Liga Promerica
Founded13 June 1921 (1921-06-13)
CountryCosta Rica
ConfederationCONCACAF
Number of teams12
Level on pyramid1
Relegation toLiga de Ascenso
International cup(s)CONCACAF Champions Cup
Central American Cup
Current championsSaprissa (39th title)
(2023 Clausura)
Most championshipsSaprissa (39 titles)
TV partnersFUTV
Tigo Sports
TD+
Websiteunafut.com
Current: 2023 Liga FPD season

The Primera División of Costa Rica, commonly known as Liga de Fútbol de Primera División (Liga FPD),[1] and Liga Promerica for sponsorship reasons,[2] is the top professional association football division in Costa Rica. It is administered by the Unión de Clubes de Fútbol de la Primera División (UNAFUT).[3] The league consists of 12 teams, with the last-placed team relegated to the Liga de Ascenso.

The league was founded in 1921,[3] with Herediano crowned as the first champions.[4] Saprissa is the most successful club having won the championship a record 39 times. Together with Alajuelense (30 titles) and Herediano (29 titles), they have dominated the league.

Competition format

Former logo

The Liga FPD features a format in which two separate tournaments are held over the course of one particular season. The Torneo de Apertura (Spanish for "Opening Tournament") lasts from July to December, while the Torneo de Clausura (Spanish for "Closing Tournament") lasts from January to May. From 2007 to 2017, these were known respectively as Torneo de Invierno ("Winter Tournament") and Torneo de Verano ("Summer Tournament"), based on the Costa Rican seasons, with the Invierno tournament played during the rainy season and the Verano tournament played during the dry season.

A separate tournament is played on stages. The first stage follows the usual double round-robin format. During the course of a tournament, each club plays every other club twice, once at home and once away, for a total of 22 matchdays. Teams receive three points for a win, one point for a draw, and no points for a loss. Teams are ranked by total points, with the top-four clubs at the end of the stage qualifying to the second stage. The second stage consists of a quadrangular in which the best four teams qualified will face each other twice again, adding 6 additional matchdays. If the top team of the first stage also wins the quadrangular, the club will be crowned as champions; otherwise, a double-legged final will be played between the winners of the first stage and the winners of the quadrangular to determine the champion.

Promotion and relegation

A system of promotion and relegation exists between the Primera División and the Segunda División. In spite of having two champions during a regular season, the Liga FPD only relegates one team per season based on the aggregate performance in both Apertura and Clausura tournaments. The last-placed team in the aggregate table is relegated to the Liga de Ascenso.

Qualifying for CONCACAF competitions

The top teams in the Liga FPD qualify to the CONCACAF Champions League. Starting in the 2017–18 season, the CONCACAF Champions League will be separated into two stages. The first stage is CONCACAF League, which consists of sixteen teams from Central America and the Caribbean, in which the winner qualifies to the second stage, the Champions League, joining other fifteen teams. Because of this format, the qualification criteria in the Liga FPD are:

  • If one team wins both the Apertura and Clausura tournaments
    • The double champion will qualify directly to the second stage of the Champions League
    • The two non-champion teams with the best aggregate record at the end of the season will qualify to the CONCACAF League
  • If two teams are crowned champions over the season
    • The champion with the best aggregate record will qualify directly to the second stage of the Champions League
    • The champion with the worst aggregate record will qualify to the CONCACAF League
    • The non-champion team with the best aggregate record will qualify to the CONCACAF League

History

Saprissa's Christian Bolaños disputes the ball against Alajuelense's Rónald Matarrita. Alajuelense and Saprissa have the biggest rivalry in the league, known as El Clásico

On 13 June 1921, the Costa Rican Football Federation was created. With its creation, the need of a tournament also emerged, along with the establishment of a national team, as a result of Costa Rica being invited to the 1921 Juegos del Centenario in Guatemala.[5]

The first season of the Costa Rican Primera División was played in 1921 with seven teams: Alajuelense, Cartaginés, Herediano, La Libertad, Sociedad Gimnástica Española, Sociedad Gimnástica Limonense and La Unión de Tres Ríos. La Libertad and Gimnástica Limonense played the first ever match of the Liga FPD, with La Libertad emerging victorious with a lone goal scored by Rafael Madrigal. Herediano were crowned as champions.[5]

