Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional de Honduras
Founded10 May 1964 (1964-05-10)
First season1965–66
CountryHonduras Honduras
ConfederationCONCACAF
Number of teams10
Level on pyramid1
Relegation toLiga de Ascenso
Domestic cup(s)Honduran Cup
International cup(s)CONCACAF Champions Cup
Central American Cup
Current championsOlimpia
Most championshipsOlimpia (36)
TV partnersTVC, Tigo Sports Honduras
Websitewww.lnphn.com
Current: 2023–24 Honduran Liga Nacional

Liga Betcris de Honduras (Honduran National Professional Football League) is the highest division of domestic football in Honduras. The league season is divided into Opening (autumn) and Closing (spring). One team is relegated to the Liga de Ascenso (the team with fewest points in Opening and Closing) and one team is promoted from Liga de Ascenso. The top four clubs participate in play-offs to decide the champion.[1]

History

In the 1930s, football experienced a surge in popularity in the country. In 1948 with the birth of the Francisco Morazán Major Football League, the idea to organize football began to take shape.

Olimpia, Federal, Motagua, Argentina and Real España are the pioneers of the Liga Mayor.[2] In 1948 the first championship began in the recently inaugurated Estadio Tiburcio Carías Andino[3] as Victoria were made champions by beating Motagua; and three years later, in 1951, they repeated the trick. Due to the high support the League received at this time, the Confederacy Sports School Extra of Honduras (F.N.D.E.H.) was founded.

The cancellation of the court of the Francisco Morazán Stadium of San Pedro Sula was the catalyst that caused the sport's leaders of the northern and central parts of Honduras to join forces and caused the disappearance of the F.N.D.E.H.

On 8 March 1951, Juan Manuel Galvez gave life to the F.N.D.E.H. when he signed the presidential decree I number 97 and he vouched for the execution of the first Sports Congress that was carried out in the installations of the abandoned "National Gymnasium Rubén Callejas Valentine".

Old logo
Old logo (2007–2012)

A decade after the creation of the F.N.D.E.H. and under the leadership of Hémerito F. Hernández, and also under Féderico Bunker Aguilar who had pioneered CONCACAF's creation at the same time, the idea to create the First National League of Football took shape between 1962 and 1963. Thanks in part to the aid of executives such as Alejandro Talbott that had studied in Mexico, the structure of that country's league was copied. On Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 April 1964 the 15th National Congress created the league. The 15th National Congress also started the National Non Amateur Football League of Honduras, LINAFUTH, that was founded 10 May, that year.

The president of the Sports Confederacy was Oscar Kafati and the secretary was journalist Andrés Torres Jr. Several teams sent delegates. These included Olimpia, Troya, España, Honduras de El Progreso, Vida, Marathón, Motagua, La Salle, and Atlético Español Glidden. Those delegates were chosen to be to the first Provisional board of directors that remained headed by: President Oscar Lara Mejía, Secretary: José T. Castañeda, Treasurer: Jesus J. Handal, Fiscal: Humberto Soriano Aguilar and vocal: Oscar Kirckonell, Alfredo Bueso, René Bendeck.

The first round of the first professional national championship was on 18 July 1965, with the following results: Olimpia 3–0 Marathón; España 1–0 Troya; Honduras 3–0 Atlético Español; Vida 4–1 Motagua; and Platense 6–2 La Salle. Jorge "Burro" Deras of Honduras Progreso was the first scorer of the league in the 5th minute against Atlético Español.[4] Platense was the first professional champion of Honduras winning the two rounds; and Atlético Español finished last, but there was no relegation. Enrique Fúnez was the first top-scorer with 14 goals.[5]

2023–24 teams

A total of 10 teams will contest the tournament, nine teams that participated in the 2022–23 season, since then Honduras Progreso was relegated and Génesis went up to the first division.

