Venezuelan Primera División
Country | Venezuela |
---|---|
Confederation | CONMEBOL |
Founded | 1957 |
Number of teams | 20 |
Level on pyramid | 1 |
Relegation to | Segunda División |
Domestic cup(s) | Copa Venezuela |
International cup(s) |
Copa Libertadores Copa Sudamericana |
Current champions |
Zamora (2015) |
Most championships | Caracas FC (11 titles) |
Website | FVF's website |
2016 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's organized by the Federación Venezolana de Fútbol and from the season 2007-08 the league will consist of 18 clubs.
Format
The 20 teams play two single-round tournaments each year: the Apertura (February to June), and the Clausura (August to December). The league table is kept like a normal European league table, one point for ties, three points for wins.
The absolute champion is decided between the Apertura and Clausura champions. If the same team is the champions of both tournaments that team is the absolute champion.
International qualification
- The winner of the Apertura and Clausura tournaments qualify to the group phase of the Copa Libertadores, (The absolute champion qualifies as Venezuela 1 and the runner up as Venezuela 2).
- The team with the most points in the entire season (Apertura + Clausura) 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 de 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 (Apertura + Clausura) are automatically relegated to the Segunda División
2015-16 teams
List of Champions
The Primer División turned professional on 21 February 1957.[1]
Titles by club
See also
References
- ↑ "Se cumplen 54 años del primer partido de fútbol profesional en Venezuela" (in Spanish). avn.info.ve. 21 February 2011. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
External links
- Venezuelan Football Federation (Spanish)
- News in spanish about the First Division of the Venezuelan Football/Soccer
- News and pictures in spanish
- RSSSF
- FuriaVinotinto - Unnofficial Forum (Spanish)