In 1999, the Costa Rican Football Federation created the UNAFUT (acronym of Unión de Clubes de Fútbol de la Primera División), an entity designed for the organization and administration of the Primera División tournament and its youth leagues (known as Alto Rendimiento).[3]

On 9 January 2014, UNAFUT decided to rename the tournament to Liga FPD, in order to give more identity to the league.[6]

The main rivalry in the league is El Clásico, played by Alajuelense and Saprissa, as both teams are the most successful in the league and both share the vast majority of followers throughout the country. Since their first encounter at the old national stadium on 12 October 1949, the two teams have faced each other in over 300 matches, with the winning balance in favor of Saprissa.[7]

Clubs 2023–24

Location of clubs in San José province
Team Location Stadium Capacity Founded
Alajuelense Alajuela, Alajuela Alejandro Morera Soto 18,000 1919
Cartaginés Cartago, Cartago José Rafael "Fello" Meza 10,000 1906
Guanacasteca Nicoya, Guanacaste Estadio Chorotega 3,000 1973
Herediano Heredia, Heredia Eladio Rosabal Cordero [9] 8,000 1921
Municipal Grecia Grecia, Alajuela Allen Riggioni [10] 4,000 1998
Municipal Liberia Liberia, Guanacaste Edgardo Baltodano 7,000 1977
Puntarenas F.C. Puntarenas, Puntarenas Estadio Lito Pérez 4,105 2004
Pérez Zeledón San Isidro de El General, San José Estadio Municipal 6,000 1991
San Carlos Ciudad Quesada, Alajuela Carlos Ugalde Álvarez 5,600 1965
Santos de Guápiles Guápiles, Limón Ebal Rodríguez 3,000 1961
Saprissa San Juan de Tibás, San José Ricardo Saprissa 23,000 1935
Sporting F.C. Pavas, San José Ernesto Rohrmoser 3,000 2016


