Venezuelan Primera División

This article is about the association football league. For the baseball league, see Venezuelan Professional Baseball League. For the basketball league, see Liga Profesional de Baloncesto.
Liga FUTVE
Founded1921 (1921)
CountryVenezuela
ConfederationCONMEBOL
Number of clubs14
Level on pyramid1
Relegation toSegunda División
Domestic cup(s)Copa Venezuela
Supercopa de Venezuela
International cup(s)Copa Libertadores
Copa Sudamericana
Current championsDeportivo Táchira (11th title)
(2024 season)
Most championshipsCaracas (12 titles)
Top goalscorerJuan García
(271 goals)
Broadcaster(s)TVes, GolTV, Star+
WebsiteLiga FUTVE (in Spanish)
Venezuelan Football Federation (in Spanish)
Current: 2025 season

The Primera División (pronounced [pɾiˈmeɾa ðiβiˈsjon]; English: First Division), or Liga Venezolana (locally [ˈliɣa βenesoˈlana]; English: Venezuelan League) is the top-flight professional football league of Venezuela. It was created in 1921 and turned professional in 1957. It is organized by the Federación Venezolana de Fútbol.

Format

Starting in the 2020 season, 20 teams play in a home-and-away round-robin tournament, with the top eight teams advancing to the semi-final stage.

At the semi-final stage, the eight teams are divided into two groups of four teams each, facing the other teams in their group twice. The two group winners advance to the Serie Final to decide the league champions.

International qualification

  • The champions and runners-up qualify to the group phase of the Copa Libertadores.
  • The team with the most points in the entire season qualifies to the preliminary round of the Copa Libertadores as Venezuela 3.
  • The second and third team with the most points in the entire season qualifies to the Copa Sudamericana as Venezuela 1 and Venezuela 2.
  • If a team won both tournaments that team qualify to the Copa Libertadores as Venezuela 1, then the first and second team with the most points in the entire season qualify to the Copa Libertadores as Venezuela 2 and Venezuela 3 and the fourth and fifth team with the most points in the entire season qualify to the Copa Sudamericana as Venezuela 1 and Venezuela 2.
  • If the winner of the Copa Venezuela does not qualify to the Copa Libertadores through the aforementioned manners or through the point total in the entire season, they take the Venezuela 2 spot in the Copa Sudamericana.

Relegation

  • The two lowest placed teams in the entire season are automatically relegated to the Segunda División.

2025 teams

Locations of the 2025 Primera División teams
Locations of the 2025 Primera División teams – Caracas
Team City Stadium Capacity
Academia Puerto Cabello Puerto Cabello La Bombonerita 7,500
Anzoátegui Puerto La Cruz José Antonio Anzoátegui 37,485
Carabobo Valencia Misael Delgado 10,400
Caracas Caracas Olímpico de la UCV 23,940
Deportivo La Guaira Caracas Olímpico de la UCV 23,940
Deportivo Táchira San Cristóbal Polideportivo de Pueblo Nuevo 38,755
Estudiantes de Mérida Mérida Metropolitano de Mérida 42,200
Metropolitanos Caracas Olímpico de la UCV 23,940
Monagas Maturín Monumental de Maturín 51,796
Portuguesa Acarigua General José Antonio Páez 18,000
Rayo Zuliano Maracaibo José "Pachencho" Romero 40,800
Universidad Central Caracas Olímpico de la UCV 23,940
Yaracuyanos San Felipe Florentino Oropeza 10,000
Zamora Barinas Agustín Tovar 29,800

List of champions

List of champions since the first championship held in 1920. The Primera División turned professional on 21 February 1957.

