
1945Dos CaminosLoyola
1946Deportivo EspañolCentro Atlético
1947UniónUniversidad Central
1948LoyolaUnión
1949Dos CaminosUniversidad Central
1950UniónLa Salle
1951Universidad CentralLoyolaLa Salle
1952La SalleLoyolaUniversidad Central
1953Universidad CentralLa SalleVasco
1954VascoLoyolaLa Salle
1955La SalleDeportivo EspañolDos Caminos
1956Banco ObreroLa SalleVasco
1957Universidad CentralLa SalleBanco Obrero Tonho (Universidad Central, 12 goals)
1958Deportivo PortuguésDeportivo EspañolEstudiantes 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–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 FloresUnión Deportiva 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)
1968Unión Deportiva 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 TáchiraDeportivo GaliciaUniversidad de Los Andes Omar Ferrari (Deportivo Táchira, 15 goals)
1980Estudiantes de MéridaPortuguesaValencia Wilfrido Campos (Portuguesa, 12 goals)
1981Deportivo TáchiraEstudiantes 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 TáchiraDeportivo ItaliaZamora Sergio Meckler (Zamora, 15 goals)
1985Estudiantes de MéridaDeportivo TáchiraNacional Carabobo Sergio Meckler (Deportivo Táchira, 17 goals)
1986Deportivo TáchiraEstudiantes 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)
1988–89MinerosPepeganga MargaritaMarítimo Johnny Castellanos (Mineros, 24 goals)
1989–90MarítimoUnión Atlético TáchiraMinervén Herbert Márquez (Marítimo, 19 goals)
1990–91Universidad de Los AndesMarítimoZamora Alexander Bottini (Monagas, 15 goals)
1991–92CaracasMinervénMarítimo Andreas Vogler (Caracas, 25 goals)
1992–93MarítimoMinervénCaracas Herbert Márquez (Marítimo, 21 goals)
1993–94CaracasTrujillanosMinervén Rodrigo Soto (Trujillanos, 20 goals)
1994–95CaracasMinervénTrujillanos Rogeiro da Silva (Mineros, 30 goals)
1995–96MinervénMinerosCaracas Jose Luis Dolgetta (Caracas, 24 goals)
1996–97CaracasAtlético 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 TáchiraDeportivo ItalchacaoEstudiantes de Mérida Juan Enrique García (Caracas, 24 goals)
2000–01CaracasTrujillanosDeportivo Italchacao Martín Brignani (Estudiantes de Mérida, 12 goals)
2001–02Nacional TáchiraEstudiantes de MéridaMonagas Juan Enrique García (Nacional Táchira, 34 goals)
2002–03CaracasMaracaiboDeportivo Italchacao Juan Enrique García (Monagas/Mineros, 19 goals)
2003–04CaracasDeportivo TáchiraMineros Juan Enrique García (Mineros, 18 goals)
2004–05MaracaiboCaracasDeportivo Táchira Daniel Delfino (Carabobo, 19 goals)
2005–06CaracasMaracaiboDeportivo Táchira Juan Enrique García (Deportivo Táchira, 21 goals)
2006–07CaracasMaracaiboMineros Robinson Rentería (Trujillanos, 19 goals)
2007–08Deportivo TáchiraCaracasDeportivo Anzoátegui Alexander Rondon (Deportivo Anzoátegui, 19 goals)
2008–09CaracasDeportivo ItaliaDeportivo Táchira Daniel Arismendi (Maracaibo/Deportivo Táchira, 17 goals)
Heatklif Castillo (Aragua, 17 goals)
2009–10CaracasDeportivo TáchiraDeportivo Italia Norman Cabrera (Atlético El Vigía, 20 goals)
2010–11Deportivo TáchiraZamoraCaracas Daniel Arismendi (Deportivo Anzoátegui, 20 goals)
2011–12Deportivo LaraCaracasDeportivo Anzoátegui Rafael Castellín (Deportivo Lara, 21 goals)
2012–13ZamoraDeportivo AnzoáteguiCaracas Gabriel Torres (Zamora, 19 goals)
2013–14ZamoraMinerosDeportivo Táchira Juan Falcón (Zamora, 19 goals)
2014–15Deportivo TáchiraTrujillanosCaracas Edwin Aguilar (Deportivo Anzoategui, 23 goals)
2015ZamoraDeportivo La GuairaMineros 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)
2019CaracasEstudiantes de MéridaDeportivo Táchira Edder Farías (Atlético Venezuela, 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
Caracas1231991–92, 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
Deportivo Táchira881979, 1981, 1984, 1986, 1999–00, 2007–08, 2010–11, 2014–151982, 1985, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1989–90, 1998–99, 2003–04, 2009–10
Unión731932, 1934, 1935, 1939, 1940, 1947, 19501929, 1930, 1948
Dos Caminos671936, 1937, 1938, 1942, 1945, 19491932, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1940, 1941, 1944
Deportivo Italia571961, 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 Venezuela401928, 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 Andes201983, 1990–91—
Litoral1419411937, 1938, 1939, 1943
Maracaibo132004–052002–03, 2005–06, 2006–07
Minervén131995–961991–92, 1992–93, 1994–95
Deportivo Lara122011–122017, 2018
Mineros121988–891995–96, 2013–14
Valencia1219711969, 1973
Venzóleo1219271925, 1926
Atlético Zulia111997–981996–97
Banco Obrero101956—
Lara101965—
Monagas102017—
Nacional Táchira102001–02—
San Cristóbal101982—
Unión Deportiva Canarias101968—
Vasco101954—
  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
  1. "Se cumplen 54 años del primer partido de fútbol profesional en Venezuela" (in Spanish). avn.info.ve. 21 February 2011. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
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