Primeira Liga


The Primeira Liga, also known as Liga NOS for sponsorship reasons, is the top professional association football division of the Portuguese football league system. It is organised and supervised by the Liga Portuguesa de Futebol Profissional, also known as Liga Portugal. As of the 2014–15 season, the Primeira Liga is contested by 18 teams, with the two lowest placed teams relegated to the LigaPro and replaced by the top-two non-reserve teams from this division.
Founded in 1934 as an experimental league called Campeonato da Liga da Primeira Divisão, it became an official competition in 1938 and named Campeonato Nacional da Primeira Divisão until 1999, when it was changed to its current naming. Over 70 teams have competed in the Primeira Liga, but only five have been crowned champions. Among them, the "Big Three" teams – Benfica, Porto and Sporting CP – have won all but two Primeira Liga titles; the other winners are Belenenses and Boavista.
The Primeira Liga has increased its reputation in recent years, occupying as of 2020 the 6th place of UEFA's national league ranking. It broke into the top five for the first time in the 2011–12 season, passing the French Ligue 1, one of the historical "big five" European leagues, for the first time since 1990. The Primeira Liga also reached a world ranking of 4th according to IFFHS's 2011 ranking.

History

Before the Portuguese football reform of 1938, an experimental competition on a round-basis was already being held – the Primeira Liga and the winners of that competition were named "League champions". Despite that, a in a knock-out cup format was the most popular and defined the Portuguese champion, although the winners of this competition no longer count as Portuguese football champions.
Then, with the reform, a round-robin basis competition was implemented as the most important of the calendar and began defining the Portuguese champion. From 1938 to 1999, the name Campeonato Nacional da Primeira Divisão or just Primeira Divisão, was used.
Porto won the inaugural edition of the new league championship and successfully defended the title in the next season. In 1939–40 the tournament was expanded from eight to ten clubs, due to an administrative battle between Porto and Académico do Porto, regarding a Regional Championship game that ended with only 43 minutes after the start, and later repeated according to Porto FA decision. FPF came out with a decision to satisfy both clubs, expanding the championship to 10 teams and annulling the result from the repetition match. With this decision, FC Porto lost the Regional title and finished in 3rd, Leixões SC became the new regional champion, while Académico was 2nd place. All 3 teams qualified for 1939–40 Primeira Divisão.
In the 1941–42 season, it was decided to expand the championship from eight to ten teams to admit Braga FA and Algarve FA champions. Porto finished the regional championship in third place again, which did not grant entry into the Primeira Liga. However, a second expand in the same season was decided, which allowed the club to participate.
After the 1945–46 season, the qualifying system based on regional championships was abandoned and adopted a pyramid system, with relegations and promotions between the 3 tiers. The clubs in Primeira Divisão, Segunda Divisão and Terceira Divisão no longer had to play their district championships on the same season as they had been doing since the first seasons of the Liga.
When the Portuguese League for Professional Football took control of the two nationwide leagues in 1999, it was renamed "Primeira Liga".
SeasonBenficaPortoSporting CP
2010–11213
2011–12214
2012–13217
2013–14132
2014–15123
2015–16132
2016–17123
2017–18213
2018–19123
2019–20214

Big Three

"The Big Three" is a nickname for the three most powerful sports clubs in Portugal. With the exception of Belenenses in 1945–46 and Boavista in 2000–01, only three clubs have won the Primeira Liga title – Benfica, Porto and Sporting CP. These three clubs generally end up sharing the top three positions, appearing more frequently in UEFA competitions and are the only three clubs in Portugal to have never been relegated.
These clubs dominate Portuguese football, and it has become typical for fans to support any of these teams as a "first club", with a local team probably coming afterwards, if at all. The "Big Three" have the highest average attendance ratings every season in Portugal, while the other teams, lacking support from the locals, have suffered from poor attendance. The lack of support for local teams is considered to be one of the main reasons why Portuguese Football registers one of the worst attendance ratings in European Football's best championships, alongside the broadcast of almost all the games on television. In other sports, the rivalry between the big clubs is also considerable and it usually leads to arguments between the fans and players.
Benfica is the club with most league, cup and league cup titles, as well as the most domestic titles and overall titles won, including back-to-back European Cup trophies. Porto is the club with most Portuguese Super Cups and international titles won.
Sporting CP holds the third place when it comes to the most league and cup titles. Benfica is the only Portuguese club to have won two consecutive European Cup/UEFA Champions League titles, reaching ten European finals: seven European Cups and three UEFA Cup/Europa League, and was runner-up in two Intercontinental Cups. Porto is the only Portuguese club since 1987 to have won any international competition, gathering a total of two European Cup/UEFA Champions Leagues, two UEFA Cup/Europa Leagues, one European Super Cup and two Intercontinental Cups and finished runner-up in one European Cup Winner's Cup and three UEFA Super Cup. Sporting CP won one European Cup Winner's Cup and was runner-up in one UEFA Cup. Apart from the big three, Braga won the last UEFA Intertoto Cup and was runner-up in one UEFA Europa League.