TeamLocationStadiumCapacity
Génesis ComayaguaEstadio Carlos Miranda10,000
MarathónSan Pedro SulaEstadio Yankel Rosenthal15,000
MotaguaTegucigalpaEstadio Tiburcio Carías Andino35,000
OlimpiaTegucigalpaEstadio Tiburcio Carías Andino35,000
Olancho FCJuticalpaEstadio Juan Ramón Brevé Vargas20,000
C.D. VictoriaLa CeibaEstadio Nilmo Edwards18,000
Real EspañaSan Pedro SulaEstadio Francisco Morazán26,781
Real SociedadTocoaEstadio Francisco Martínez Durón3,000
UPNFMCholutecaEstadio Emilio Williams Agasse8,000
VidaLa CeibaEstadio Nilmo Edwards18,000

Current format

Two tournaments per year with identical format, each crowning one champion:

  • Apertura (Opening): from July to December
  • Clausura (Closing): from January to May

10 clubs participating. The League format consist of a round-robin tournament with each club playing each other twice. The top six advance to the playoffs where the clubs ranked 3rd and 4th play in a home and away series against the clubs ranked 6th and 5th respectively. The playoff winners advance to the semifinals and play against the clubs ranked 1st and 2nd. The winners of the semifinals face in a double header to crown the champion.[6]

Relegation and promotion

Relegation is decided by the addition of both Apertura and Clausura tournament tables. The last team of the aggregated table is relegated to Liga de Ascenso de Honduras. Promotion is decided in Liga de Ascenso de Honduras. Up to 2004 the champions were awarded automatic promotion. Since then, the season was divided into Apertura and Clausura, where champions face each other to decide promotion.

Records and statistics

Top scoring players

  • As of 2022–23 Apertura
  • Bold players are still active
No.PlayerGoals
1Honduras Wilmer Velásquez196
2Honduras Jerry Bengtson169
3Brazil Denilson Costa155
4Honduras Román Castillo122
5Honduras Rony Martínez117
6Honduras Juan Cárcamo101
7Uruguay Claudio Cardozo100
8Brazil Marcelo Ferreira98
9Colombia Yustin Arboleda96
10Honduras Francisco Ramírez95
11Honduras Ángel Tejeda93
12Honduras Carlos Pavón90
13Brazil Luciano Emílio89
Honduras Luis Ramírez89
Honduras Roger Rojas89
16Honduras Prudencio Norales88
17Argentina Danilo Tosello86
18Honduras Óscar Hernández84
Brazil Ney Costa84
20Honduras Ángel Obando83
Honduras Eduardo Bennett83
22Honduras Pompilio Cacho81
23Argentina Oswaldo Altamirano80

Titles by year

Amateur era

SeasonChampionRunners-up
1947VictoriaMotagua
1948MotaguaVictoria
1949HibuerasOlimpia
1950–51MotaguaSula
1951–52SulaMotagua
1952AduanaFederal
1953FederalAduana
1954–55AbacáAduana
1955–56HibuerasOlimpia
1957–58OlimpiaHibueras
1958–59OlimpiaIndependiente
1959OlimpiaMarathón
1960–61OlimpiaEspaña
1961OlimpiaIndependiente
1962VidaSalamar
1963–64OlimpiaEspaña
1964OlimpiaPlatense

[7]

