Latvian First League

The Latvian First League (Latvian: Latvijas Pirmā līga, 1. līga) is the second tier of football in Latvia and is organised by the Latvian Football Federation. Since 2021, its full name is Optibet Nākotnes Līga (Optibet Future League) due to the sponsorship by sports betting company Optibet.

Latvian First League
Founded1992 (1992)
Country Latvia
Number of teams10
Level on pyramid2
Promotion toOptibet Virslīga
Relegation toAltero.lv LIIGA
Domestic cup(s)Responsible Game Latvian Cup
Current championsAuda
(2021)
Websitelff.lv/1st-league
Current: 2022 Latvian First League

History

The league was founded together with other Latvian football competitions in 1992. From 2007 to 2008, the tournament was known as the Traffic 1. līga, due to its first sponsorship deal concluded with the "Traffic auto advert" advertising company.[1] From 2015 its name was Komanda.lv First League (Komanda.lv 1. līga) for sponsorship reasons, after the Komanda.lv sporting goods store became the league's main sponsor in 2015.[2]

Format

There are 14 clubs in the First League. During the course of the season each club plays the every other club twice, once at home and once away, with a total of 26 games. At the end of the season, the highest placed club is automatically promoted to the Virslīga. The second lowest placed club in the Virslīga and the second placed club in the First League compete in a two-legged tie for the remaining place in the following season's Virslīga. The two clubs finishing at the bottom of the First League are relegated to the Second League, while the third-from-bottom team competes in a two-legged tie with the third-placed team of the Second League for a place in the First League.[3]

First League clubs (2023)

14 clubs are taking part in the Optinet Nākotne līga season:[4]

Past First League winners
Season Winner Total wins Runner-up
1992Decemviri Rīga 1"Zenta Rīga"
1993Gemma-RFS 1Baltnet Daugavpils
1994FK Kvadrāts 1Starts Brocēni
1995FK Jūrnieks 1FK Lokomotīve Daugavpils
1996Vecrīga Rīga 1FK Valmiera
1997Ranto/AVV 1FK Jūrnieks
1998PFK Rīga 1Jaunība Daugavpils
1999LU-Daugava 1LBB-Mido
2000Zibens-Zemessardze Daugavpils 1Skonto/Metāls Rīga
2001Auda Rīga1RKB-Arma Rīga
2002RKB-Arma Rīga2aDitton Daugavpils
2003FK Jūrmala1Multibanka Rīga
2004FK Ventspils-21Ditton-2 Daugavpils
2005Skonto-2 Rīga1Skonto-2 Rīga
2006JFK Olimps Rīga1Ditton-2 Daugavpils
2007FK Vindava Ventspils1FK Blāzma Rēzekne
2008FK Daugava1FC Tranzīts
2009FK Jelgava1FK Jaunība Rīga
2010FB Gulbene 20051FC Jūrmala
2011FS METTA/LU1FK Liepājas Metalurgs-2
2012FK Liepājas Metalurgs-21Ilūkstes NSS
2013BFC Daugavpils1FB Gulbene 2005
2014FB Gulbene 20052Rēzeknes BJSS
2015Riga FC1Valmiera Glass FK/BSS
2016SK Babīte1Olaine/Super Nova
2017 FK Valmiera Glass/ViA 1 FK Progress/AFA Olaine
2018 BFC Daugavpils/Progress 2 SK Super Nova
2019 FK Tukums 2000 1 SK Super Nova
2020 FC Lokomotiv Daugavpils 1 FK Auda
2021 FK Auda 2 FK Tukums 2000
2022 FS Jelgava 1 Grobiņas SC
a Previously won as Ranto/AVV.

References
  1. "Second division Traffic League kicks-off". Latvian Football Federation. 2007-04-04. Archived from the original on 2011-07-22. Retrieved 2008-02-20.
  2. ""komanda.lv" kļūst par 1. līgas futbola čempionāta titulsponsoru". Sportacentrs.com (in Latvian). 2015-03-12. Retrieved 2019-04-01.
  3. "Latvijas Futbola federācija". lff.lv (in Latvian). Retrieved 2022-12-29.
  4. "Optibet Nākotnes līga". LFF.lv. LFF. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
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