Champions

Ed. Season Champion Runner-up
1
1921HeredianoGimnástica Española
2
1922HeredianoLa Libertad
3
1923CartaginésLa Libertad
4
1924HeredianoCartaginés
5
1925La LibertadHerediano
6
1926La LibertadCartaginés
7
1927HeredianoLa Libertad
8
1928AlajuelenseGimnástica Española
9
1929La LibertadAlajuelense
10
1930HeredianoGimnástica Española
11
1931HeredianoOrión
12
1932HeredianoOrión
13
1933HeredianoGimnástica Española
14
1934La LibertadAlajuela Junior
15
1935HeredianoAlajuela Junior
16
1936CartaginésLa Libertad
17
1937HeredianoGimnástica Española
18
1938OriónGimnástica Española
19
1939AlajuelenseHerediano
20
1940CartaginésOrión
21
1941AlajuelenseLa Libertad
22
1942La LibertadGimnástica Española
23
1943Universidad de Costa RicaAlajuelense
24
1944OriónHerediano
25
1945AlajuelenseOrión
26
1946La LibertadHerediano
27
1947HeredianoLa Libertad
28
1948HeredianoAlajuelense
29
1949AlajuelenseOrión
30
1950AlajuelenseSaprissa
31
1951HeredianoOrión
32
1952SaprissaAlajuelense
33
1953SaprissaHerediano
34
1954No tournament.
35
1955HeredianoSaprissa
36
1956No tournament.
37
1957SaprissaAlajuelense
38
1958AlajuelenseSaprissa
39
1959AlajuelenseSaprissa
40
1960AlajuelenseHerediano
41
1961 AsofútbolHeredianoSaprissa
42
1961 FedefútbolCarmelitaUruguay de Coronado
43
1962SaprissaAlajuelense
44
1963Uruguay de CoronadoSaprissa
45
1964SaprissaOrión
46
1965SaprissaAlajuelense
47
1966AlajuelenseSaprissa
48
1967SaprissaAlajuelense
49
1968SaprissaCartaginés
50
1969SaprissaAlajuelense
51
1970AlajuelenseSaprissa
52
1971AlajuelenseSaprissa
53
1972SaprissaAlajuelense
54
1973SaprissaCartaginés
55
1974SaprissaHerediano
56
1975SaprissaCartaginés
57
1976SaprissaDeportivo México
58
1977SaprissaCartaginés
59
1978HeredianoMunicipal Puntarenas
60
1979HeredianoCartaginés
61
1980AlajuelenseHerediano
62
1981HeredianoLimonense
63
1982SaprissaMunicipal Puntarenas
64
1983AlajuelenseMunicipal Puntarenas
65
1984AlajuelenseSaprissa
66
1985HeredianoAlajuelense
67
1986Municipal PuntarenasAlajuelense
68
1987HeredianoCartaginés
69
1988SaprissaHerediano
70
1989SaprissaAlajuelense
71
1990No tournament.
72
1990–91AlajuelenseSaprissa
73
1991–92AlajuelenseSaprissa
74
1992–93HeredianoCartaginés
75
1993–94SaprissaAlajuelense
76
1994–95SaprissaAlajuelense
77
1995–96AlajuelenseCartaginés
78
1996–97AlajuelenseSaprissa
79
1997–98SaprissaAlajuelense
80
1998–99SaprissaAlajuelense
81
1999–00AlajuelenseSaprissa
82
2000–01AlajuelenseHerediano
83
2001–02AlajuelenseSantos de Guápiles
84
2002–03AlajuelenseSaprissa
85
2003–04SaprissaHerediano
86
2004–05AlajuelensePérez Zeledón
87
2005–06SaprissaPuntarenas F.C.
88
2006–07SaprissaAlajuelense
89
2007 InviernoSaprissaHerediano
90
2008 VeranoSaprissaAlajuelense
91
2008 InviernoSaprissaAlajuelense
92
2009 VeranoLiberia MíaHerediano
93
2009 InviernoBrujasPuntarenas F.C.
94
2010 VeranoSaprissaSan Carlos
95
2010 InviernoAlajuelenseHerediano
96
2011 VeranoAlajuelenseSan Carlos
97
2011 InviernoAlajuelenseHerediano
98
2012 VeranoHeredianoSantos de Guápiles
99
2012 InviernoAlajuelenseHerediano
100
2013 VeranoHeredianoCartaginés
101
2013 InviernoAlajuelenseHerediano
102
2014 VeranoSaprissaAlajuelense
103
2014 InviernoSaprissaHerediano
104
2015 VeranoHeredianoAlajuelense
105
2015 InviernoSaprissaAlajuelense
106
2016 VeranoHeredianoAlajuelense
107
2016 InviernoSaprissaHerediano
108
2017 VeranoHeredianoSaprissa
109
2017 AperturaPérez ZeledónHerediano
110
2018 ClausuraSaprissaHerediano
111
2018 AperturaHeredianoSaprissa
112
2019 ClausuraSan CarlosSaprissa
113
2019 AperturaHeredianoAlajuelense
114
2020 ClausuraSaprissaAlajuelense
115
2020 AperturaAlajuelenseHerediano
116
2021 ClausuraSaprissaHerediano
117
2021 AperturaHeredianoSaprissa
118
2022 ClausuraCartaginésAlajuelense
119
2022 AperturaSaprissaHerediano
120
2023 ClausuraSaprissaAlajuelense

Performance by club

Club Winners Runners-up Winning years
Saprissa
39
18
1952, 1953, 1957, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1982, 1988, 1989, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1997–98, 1998–99, 2003–04, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007 Invierno, 2008 Verano, 2008 Invierno, 2010 Verano, 2014 Verano, 2014 Invierno, 2015 Invierno, 2016 Invierno, 2018 Clausura, 2020 Clausura, 2021 Clausura, 2022 Apertura, 2022 Clausura, 2023 Apertura
Alajuelense
30
25
1928, 1939, 1941, 1945, 1949, 1950, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1966, 1970, 1971, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1999–00, 2000–01, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2004–05, 2010 Invierno, 2011 Verano, 2011 Invierno, 2012 Invierno, 2013 Invierno, 2020 Apertura
Herediano
29
23
1921, 1922, 1924, 1927, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1935, 1937, 1947, 1948, 1951, 1955, 1961 Asofútbol, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1985, 1987, 1992–93, 2012 Verano, 2013 Verano, 2015 Verano, 2016 Verano, 2017 Verano, 2018 Apertura, 2019 Apertura, 2021 Apertura
La Libertad
6
7
1925, 1926, 1929, 1934, 1942, 1946
Cartaginés
4
10
1923, 1936, 1940, 2022 Clausura
Orión
2
6
1938, 1944
Municipal Puntarenas
1
3
1986
Pérez Zeledón
1
1
2017 Apertura
Uruguay de Coronado
1
1
1963
Brujas
1
0
2009 Invierno
Carmelita
1
0
1961 Fedefútbol
Liberia Mía
1
0
2009 Verano
Universidad de Costa Rica
1
0
1943
San Carlos
1
2
2019 Clausura