Professional era

SeasonChampionsRunners-upThird PlaceFourth Place
1965–66Platense (1)Olimpia (1)Vida (1)Troya (1)
1966–67Olimpia (1)Marathón (1)Vida (2)España (1)
1967–68Olimpia (2)Marathón (2)Honduras (1)Vida (1)
1968–69Motagua (1)Olimpia (2)Platense (1)Atlético Indio (1)
1969–70Olimpia (3)Motagua (1)Marathón (1)Vida (2)
1970–71Motagua (2)Olimpia (3)Marathón (2)España (2)
1971–72Olimpia (4)Vida (1)Motagua (1)España (3)
1972–73Abandoned due to financial issues.
1973–74Motagua (3)Marathón (3)Olimpia (1)España (4)
1974–75España (1)Motagua (2)Olimpia (2)Marathón (1)
1975–76España (2)Olimpia (4)Motagua (2)Universidad (1)
1976–77España (3)Motagua (3)Marathón (3)Vida (3)
1977–78Olimpia (5)Real España (1)Motagua (3)Vida (4)
1978–79Motagua (4)Real España (2)Olimpia (3)Broncos (1)
1979–80Marathón (1)Universidad (1)Victoria (1)Broncos (2)
1980–81Real España (4)Marathón (4)Olimpia (4)Vida (5)
1981–82Vida (1)Atlético Morazán (1)Motagua (4)Marathón (2)
1982–83Olimpia (6)Motagua (4)Real España (1)Victoria (1)
1983–84Vida (2)Universidad (2)Marathón (4)Olimpia (1)
1984–85Olimpia (7)Vida (2)Victoria (2)Marathón (3)
1985–86Marathón (2)Vida (3)Motagua (5)Olimpia (2)
1986–87Olimpia (8)Real España (3)Vida (3)Platense (1)
1987–88Olimpia (9)Marathón (5)Real España (2)Sula (1)
1988–89Real España (5)Olimpia (5)Motagua (6)Vida (6)
1989–90Olimpia (10)Real España (4)Motagua (7)Platense (2)
1990–91Real España (6)Motagua (5)Olimpia (5)Platense (3)
1991–92Motagua (5)Real España (5)Olimpia (6)Platense (4)
1992–93Olimpia (11)Petrotela (1)Marathón (5)Real España (5)
1993–94Real España (7)Motagua (6)Vida (4)Victoria (2)
1994–95Victoria (1)Olimpia (6)Real España (3)Motagua (1)
1995–96Olimpia (12)Real España (6)Victoria (3)Motagua (2)
1996–97Olimpia (13)Platense (1)Victoria (4)Real España (6)
1997–98 AMotagua (6)Real España (7)Olimpia (7)Platense (5)
1997–98 CMotagua (7)Olimpia (7)Victoria (5)Platense (6)
1998–99Olimpia (14)Real España (8)Motagua (8)Victoria (3)
1999–2000 AMotagua (8)Olimpia (8)Victoria (6)Broncos (3)
1999–2000 CMotagua (9)Olimpia (9)Marathón (6)Federal (1)
2000–01 AOlimpia (15)Platense (2)Universidad (1)Real España (7)
2000–01 CPlatense (2)Olimpia (10)Marathón (7)Real España (8)
2001–02 AMotagua (10)Marathón (6)Olimpia (8)Platense (7)
2001–02 CMarathón (3)Olimpia (11)Victoria (7)Platense (8)
2002–03 AOlimpia (16)Platense (3)Marathón (8)Real España (9)
2002–03 CMarathón (4)Motagua (7)Real España (4)Olimpia (3)
2003–04 AReal España (8)Olimpia (12)Vida (5)Marathón (4)
2003–04 COlimpia (17)Marathón (7)Real España (5)Victoria (4)
2004–05 AMarathón (5)Olimpia (13)Real España (6)Victoria (5)
2004–05 COlimpia (18)Marathón (8)Universidad (2)Platense (9)
2005–06 AOlimpia (19)Marathón (9)Platense (2)Victoria (6)
2005–06 COlimpia (20)Victoria (1)Motagua (9)Municipal Valencia (1)
2006–07 AMotagua (11)Olimpia (14)Marathón (9)Hispano (1)
2006–07 CReal España (9)Marathón (10)Olimpia (9)Motagua (3)
2007–08 AMarathón (6)Motagua (8)Olimpia (10)Victoria (7)
2007–08 COlimpia (21)Marathón (11)Real España (7)Motagua (4)
2008–09 AMarathón (7)Real España (9)Olimpia (11)Motagua (5)
2008–09 COlimpia (22)Real España (10)Vida (6)Marathón (5)
2009–10 AMarathón (8)Olimpia (15)Real España (8)Motagua (6)
2009–10 COlimpia (23)Motagua (9)Vida (7)Platense (10)
2010–11 AReal España (10)Olimpia (16)Marathón (10)Victoria (8)
2010–11 CMotagua (12)Olimpia (17)Vida (8)Marathón (6)
2011–12 AOlimpia (24)Real España (11)Marathón (11)Vida (7)
2011–12 COlimpia (25)Marathón (12)Motagua (10)Real España (10)
2012–13 AOlimpia (26)Victoria (2)Atlético Choloma (1)Motagua (7)
2012–13 COlimpia (27)Real Sociedad (1)Platense (3)Victoria (9)
2013–14 AReal España (11)Real Sociedad (2)Deportes Savio (1)Olimpia (3)
2013–14 COlimpia (28)Marathón (13)Real Sociedad (1)Victoria (10)
2014–15 AMotagua (13)Real Sociedad (3)Real España (9)Olimpia (4)
2014–15 COlimpia (29)Motagua (10)Victoria (8)Real España (11)
2015–16 AHonduras Progreso (1)Motagua (11)Olimpia (12)Vida (8)
2015–16 COlimpia (30)Real Sociedad (4)Motagua (11)Real España(12)
2016–17 AMotagua (14)Platense (4)Real España (10)Olimpia (5)
2016–17 CMotagua (15)Honduras Progreso (1)Real España (11)Olimpia (6)
2017–18 AReal España (12)Motagua (12)Olimpia (13)Marathón (7)
2017–18 CMarathón (9)Motagua (13)Olimpia (14)Real España (13)
2018–19 AMotagua (16)Olimpia (18)Real España (12)Platense (11)
2018–19 CMotagua (17)Olimpia (19)Marathón (12)UPNFM (1)
2019–20 AOlimpia (31)Marathón (14)Motagua (12)UPNFM (2)
2019–20 C Abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2020–21 AOlimpia (32)Marathón (15)Motagua (13)Vida (10)
2020–21 COlimpia (33)Motagua (14)Real España (13)Honduras Progreso (1)
2021–22 AOlimpia (34)Real España (12)Vida (2)Motagua (17)
2021–22 CMotagua (18)Real España (13)Olimpia (15)Marathón (8)
2022–23 AOlimpia (35)Motagua (15)VictoriaMarathón (9)
2022–23 COlimpia (36)Olancho (1)Real España (14)Marathón (10)