Amateur era

Ed. Season Champion Runner-up
1
 1921 América (1) Centro Atlético
2
 1922 Centro Atlético (1) América
3
 1923 América (2) Centro Atlético
4
 1924 Centro Atlético (2) Vargas
5
 1925 Loyola (1) Venzóleo
6
 1926 Centro Atlético (3) Venzóleo
7
 1927 Venzóleo (1) Centro Atlético
8
 1928 Deportivo Venezuela (1) Centro Atlético
9
 1929 Deportivo Venezuela (2) Unión
10
 1930 Centro Atlético (4) Unión
11
 1931 Deportivo Venezuela (3) Centro Atlético
12
 1932 Unión (1) Dos Caminos
13
 1933 Deportivo Venezuela (4) Dos Caminos
14
 1934 Unión (2) Dos Caminos
15
 1935 Unión (3) Dos Caminos
16
 1936 Dos Caminos (1) Centro Atlético
17
 1937 Dos Caminos (2) Litoral
18
 1938 Dos Caminos (3) Litoral
19
 1939 Unión (4) Litoral
20
 1940 Unión (5) Dos Caminos
21
 1941 Litoral (1) Dos Caminos
22
 1942 Dos Caminos (4) Loyola
23
 1943 Loyola (2) Litoral
24
 1944 Loyola (3) Dos Caminos
25
 1945 Dos Caminos (5) Loyola
26
 1946 Deportivo Español (1) Centro Atlético
27
 1947 Unión (6) Universidad Central
28
 1948 Loyola (4) Unión
29
 1949 Dos Caminos (6) Universidad Central
30
 1950 Unión (7) La Salle
31
 1951 Universidad Central (1) Loyola
32
 1952 La Salle (1) Loyola
33
 1953 Universidad Central (2) La Salle
34
 1954 Deportivo Vasco (1) Loyola
35
 1955 La Salle (2) Deportivo Español
36
 1956 Banco Obrero (1) La Salle

