Latvian Higher League

Latvian Higher League

Country	Latvia
Confederation	UEFA (Europe)
Founded	1927
Number of teams	8
Level on pyramid	1
Relegation to	Latvijas 1. līga
Domestic cup(s)	Latvian Cup Latvian Supercup
International cup(s)	Champions League Europa League
Current champions	FK Liepāja (2015)
Most championships	Skonto (15)
Website	www.futbolavirsliga.lv www.lff.lv
2016 Latvian Higher League

The SynotTip Latvian Higher League (Latvian: SynotTip Virslīga) is a semi-professional football league and the top tier of association football in Latvia and is organised by the Latvian Football Federation. The new season kicks off in mid-March of every year, and runs until early November. There are no games in winter because of the harsh climate. From 2005 until 2011, the league was sponsored by the telecommunications operator LMT, naming the league LMT Virslīga. In 2012 the league was reorganised in partnership with the NGO "Latvijas Futbola virslīga",^[1] adopting the NGO's name. Before the current season in March 2013, the league signed a sponsorship deal with the microfinancing company SMScredit.lv and acquired its current name SMScredit.lv Virslīga.^[2] In March 2016, it was announced that the Virslīga would be sponsored by SynotTip on a three year contract.^[3]

League format

From the first season back in 1991 to 2007, there were eight clubs in the Virslīga. During the course of the season each club played all the other clubs four times, twice at their home stadium and twice at that of their opponents, completing a total of 28 games.

After the 2007 season the league increased from eight to ten sides.^[4] In 2008 each side played the others four times.

At the end of the season, the lowest placed team are automatically relegated into Traffic 1. liga, and the winner of the Traffic 1. liga automatically takes their place. The second lowest placed team in Virslīga and the second team of 1. liga play two matches for a place in the Virslīga the following season. The winner of Virslīga, the champion of Latvia, plays in the UEFA Champions League qualifying round. The second and third placed clubs play in the UEFA Europa League qualifying games.^[5]

Clubs (2016)

Daugavpils

Jelgava

FK Liepāja

FS METTA
RFS
Riga FC

Spartaks

Ventspils

Locations of the 2016 Latvian Higher League teams

Source:^[6]

Club
BFC Daugavpils
Jelgava
Liepāja
Metta / LU
Riga
Rīgas FS
Spartaks Jūrmala
Ventspils

Titles by year

Riga Football League

1910 Union Riga 1911 Britannia FC Riga 1912 Union Riga

1913 SV Kaiserwald 1914 Britannia FC Riga 1915 Britannia FC Riga

1922–1940

1922 Kaiserwald Riga 1923 Kaiserwald Riga 1924 RFK Riga 1925 RFK Riga 1926 RFK Riga 1927 Olimpia Liepaja 1928 Olimpia Liepaja 1929 Olimpia Liepaja 1930 RFK Riga 1931 RFK Riga

1932 ASK Rīga 1933 Olimpia Liepaja 1934 RFK Riga 1935 RFK Riga 1936 Olimpia Liepaja 1937 Not Played 1937–38 Olimpia Liepaja 1938–39 Olimpia Liepaja 1939–40 RFK Riga

1941–1990

1940–41 Tournament Cancelled 1942 ASK Rīga 1943 ASK Rīga 1944 Tournament Interrupted 1945 FK Dinamo Rīga 1946 Daugava Liepāja 1947 Daugava Liepāja 1948 Žmiļova Komanda 1949 Sarkanais Metalurgs Liepāja 1950 AVN Rīga 1951 Sarkanais Metalurgs Liepāja 1952 AVN Rīga 1953 Sarkanais Metalurgs Liepāja 1954 Sarkanais Metalurgs Liepāja 1955 Darba Rezerves Rīga 1956 Sarkanais Metalurgs Liepāja 1957 Sarkanais Metalurgs Liepāja 1958 Sarkanais Metalurgs Liepāja 1959 RER Rīga 1960 ASK Rīga 1961 ASK Rīga 1962 ASK Rīga 1963 ASK Rīga 1964 ASK Rīga 1965 ASK Rīga

1966 ESR Rīga 1967 ESR Rīga 1968 Starts Brocēni 1969 FK Venta Ventspils 1970 VEF Rīga 1971 VEF Rīga 1972 FK Jūrnieks 1973 VEF Rīga 1974 VEF Rīga 1975 VEF Rīga 1976 Enerģija Rīga 1977 Enerģija Rīga 1978 Ķīmiķis Daugavpils 1979 Elektrons Rīga 1980 Ķīmiķis Daugavpils 1981 Elektrons Rīga 1982 Elektrons Rīga 1983 VEF Rīga 1984 Torpedo Rīga 1985 FK Alfa 1986 Torpedo Rīga 1987 Torpedo Rīga 1988 RAF Jelgava 1989 RAF Jelgava 1990 Gauja Valmiera 1991 Forums-Skonto