Titles by club

Professional era

Club Champion Runner-up Winning years
Olimpia 36 19 1966–67, 1967–68, 1969–70, 1971–72, 1977–78, 1982–83, 1984–85, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1989–90, 1992–93, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1998–99, 2000–01 A, 2002–03 A, 2003–04 C, 2004–05 C, 2005–06 A, 2005–06 C, 2007–08 C, 2008–09 C, 2009–10 C, 2011–12 A, 2011–12 C, 2012–13 A, 2012–13 C, 2013–14 C, 2014–15 C, 2015–16 C, 2019–20 A, 2020–21 A, 2020–21 C, 2021–22 A, 2022–23 A, 2022–23 C
Motagua 18 15 1968–69, 1970–71, 1973–74, 1978–79, 1991–92, 1997–98 A, 1997–98 C, 1999–2000 A, 1999–2000 C, 2001–02 A, 2006–07 A, 2010–11 C, 2014–15 A, 2016–17 A, 2016–17 C, 2018–19 A, 2018–19 C, 2021–22 C
Real España 12 13 1974–75, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1980–81, 1988–89, 1990–91, 1993–94, 2003–04 A, 2006–07 C, 2010–11 A, 2013–14 A, 2017–18 A
Marathón 9 15 1979–80, 1985–86, 2001–02 C, 2002–03 C, 2004–05 A, 2007–08 A, 2008–09 A, 2009–10 A, 2017–18 C
Platense 2 4 1965–66, 2000–01 C
Vida 2 3 1981–82, 1983–84
Victoria 1 2 1994–95
Honduras Progreso 1 1 2015–16 A
Real Sociedad 0 4
Universidad 0 2
Atlético Morazán 0 1
Petrotela 0 1
Olancho 0 1
Totals 81 81

