Primeira Liga
Portuguese football league.
The Primeira Liga, officially known as Liga Portugal Betclic for sponsorship reasons, is the top professional association football league in Portugal and the highest level of the Portuguese football league system. Contested by 18 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with Liga Portugal 2. Seasons typically run from August to May, with each team playing 34 matches: two against each other team, one home and one away.
The competition was founded in 1934 as the Campeonato da Liga da Primeira Divisão and has undergone several name changes before adopting its current title in 1999. The league is managed by Liga Portugal, an organization representing the professional football clubs in Portugal. The Primeira Liga features a unique playoff system, where after the regular season, teams compete for European qualification spots and to avoid relegation.
The league has secured significant television rights deals, with Eleven Sports Network holding the domestic broadcasting rights. While not as lucrative as some of Europe's top leagues, these deals provide substantial revenue for the clubs. The Primeira Liga is known for producing talented players who often move on to larger European leagues, with its strong youth development programs contributing to its reputation as a talent factory.
As of 2023, the Primeira Liga is ranked 6th in the UEFA coefficient rankings, reflecting the performance of Portuguese clubs in European competitions over the past five seasons. This ranking determines the number of places allocated to Portuguese clubs in UEFA competitions. The league's top teams regularly participate in the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League, contributing to its international profile.
The Primeira Liga has been historically dominated by the "Big Three" clubs: Benfica, Porto, and Sporting CP, who have won almost all the titles among them. Benfica holds the record with 37 titles, followed by Porto with 30 and Sporting CP with 19. Only two other clubs have ever won the championship: Belenenses in 1946 and Boavista in 2001.
Since its inception, more than 70 teams have competed in the Primeira Liga.