Sponsored names

acquired the naming rights to the league in 2002, titling the division SuperLiga GalpEnergia. A four-year deal with the Austrian sports betting bwin was announced on 18 August 2005 amid questioning by the other gambling authorities in Portugal, who claimed to hold the exclusive rights to legal gambling games in Portuguese national territory. After holding the name Liga betandwin.com for the 2005–06 season, the name was changed to BWINLIGA in July 2006.
From the 2008–09 season to the 2009–10 season the league was named Liga Sagres due to sponsorship from Sagres beer. In 2010, they renewed the sponsorship from Sagres, but also got the sponsorship from ZON Multimédia. The league was named Liga ZON Sagres until 2013–14 after the sponsorship agreement between Sagres, ZON and the league ended. Since 2015, it is known as "Liga NOS".
;Sponsorship names for seasons:
From the 2014–15 season on, there are 18 clubs in the Primeira Liga, up from 16 in the previous seasons. During the course of a season, each club plays all teams twice – once at their home stadium and once at their opponent's – for a total of 34 games. At the end of each season, the two lowest placed teams are relegated to the Segunda Liga and the top two teams from Segunda Liga are promoted to the Primeira Liga.

Qualification for European competitions

The top teams in Primeira Liga qualify for the UEFA Champions League with the first placed team directly entering the group stage and the second placed team entering the playoffs for the group stage of UEFA Champions League. Teams placed third and fourth play in the UEFA Europa League, along with the Taça de Portugal cup winners. In this case, the berth is given to the fifth placed team.

UEFA ranking

UEFA League Ranking as of the 2019–20 season:
  1. Spanish La Liga
  2. English Premier League
  3. German Bundesliga
  4. Italian Serie A
  5. French Ligue 1
  6. Portuguese Primeira Liga
  7. Russian Premier League
  8. Belgian Pro League
  9. Dutch Eredivisie
  10. Ukrainian Premier League

    Clubs

TeamLocationStadiumCapacity2018–19
Belenenses SADOeirasEstádio Nacional37,5009th
BenficaLisbonEstádio da Luz65,2001st
BoavistaPortoEstádio do Bessa28,2638th
BragaBragaEstádio Municipal de Braga30,0004th
Desportivo das AvesVila das AvesEstádio do CD Aves5,44114th
FamalicãoVila Nova de FamalicãoEstádio Municipal 22 de Junho5,1862nd
Gil VicenteBarcelosEstádio Cidade de Barcelos12,046 *
MarítimoFunchalEstádio do Marítimo10,60012th
MoreirenseMoreira de CónegosParque de Jogos Comendador
Joaquim de Almeida Freitas
6,1536th
Paços de FerreiraPaços de FerreiraEstádio Capital do Móvel9,0761st
PortimonensePortimãoEstádio Municipal de Portimão6,00011th
PortoPortoEstádio do Dragão50,0332nd
Rio AveVila do CondeEstádio dos Arcos9,0657th
Santa ClaraPonta DelgadaEstádio de São Miguel10,00010th
Sporting CPLisbonEstádio José Alvalade50,0953rd
TondelaTondelaEstádio João Cardoso5,00015th
Vitória de GuimarãesGuimarãesEstádio D. Afonso Henriques30,0005th
Vitória de SetúbalSetúbalEstádio do Bonfim15,49713th