Amateur and professional eras

Club Champion Runner-up Winning years
Olimpia 43 21 1957–58, 1958–59, 1959, 1960–61, 1961, 1963–64, 1964, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1969–70, 1971–72, 1977–78, 1982–83, 1984–85, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1989–90, 1992–93, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1998–99, 2000–01 A, 2002–03 A, 2003–04 C, 2004–05 C, 2005–06 A, 2005–06 C, 2007–08 C, 2008–09 C, 2009–10 C, 2011–12 A, 2011–12 C, 2012–13 A, 2012–13 C, 2013–14 C, 2014–15 C, 2015–16 C, 2019–20 A, 2020–21 A, 2020–21 C, 2021–22 A, 2022–23 A, 2022–23 C
Motagua 20 16 1948, 1950–51, 1968–69, 1970–71, 1973–74, 1978–79, 1991–92, 1997–98 A, 1997–98 C, 1999–2000 A, 1999–2000 C, 2001–02 A, 2006–07 A, 2010–11 C, 2014–15 A, 2016–17 A, 2016–17 C, 2018–19 A, 2018–19 C, 2021–22 C
Real España 12 15 1974–75, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1980–81, 1988–89, 1990–91, 1993–94, 2003–04 A, 2006–07 C, 2010–11 A, 2013–14 A, 2017–18 A
Marathón 9 16 1979–80, 1985–86, 2001–02 C, 2002–03 C, 2004–05 A, 2007–08 A, 2008–09 A, 2009–10 A, 2017–18 C
Vida 3 3 1962, 1981–82, 1983–84
Platense 2 5 1965–66, 2000–01 C
Victoria 2 3 1947, 1994–95
Hibueras 2 1 1949, 1955–56
Aduana 1 2 1952
Sula 1 1 1951–52
Federal 1 1 1953
Honduras Progreso 1 1 2015–16 A
Abacá 1 0 1954–55
Real Sociedad 0 4
Independiente 0 2
Universidad 0 2
Salamar 0 1
Atlético Morazán 0 1
Petrotela 0 1
Olancho 0 1
Totals 98 97

International competitions

Olimpia: 37 times (1962, 1967, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1972 Winners, 1973, 1976, 1983, 1985 Runners-up, 1987, 1988 Winners, 1989, 1990, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 Runners-up, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2023)
Motagua: 20 times (1969, 1971, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1983, 1986, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 2003, 2008, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2015–16, 2018, 2020, 2022, 2023)
Real España: 17 times (1975, 1976, 1977, 1981, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1997, 2000, 2009–10, 2011–12, 2014–15, 2023)
Marathón: 11 times (1974, 1980, 1981, 1986, 1988, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2012–13, 2019, 2021)
Vida: 6 times (1963, 1972, 1973, 1982, 1984, 1985)
Universidad: 2 times (1980 Runners-up, 1984)
Victoria: 2 times (1996, 2013–14)
Petrotela: 1 time (1994)
Platense: 1 time (1998)
Honduras Progreso: 1 time (2016–17)
Olimpia: 5 times (2017 Winners, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022)
Motagua: 5 times (2018 Runners-up, 2019 Runners-up, 2020, 2021 Runners-up, 2022)
Marathón: 3 times (2019, 2020, 2021)
Real España: 2 times (2018, 2022)
Honduras Progreso: 1 time (2017)
Platense: 1 time (2017)
Olimpia: 13 times (1979, 1981 Winners, 1996 withdrew, 1997, 1998, 1999 Winners, 2000 Winners, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005 Runners-up, 2006 Runners-up, 2007)
Motagua: 8 times (1979, 1996 withdrew, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2007 Winners)
Marathón: 7 times (1980, 1981, 1982, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006)
Real España: 6 times (1981, 1982 Winners, 1998, 2000, 2004, 2007)
Vida: 2 times (1981, 1982)
Broncos: 1 time (1980 Winners)
Victoria: 1 time (2006)
Olimpia: 2 times (1996 abandoned), (1997 abandoned)
Platense: 2 times (1997 abandoned), (1998 abandoned)
Real España: 1 time (1993 Runners-up)
Real Maya: 1 time (1994)
Marathón: 1 time (1995)
Motagua: 1 time (2001)
Olimpia: 2 times (1972 Runners-up), (1988 Runners-up)
Motagua: 1 time (2008)
Olimpia: 1 time (2001 canceled)

See also

References

  1. LINA.hn – BASES DEL CAMPEONATO Archived 19 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  2. HondurasFutbol.com – Historia de la Liga Nacional Archived 12 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  3. HondurasFutbol.com – Inauguración del Estadio "Tiburcio Carías" Archived 12 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  4. La Liga cumplió 48 años Archived 15 October 2013 at archive.today – La Tribuna (in Spanish)
  5. HondurasFutbol.com – Goleadores Archived 12 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  6. CONCACAF.com
  7. "La historia no contada de los campeonatos de liga del futbol Hondureño: 50 años de oscuridad futbolística". 27 January 2016.
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