Professional era

Ed. Season Champion Runner-up Winning manager Top scorer
37
 1957 Universidad Central (3) La Salle Orlando Fantoni Tonho (Universidad Central, 12 goals)
38
 1958 Deportivo Portugués (1) Deportivo Español Orlando Fantoni René Irazque (Portugués, 6 goals)
39
 1959 Deportivo Español (2) Deportivo Portugués Delfín Benítez Cáceres Abel Benítez (Deportivo Español, 15 goals)
40
 1960 Deportivo Portugués (2) Deportivo Español Javier Ferreira José Luis Iglesias (Deportivo Portugués, 9 goals)
41
 1961 Deportivo Italia (1) Banco Agrícola y Pecuario Orlando Fantoni Antonio Ravelo (Banco Agrícola y Pecuario, 11 goals)
42
 1962 Deportivo Portugués (3) Universidad Central Emilio Huguet Jaime da Silva (Universidad Central, 16)
43
 1963 Deportivo Italia (2) Deportivo Portugués Orlando Fantoni Nino (Deportivo Portugués, 15 goals)
44
 1964 Deportivo Galicia (1) Tiquire Flores Julio César Britos Helio Rodrigues (Tiquire Flores, 12 goals)
45
 1965 Lara (1) Deportivo Italia Gaetano Pintón Mario Mateo (Lara, 16 goals)
46
 1966 Deportivo Italia (3) Deportivo Portugués Orlando Fantoni Ratto (Deportivo Portugués, 20 goals)
47
 1967 Deportivo Portugués (4) Deportivo Galicia José Julián Hernández Joao Ramos (Deportivo Portugués, 28 goals)
48
 1968 Unión Deportiva Canarias (1) Deportivo Italia Manuel Arias Raimundinho (Deportivo Portugués, 21 goals)
49
 1969 Deportivo Galicia (2) Valencia Julio César Britos Eustaquio Batista (Deportivo Italia, 19 goals)
Lelo (Valencia, 19 goals)
50
 1970 Deportivo Galicia (3) Deportivo Italia Silvio Leite Roland Langon (Deportivo Galicia, 13 goals)
51
 1971 Valencia (1) Deportivo Italia Walter Roque Agostinho Sabara (Tiquire Aragua, 20 goals)
52
 1972 Deportivo Italia (4) Deportivo Galicia Elmo Correa Francisco Rodriguez (Anzoátegui FC, 18 goals)
53
 1973 Portuguesa (1) Valencia Walter Roque Jose Chiazzaro (Estudiantes de Mérida, 14 goals)
54
 1974 Deportivo Galicia (4) Portuguesa Walter Roque Jose Chiazzaro (Estudiantes de Mérida, 15 goals)
Sergio Hugo Castillo (Anzoátegui FC, 15 goals)
55
 1975 Portuguesa (2) Estudiantes de Mérida Vladica Popović Pedro Pascual Peralta (Portuguesa, 20 goals)
56
 1976 Portuguesa (3) Estudiantes de Mérida Benjamín Fernández Pedro Pascual Peralta (Portuguesa, 25 goals)
57
 1977 Portuguesa (4) Estudiantes de Mérida Vladica Popović Jairzinho (Portuguesa, 20 goals)
Juan Cesar Silva (Portuguesa, 20 goals)
58
 1978 Portuguesa (5) Deportivo Galicia Celino Mora Andrade (ULA Mérida, 23 goals)
59
 1979 Deportivo Táchira (1) Deportivo Galicia Esteban Beracochea Omar Ferrari (Deportivo Táchira, 15 goals)
60
 1980 Estudiantes de Mérida (1) Portuguesa Ramón Rodríguez Wilfrido Campos (Portuguesa, 12 goals)
61
 1981 Deportivo Táchira (2) Estudiantes de Mérida Esteban Beracochea Rafael Angulo (Deportivo Táchira, 14 goals)
62
 1982 San Cristóbal (1) Deportivo Táchira Walter Roque German Montero (Estudiantes, 21 goals)
63
 1983 Universidad de Los Andes (1) Portuguesa Iván García Johnny Castellanos (Atlético Zamora, 13 goals)
64
 1984 Deportivo Táchira (3) Deportivo Italia Carlos Horacio Moreno Sergio Meckler (Zamora, 15 goals)
65
 1985 Estudiantes de Mérida (2) Deportivo Táchira Iván García Sergio Meckler (Deportivo Táchira, 17 goals)
66
 1986 Unión Atlético Táchira (4) Estudiantes de Mérida Carlos Horacio Moreno Wilton Arreaza (Caracas, 8 goals)
67
 1986–87 Marítimo (1) Unión Atlético Táchira Rafael Santana Johnny Castellanos (Portuguesa, 16 goals)
68
 1987–88 Marítimo (2) Unión Atlético Táchira Alfredo López Miguel González (Unión Atlético Táchira, 22 goals)
69
 1988–89 Mineros de Guayana (1) Pepeganga Margarita Alfredo López Johnny Castellanos (Mineros, 24 goals)