[11]

Player records

Top scorers

Rank Nat. Player Goals
1 Costa Rica Víctor Núñez 244
2 Costa Rica Errol Daniels 196
3 Costa Rica Roy Sáenz 168
4 Costa Rica Leonel Hernández 164
5 Costa Rica Guillermo Guardia 149
6 Costa Rica Evaristo Coronado 148
7 Costa Rica Alejandro Alpízar 147
8 Costa Rica Erick Scott 144
9 Costa Rica Juan Ulloa, Álvaro Saborío 140
10 Costa Rica Vicente Wanchope 133

[12]

Most appearances

Danny Fonseca is the fourth most capped player in the Liga FPD
Rank Nat. Player Years Apps
1 Costa Rica Marvin Obando 1979–2000685
2 Costa Rica Julio Fuller 1975–1994684
3 Costa Rica Enrique Díaz 1977–1996676
4 Costa Rica Danny Fonseca 1999–2018652
5 Costa Rica Luis Diego Arnáez 1987–2005579
6 Costa Rica Mauricio Montero 1980–1990556
7 Costa Rica Wílmer López 1992–2009550
8 Costa Rica Óscar Ramírez 1983–1999546
9 Costa Rica Evaristo Coronado 1981–1995536
10 Costa Rica Luis Quirós 1986–2000531

[13]

References

  1. Molina Salas, José Pablo. "Legacy Irazú es el balón oficial presentado por Voit para la Liga FPD". unafut.com (in European Spanish). Retrieved 18 May 2017.
  2. "Liga Promerica será el nuevo concepto del fútbol de la primera división". unafut.com. Retrieved 14 July 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 "¿Quiénes Somos?". unafut.com (in European Spanish). Archived from the original on 6 June 2017. Retrieved 18 May 2017.
  4. "Primera División". unafut.com (in European Spanish). Archived from the original on 9 August 2017. Retrieved 18 May 2017.
  5. 1 2 Coto, Gerardo. "1921". UNAFUT.com. UNAFUT. Archived from the original on 8 August 2017. Retrieved 25 May 2017.
  6. Vargas, Gabriel (10 January 2014). "Fission es el balón que se usará en el torneo de Verano 2014". La Nación (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 May 2017.
  7. "Una rivalidad que divide a los ticos". FIFA.com (in European Spanish). FIFA. 21 February 2014. Archived from the original on January 1, 2018. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
  8. 1 2 "Calendario Torneo Apertura 2023". www.unafut.org. UNAFUT, Genius Sports Group. Retrieved 9 Jan 2024.
  9. Herediano is temporarily playing at Estadio "Colleya" Fonseca in Guadalupe, San José while their home stadium undergoes renovation [8]
  10. Grecia is temporarily splitting matches between Estadio "Colleya" Fonseca in Guadalupe, San José, and Estadio Rafael Bolaños in San Antonio, Alajuela while their home stadium undergoes renovation [8]
  11. "Primera División". www.unafut.com (in European Spanish). UNAFUT. Archived from the original on 9 August 2017. Retrieved 25 May 2017.
  12. "Club de los 100". www.unafut.com (in European Spanish). UNAFUT. Archived from the original on 1 July 2017. Retrieved 25 May 2017.
  13. "Jugadores con más partidos de campeonato nacional". unafut.com (in European Spanish). UNAFUT. Archived from the original on 28 July 2014. Retrieved 25 May 2017.
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