Since independence

Season	Winner	Wins	Remarks	Runner-up
1992	Skonto FC	1 (2)	Also Cup Winners	RAF Jelgava
1993	Skonto FC	2 (3)		Olimpija Rīga
1994	Skonto FC	3 (4)	Undefeated	RAF Jelgava
1995	Skonto FC	4 (5)	Undefeated & Cup Winners	Dinaburg FC
1996	Skonto FC	5 (6)		Daugava Rīga
1997	Skonto FC	6 (7)	Undefeated & Cup Winners	Daugava Rīga
1998	Skonto FC	7 (8)	Also Cup Winners	FHK Liepājas Metalurgs
1999	Skonto FC	8 (9)		FHK Liepājas Metalurgs
2000	Skonto FC	9 (10)	Also Cup Winners	FK Ventspils
2001	Skonto FC	10 (11)	Also Cup Winners	FK Ventspils
2002	Skonto FC	11 (12)	Also Cup Winners	FK Ventspils
2003	Skonto FC	12 (13)		FHK Liepājas Metalurgs
2004	Skonto FC	13 (14)		FHK Liepājas Metalurgs
2005	FHK Liepājas Metalurgs	1 (1)		Skonto FC
2006	FK Ventspils	1 (1)		FHK Liepājas Metalurgs
2007	FK Ventspils	2 (2)	Also Cup Winners	SK Liepājas Metalurgs
2008	FK Ventspils	3 (3)		SK Liepājas Metalurgs
2009	SK Liepājas Metalurgs	2 (2)		FK Ventspils
2010	Skonto FC	14 (15)		FK Ventspils
2011	FK Ventspils	4 (4)	Also Cup Winners	FK Liepājas Metalurgs
2012	FC Daugava	1 (1)		Skonto FC
2013	FK Ventspils	5 (5)	Also Cup Winners	Skonto FC
2014	FK Ventspils	6 (6)		Skonto FC
2015	FK Liepāja	1 (1)		Skonto FC
* Virslīga Championships (Total Latvian Football Championships) Up to 1927, the winners of the First Division of the Football League were the Latvian Football Champions. From 1945 till 1991, the winners of the First Division of the Football League were the Latvian SSR Football Champions. Tournament Cancelled due to Soviet Occupation. Tournament Interrupted due to Soviet Invasion.

Sources:^{[7] [8]}

Titles by club

Club	Winner	Runner-up	Year
Skonto Rīga	15	5	1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2010
ASK Rīga	11	5	1932, 1942, 1943, 1950, 1952, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965
Sarkanais Metalurgs Liepāja	9	4	1946, 1947, 1949, 1951, 1953, 1954, 1956, 1957, 1958
RFK Rīga	8	6	1924, 1925, 1926, 1930, 1931, 1934, 1935, 1940
Olimpija Liepāja	7	8	1927, 1928, 1929, 1933, 1936, 1938, 1939
VEF Rīga	6	7	1970, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1983
Ventspils	6	5	2006, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2013, 2014
Elektrons Rīga	4	4	1979, 1981, 1982, 1985
Torpedo Rīga	3	2	1984, 1986, 1987
Liepājas Metalurgs	2	8	2005, 2009
RAF Jelgava	2	4	1988, 1989
Enerģija Rīga	2	2	1976, 1977
Ķīmiķis Daugavpils	2	2	1978, 1980
Kaiserwald Rīga	2	–	1922, 1923
ESR Rīga	2	–	1966, 1967
Venta Ventspils	1	2	1969
Žmiļova Komanda	1	1	1948
Starts Brocēni	1	1	1968
Jūrnieks Rīga	1	1	1972
Dinamo Rīga	1	–	1945
Darba Rezerves Rīga	1	–	1955
RER Rīga	1	–	1959
Gauja Valmiera	1	–	1990
Daugava Daugavpils	1	–	2012
Liepāja	1	–	2015

• Bold Clubs playing in Virslīga.
• Italics Clubs no longer exist or joined to another club.

References

1. "About Virslīga". Biedrība Latvijas Futbola Virslīga. Futbolavirsliga.lv. Retrieved 16 June 2013. (Latvian)
2. "SMScredit.lv – Latvian football Higher league general sponsor!". Biedrība Latvijas Futbola Virslīga. Futbolavirsliga.lv. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
3. "Virslīga ar "SynotTip" noslēdz vērienīgāko līgumu līgas vēsturē" (in Latvian). Sportacentrs.com. 10 March 2016. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
4. Mike Dryomin (14 March 2008). "Latvia 2007". RSSSF. Retrieved 23 July 2012.
5. Hartmanis, Martins (2007-12-01). "LMT Virslīga new season calendar published". Latvian Football Federation. Retrieved 2008-02-20.
6. "Virsliga". Soccerway. Perform. Retrieved 7 May 2016.
7. "Latvia - List of Champions". RSSSF.
8. Jared Grellet (10 November 2011). "Ventspils and Flora claim respective titles". The Baltic Times. Retrieved 1 March 2012.

External links

• One Nil Up – Digital Magazine focusing on football in the Baltic States
• Association Virsliga at futbolavirsliga.tv (Latvian)
• Current Virsliga table at eurorivals
• Virsliga fixtures, including kick off times, at worldfootball.net
• Latvia – List of Champions, RSSSF.com