70
 1989–90 Marítimo (3) Unión Atlético Táchira Rafael Santana Herbert Márquez (Marítimo, 19 goals)
71
 1990–91 Universidad de Los Andes (2) Marítimo Carlos Diéz Alexander Bottini (Monagas, 15 goals)
72
 1991–92 Caracas (1) Minervén Manuel Plasencia Andreas Vogler (Caracas, 25 goals)
73
 1992–93 Marítimo (4) Minervén Miguel Sabina Herbert Márquez (Marítimo, 21 goals)
74
 1993–94 Caracas (2) Trujillanos Manuel Plasencia Rodrigo Soto (Trujillanos, 20 goals)
75
 1994–95 Caracas (3) Minervén Pedro Febles Rogeiro da Silva (Mineros, 30 goals)
76
 1995–96 Minervén (1) Mineros de Guayana Raúl Cavalleri Jose Luis Dolgetta (Caracas, 24 goals)
77
 1996–97 Caracas (4) Atlético Zulia Manuel Plasencia Rafael Castellín (Caracas, 19 goals)
78
 1997–98 Atlético Zulia (1) Estudiantes de Mérida Ratomir Dujkovic Jose Luis Dolgetta (Estudiantes de Mérida/Carabobo, 22 goals)
79
 1998–99 Deportivo Italchacao (5) Unión Atlético Táchira Raúl Cavalleri Gustavo Fonseca (Internacional Lara, 24 goals)
80
 1999–00 Deportivo Táchira (5) Deportivo Italchacao Walter Roque Juan Enrique García (Caracas, 24 goals)
81
 2000–01 Caracas (5) Trujillanos Carlos Horacio Moreno Martín Brignani (Estudiantes de Mérida, 12 goals)
82
 2001–02 Nacional Táchira Estudiantes de Mérida Carlos Maldonado Juan Enrique García (Nacional Táchira, 34 goals)
83
 2002–03 Caracas (6) Unión Atlético Maracaibo Noel Sanvicente Juan Enrique García (Monagas/Mineros, 19 goals)
84
 2003–04 Caracas (7) Deportivo Táchira Noel Sanvicente Juan Enrique García (Mineros, 18 goals)
85
 2004–05 Unión Atlético Maracaibo (1) Caracas Carlos Maldonado Daniel Delfino (Carabobo, 19 goals)
86
 2005–06 Caracas (8) Unión Atlético Maracaibo Noel Sanvicente Juan Enrique García (Deportivo Táchira, 21 goals)
87
 2006–07 Caracas (9) Unión Atlético Maracaibo Noel Sanvicente Robinson Rentería (Trujillanos, 19 goals)
88
 2007–08 Deportivo Táchira (6) Caracas Carlos Maldonado Alexander Rondon (Deportivo Anzoátegui, 19 goals)
89
 2008–09 Caracas (10) Deportivo Italia Noel Sanvicente Daniel Arismendi (Maracaibo/Deportivo Táchira, 17 goals)
Heatklif Castillo (Aragua, 17 goals)
90
 2009–10 Caracas (11) Deportivo Táchira Ceferino Bencomo Norman Cabrera (Atlético El Vigía, 20 goals)
91
 2010–11 Deportivo Táchira (7) Zamora Jorge Luis Pinto Daniel Arismendi (Deportivo Anzoátegui, 20 goals)
92
 2011–12 Deportivo Lara (1) Caracas Eduardo Saragó Rafael Castellín (Deportivo Lara, 21 goals)
93
 2012–13 Zamora (1) Deportivo Anzoátegui Noel Sanvicente Gabriel Torres (Zamora, 19 goals)
94
 2013–14 Zamora (2) Mineros de Guayana Noel Sanvicente Juan Falcón (Zamora, 19 goals)
95
 2014–15 Deportivo Táchira (8) Trujillanos Daniel Farías Edwin Aguilar (Deportivo Anzoategui, 23 goals)
96
 2016 Zamora (3) Zulia Francesco Stifano Gabriel Torres (Zamora, 22 goals)
97
 2017 Monagas (1) Deportivo Lara Jhonny Ferreira Anthony Blondell (Monagas, 24 goals)
98
 2018 Zamora (4) Deportivo Lara Alí Cañas Anthony Uribe (Zamora, 16 goals)
99
 2019 Caracas (12) Estudiantes de Mérida Noel Sanvicente Edder Farías (Atlético Venezuela, 18 goals)
100
 2020 Deportivo La Guaira (1) Deportivo Táchira Daniel Farías Richard Blanco (Mineros, 8 goals)
Edder Farías (Atlético Venezuela, 8 goals)
101
 2021 Deportivo Táchira (9) Caracas Juan Domingo Tolisano Samson Akinyoola (Caracas, 18 goals)
102
 2022 Metropolitanos (1) Monagas José María Morr Kevin Viveros (Carabobo, 21 goals)
103
 2023 Deportivo Táchira (10) Caracas Eduardo Saragó Luifer Hernández (Academia Puerto Cabello, 18 goals)
104
 2024 Deportivo Táchira (11) Carabobo Edgar Pérez Greco Juan Camilo Zapata (Inter de Barinas/Universidad Central, 16 goals)