Attendance

Since the beginning of the league, there are three clubs with an attendance much higher than the others: Benfica, Porto and Sporting CP. They have also the biggest stadiums in Portugal, with more than 50,000 seats. Other clubs, such as Vitória de Guimarães and Braga, also have good attendances. Académica de Coimbra, Vitória de Setúbal, Boavista, Belenenses, and Marítimo are historical clubs, with more than 30 top-flight seasons, from the biggest Portuguese cities, and have also many supporters. However, they do not have big attendances nowadays. Their stadiums have between 10,000 and 30,000 seats.
The 2017–18 season saw the following average attendance by club:
ClubAverageStadium
capacity
AttendanceAccumulatedStadium
1Benfica53,20964,64282.93%904,553Estádio da Luz
2Sporting CP43,62350,04487.16%741,599Estádio José Alvalade
3Porto42,67450,43185.29%725,461Estádio do Dragão
4Vitória de Guimarães16,01530,00853.37%272,255Estádio D. Afonso Henriques
5Braga11,70630,28638.65%198,998Estádio Municipal de Braga
6Marítimo7,07210,93266.93%120,216Estádio dos Barreiros
7Boavista5,62330,00020.55%95,585Estádio do Bessa
8Vitória de Setúbal4,11113,46828.80%69,890Estádio do Bonfim
9Feirense3,9075,60071.69%66,412Estádio Marcolino de Castro
10Rio Ave3,8899,06543.42%66,116Estádio do Rio Ave FC
11Chaves3,6279,00040.89%61,658Estádio Municipal Eng. Manuel Branco Teixeira
12Paços de Ferreira3,5076,40438.63%59,612Estádio da Mata Real
13Belenenses3,34419,85622.27%56,851Estádio do Restelo
14Portimonense3,1589,54464.04%53,693Estádio Municipal de Portimão
15Aves2,6355,44144.69%44,803Estádio do CD Aves
16Tondela2,3735,00047.46%40,344Estádio João Cardoso
17Estoril2,2758,00028.83%38,673Estádio António Coimbra da Mota
18Moreirense2,2646,15336.80%38,494Estádio Municipal 25 de Abril

List of champions and top scorers

All Primeira Liga champions have come from either Lisbon or Porto.
ClubWinners
Benfica37291935–36, 1936–37, 1937–38, 1941–42, 1942–43, 1944–45, 1949–50, 1954–55, 1956–57, 1959–60, 1960–61, 1962–63, 1963–64, 1964–65, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1970–71, 1971–72, 1972–73, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1980–81, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1986–87, 1988–89, 1990–91, 1993–94, 2004–05, 2009–10, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2018–191943–44, 1945–46, 1946–47, 1947–48, 1948–49, 1951–52, 1952–53, 1955–56, 1958–59, 1965–66, 1969–70, 1973–74, 1977–78, 1978–79, 1981–82, 1985–86, 1987–88, 1989–90, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1995–96, 1997–98, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2017–18, 2019–20
Porto29271934–35, 1938–39, 1939–40, 1955–56, 1958–59, 1977–78, 1978–79, 1984–85, 1985–86, 1987–88, 1989–90, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2017–18, 2019–201935–36, 1937–38, 1940–41, 1950–51, 1953–54, 1956–57, 1957–58, 1961–62, 1962–63, 1963–64, 1964–65, 1968–69, 1974–75, 1979–80, 1980–81, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1986–87, 1988–89, 1990–91, 1993–94, 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2004–05, 2014–15, 2016–17, 2018–19
18211940–41, 1943–44, 1946–47, 1947–48, 1948–49, 1950–51, 1951–52, 1952–53, 1953–54, 1957–58, 1961–62, 1965–66, 1969–70, 1973–74, 1979–80, 1981–82, 1999–2000, 2001–021934–35, 1938–39, 1939–40, 1941–42, 1942–43, 1944–45, 1949–50, 1959–60, 1960–61, 1967–68, 1970–71, 1976–77, 1984–85, 1994–95, 1996–97, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2013–14, 2015–16
Belenenses131945–461936–37, 1954–55, 1972–73
Boavista132000–011975–76, 1998–99, 2001–02
Académica011966–67
Vitória de Setúbal011971–72
Braga012009–10

