Costa Rican Primera División
| File:Unafut oficial.PNG | |
| Country | Costa Rica |
|---|---|
| Confederation | CONCACAF |
| Founded | June 13, 1921 |
| Number of teams | 12 |
| Level on pyramid | 1 |
| Relegation to | Segunda División de Costa Rica |
| International cup(s) | CONCACAF Champions League |
| Current champions | Herediano (24) (Torneo Verano 2015) |
| Most championships | Deportivo Saprissa (31) |
| TV partners | Teletica Canal 7, Extra TV 42, Repretel |
| Website | Official website |
 2014-15 |
|
Primera División de Costa Rica (also known as the Costa Rican FPD) is a professional league for association football clubs in Costa Rica.[1] At the top of the Costa Rican league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 12 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with Segunda División de Costa Rica. The seasons are separated by two single tournaments each year, the Apertura (opening), from July to December, and the Clausura (closing), from January to May. Thus, there are two champions each season with teams playing anywhere from 32 to 44 games each, totalling 412 games in the season. Most games are played on Saturdays and Sundays, but recently there have been games programmed on Friday afternoons and Monday nights. Also the league has some Wednesday nights available to program games if any club needs it. The Campeonatos de Invierno and Verano are sponsored by Junta Protección Social-ProGol.
The competition formed on June 13, 1921 following an invitation presented by Guatemala to Costa Rica to participate in its Centenary Games. A total of 12 clubs have won the title. The current champions are Herediano, who won the Torneo Verano 2015.
Contents
Format
The current Primera División season has two championships. The format of both championships is the same. It has been modified numerous times over the last few years. The actual format consists in 12 teams playing against each other 2 games (away and home) for a total of 22 games for each club. The first 4 places automatically advance to a semifinal leg. The winners of that leg advance to the finals, which determines the tournament champion and runner up.
The winners of both tournaments (Invierno and Verano) will qualify to the CONCACAF Champions League tournament. In case that the same team wins both tournaments, the second qualified team will be the one that made more points in regular seasons.
History
In the year 1921, the Liga Nacional de Fútbol was created by Liga Deportiva Alajuelense, CS Cartaginés, CS Herediano, Club Sport La Libertad, Sociedad Gimnástica Española de San José, Club Sport La Unión de Tres Ríos and Sociedad Gimnástica Limonense, and the Primera División was born. In 1931 the league was centralized and renamed as Federación Deportiva de Costa Rica, then Federación Nacional de Fútbol and in the 1970s to Federación Costarricense de Fútbol (FEDEFUTBOL).
In 1999, the FEDEFUTBOL, created UNAFUT to operate the Primera División and the Alto Rendimiento and Juvenil Especial (both Youth Development Leagues from Primera Division clubs).
Classics and Derbys: Note that there is a difference between a Classic and a Derby. The classic is a game in which there is a big rivalry between the teams and remains fiercely fought over the years. A derby is played between two teams that falls in the same town or city.
- Costa Rican Classic: Deportivo Saprissa vs. Alajuelense.
- "Clasico del Buen Futbol": Deportivo Saprissa vs Club Sport Herediano
- Provincial Classic: Club Sport Herediano vs. Alajuelense, Club Sport Herediano vs. Club Sport Cartagines
Clubs in 2014 Apertura season
<templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles>
The league currently consists of the following 12 clubs. For the 2014 Apertura season, teams are aligned as follows:
Defunct franchises
| Club | City | Stadium | Capacity | Founded | Ceased Operations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Defunct Franchises | |||||
| Club Deportivo Alajuela Junior | 1933 | 1936 | |||
| Club Sport Buenos Aires | 1932 | 1935 | |||
| Club Sport Costa Rica | 1924 | 1924 | |||
| Club Sport México | 1932 | 1934 | |||
| Brujas F.C. | 2004 | 2011 | |||
| Club Sport Progreso | 1923 | 1925 | |||
| Corsarios Fútbol Club | 1930 | 1930 | |||
| Hispano Atlético | 1932 | 1932 | |||
| Juventud | 1927 | 1927 | |||
| Sociedad Gimnástica Española de San José |
1912 | ||||
| Unión Deportiva Moravia | 1926 | 1955 | |||
List of champions year by year
Champion titles by club (1921–2015)
| Club | Championships | Runner-Up |
|---|---|---|
| Deportivo Saprissa | 32 | 15 |
| LD Alajuelense | 29 | 23 |
| CS Herediano | 24 | 19 |
| CS La Libertad | 6 | 7 |
| CS Cartaginés | 3 | 10 |
| Orión F.C. | 2 | 6 |
| A.D. Municipal Puntarenas | 1 | 3 |
| Uruguay de Coronado | 1 | 1 |
| CF Universidad de Costa Rica | 1 | 0 |
| Asociación Deportiva Carmelita | 1 | 0 |
| Brujas FC | 1 | 0 |
| Liberia Mía | 1 | 0 |
| Sociedad Gimnástica Española | 0 | 7 |
| Alajuela Junior | 0 | 2 |
| Puntarenas F.C. | 0 | 2 |
| Santos de Guápiles | 0 | 2 |
| Barrio México | 0 | 1 |
| Limón FC | 0 | 1 |
| Municipal Pérez Zeledón | 0 | 1 |
Short championships titles (2007–2013)
Short championships (opening and closure) titles by club (2007–2013)
|
|
References
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
External links
- (Spanish) Fútbol Tico
- (Spanish) Fútbol de Costa Rica
- (Spanish) UNAFUT - Primera División de Costa Rica
- (Spanish) Federación Costarricense de Fútbol (Football Federation of Costa Rica)
- (English) Costa Rica - List of Champions and Runners Up, RSSSF.com
| National teams |
|
|
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| League system |
|
|||||
| Domestic cups |
|
|||||
| Awards | ||||||
| Lists | ||||||