All-time Primeira Liga table

The all-time Primeira Liga table is an overall record of all match results, points, and goals of every team that has played in Primeira Liga since its inception in 1934. The table is accurate as of the end of the 2018–19 season. For comparison, older seasons have been calculated according to the three-points-per-win rule.
1Benfica8654462432166445431458822136374637291541861934–351934–351
2Porto865296243216254393745394214932452927131131841934–351934–351
3Sporting CP86501124321501508423529423202974182129134851934–351934–351
4Belenenses7731582146877527742335227456071314988431934–352017–181
5Vitória de Guimarães75311922228635308293136313424101213391941–422007–083
6Braga642728195675546373826572704-47121463261947–481975–762
7Vitória de Setúbal722590207269450887027943119-32513296211934–352019–202
8Boavista 572432173866643463822642381-1171321045251935–362014–151
9Académica641935170451638780123463003-6571268171934–352015–162
10Marítimo401661131744636250414751651-17665111977–781982–835
11Rio Ave2610178402612343458911108-2173251979–802008–095
12Estoril2691277223919533810441231-1872351944–452017–184
13Beira-Mar278968582182423988831340-457111961–622012–136
14Farense238577542221913417961093-2971231970–712020–215
15Paços de Ferreira21809682204197281744959-2151231990–912019–203
16Nacional19777622204165253743818-11522151988–892020–214
17Salgueiros247747401971833608041377-5731121943–442001–025
18CUF Barreiro237696102071482558281003-175122161942–431975–763
19Leixões257136701831643237501186-4361121936–372009–105
20União de Leiria18711584184159241620771-1512241979–802011–125
21Atlético CP247106321921343069761285-309211371943–441976–773
22Gil Vicente19705638180165293640882-242111990–912019–205
23Varzim21683618169176273638913-2751121963–642002–035
24Portimonense17638542168134240586740-1541121976–772017–185
25Chaves16633548160153235608773-1652241985–862018–195
26Barreirense246175921661193077581195-43712471937–381978–794
27Estrela da Amadora16608540144176220521680-1591988–892008–097
28Olhanense205655161471242458001057-25712251941–422013–144
29Sporting da Covilhã1545740612679201585834-2491341947–481987–885
30Penafiel14435434106117211351625-2741980–812014–1510
31Lusitano de Évora1441236411664184494722-2281121952–531965–665
32Moreirense103823369597144349465-106112002–032014–156
33Sporting de Espinho113793549691167336523-1871974–751996–977
34Famalicão72612306760103258397-139111946–472019–206
35Tirsense82682566573118219370-1511967–681995–968
36União da Madeira6206208486298177300-1231989–902015–1610
37Naval 1º de Maio6193184494689160255-952005–062010–118
38Santa Clara5188170465074185236-511999–20002018–199
39Oriental71871905037103224438-214111950–511974–755
40Alverca5181170483785192266-741998–992003–0411
41Campomaiorense5178170483488186287-1011995–962000–0111
42Feirense71752224443135187403-2161962–632018–198
43Tondela5171170443987174254-802015–162015–1610
44Torreense6163164443189183316-1331955–561991–927
45União de Tomar6162172433396178331-1531968–691975–7610
46Desportivo das Aves61601964040116173320-1471985–862019–2013
47O Elvas5148146373772211283-721947–481987–888
48Arouca4145132373461134187-53112013–142016–175
49Leça4124124332566120231-1111941–421997–9812
50Académico de Viseu410512827247781237-1561978–791988–8913
51Caldas4103104262553124235-1111955–561958–5910
52Montijo3899023204791155-641972–731976–7713
53Amora3899022234590143-531980–811982–8312
54Belenenses SAD2786819212869105-362018–192018–199
55Lusitano VRSA372782194894210-1161947–481949–5012
56Sanjoanense47010416226686249-1631946–471968–6910
57Carcavelinhos56982191251103223-1201121935–361941–424
58Unidos de Lisboa36254188281511456111940–411942–434
59Académico do Porto5608218658137300-1631934–351941–427
60Elvas2544817328108167-591945–461946–479
61Fafe14138914152947-181988–891988–8916
62Felgueiras1333489172947-181995–961995–9616
63Seixal22952783744150-1061963–641964–6512
64Riopele1273069152351-281977–781977–7815
65Águeda1263075182555-301983–841983–8415
66Trofense1233058172542-172008–092008–0916
67União de Coimbra1223057182254-321972–731972–7315
68Ginásio de Alcobaça1193047192056-361982–831982–8316
69Vizela1193047193171-401984–851984–8516
70União de Lisboa111143293049-19111934–351934–356
71Oliveirense1112232172273-511945–461945–4612
72Casa Pia131410131256-441938–391938–398

Primeira Liga
LigaPro
Campeonato de Portugal
Portuguese District Championships
Clubs no longer in competition

Records

Portugal

Within Portugal, Sport TV broadcasts all live Primeira Liga matches except Benfica's home matches which are broadcast live on Benfica TV.

International broadcasters