Titles by club

Clubs in bold compete in Primera División as of the current season. Clubs in italic no longer exist.

Rank Club Winners Runners-Up Winning years Runners-Up years
1 Caracas 12 5 1991–92, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1996–97, 2000–01, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2019 2004–05, 2007–08, 2011–12, 2021, 2023
2 Deportivo Táchira 11 9 1979, 1981, 1984, 1986, 1999–00, 2007–08, 2010–11, 2014–15, 2021, 2023, 2024 1982, 1985, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1989–90, 1998–99, 2003–04, 2009–10, 2020
3 Unión 7 3 1932, 1934, 1935, 1939, 1940, 1947, 1950 1929, 1930, 1948
4 Dos Caminos 6 7 1936, 1937, 1938, 1942, 1945, 1949 1932, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1940, 1941, 1944
5 Deportivo Petare 5 7 1961, 1963, 1966, 1972, 1998–99 1965, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1984, 1999–00, 2008–09
Portuguesa 5 3 1973, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978 1974, 1980, 1983
7 Centro Atlético 4 7 1922, 1924, 1926, 1930 1921, 1923, 1927, 1928, 1931, 1936, 1946
Deportivo Galicia 4 5 1964, 1969, 1970, 1974 1967, 1972, 1978, 1979
Deportivo Portugués 4 3 1958, 1960, 1962, 1967 1959, 1963, 1966
Marítimo 4 1 1986–87, 1987–88, 1989–90, 1992–93 1990–91
Zamora 4[note 1] 1 2012–13, 2013–14, 2016, 2018 2010–11
Deportivo Venezuela 4 — 1928, 1929, 1931, 1933 —
13 Loyola 3 5 1925, 1943, 1944 1942, 1945, 1951, 1952, 1954
Universidad Central 3 3 1951, 1953, 1957 1947, 1949, 1962
15 Estudiantes de Mérida 2 8 1980, 1985 1975, 1976, 1977, 1981, 1986, 1997–98, 2001–02, 2019
Deportivo Español 2 3 1946, 1959 1955, 1958, 1960
La Salle 2 3 1952, 1955 1950, 1953, 1956
América 2 1 1921, 1923 1922
Universidad de Los Andes 2 — 1983, 1990–91 —
20 Litoral 1 4 1941 1937, 1938, 1939, 1943
Carabobo 1 3 1971 1969, 1973, 2024
Unión Atlético Maracaibo 1 3 2004–05 2002–03, 2005–06, 2006–07
Minervén 1 3 1995–96 1991–92, 1992–93, 1994–95
Deportivo Lara 1 2 2011–12 2017, 2018
Mineros de Guayana 1 2 1988–89 1995–96, 2013–14
Venzóleo 1 2 1927 1925, 1926
Atlético Zulia 1 1 1997–98 1996–97
Monagas 1 1 2017 2022
Banco Obrero 1 — 1956 —
Deportivo La Guaira 1 — 2020 —
Deportivo Vasco 1 — 1954 —
Lara 1 — 1965 —
Metropolitanos 1 — 2022 —
Nacional Táchira 1 — 2001–02 —
San Cristóbal 1 — 1982 —
Unión Deportiva Canarias 1 — 1968 —
  1. ^ Zamora won the Torneo de Adecuación in 2015, but this title is not counted as it was not a full season.

Half-year / Short tournaments

Apertura and Clausura seasons

Season Champion Runner-up
1996–97 Apertura Atlético Zulia Minervén
Clausura Caracas Unión Atlético Táchira
1997–98 Apertura Atlético Zulia Deportivo Italia
Clausura Estudiantes de Mérida Trujillanos
1998–99 Apertura Unión Atlético Táchira Estudiantes de Mérida
Clausura Deportivo Italchacao Estudiantes de Mérida
1999–00 Apertura Deportivo Táchira Estudiantes de Mérida
Clausura Deportivo Táchira Deportivo Italchacao
2001–02 Apertura Estudiantes de Mérida Monagas
Clausura Nacional Táchira Monagas
2002–03 Apertura Caracas Deportivo Italchacao
Clausura Unión Atlético Maracaibo Deportivo Italchacao
2003–04 Apertura Caracas Deportivo Táchira
Clausura Caracas Deportivo Táchira
2004–05 Apertura Unión Atlético Maracaibo Caracas
Clausura Unión Atlético Maracaibo Caracas
2005–06 Apertura Unión Atlético Maracaibo Deportivo Táchira
Clausura Caracas Deportivo Táchira
2006–07 Apertura Caracas Unión Atlético Maracaibo
Clausura Unión Atlético Maracaibo Caracas
2007–08 Apertura Caracas Deportivo Anzoátegui
Clausura Deportivo Táchira Caracas
2008–09 Apertura Deportivo Italia Monagas
Clausura Caracas Deportivo Táchira
2009–10 Apertura Deportivo Táchira Deportivo Italia
Clausura Caracas Deportivo Táchira
2010–11 Apertura Deportivo Táchira Real Esppor
Clausura Zamora Caracas
2011–12 Apertura Deportivo Lara Caracas
Clausura Deportivo Lara Mineros de Guayana
2012–13 Apertura Deportivo Anzoátegui Caracas
Clausura Zamora Deportivo Anzoátegui
2013–14 Apertura Mineros de Guayana Caracas
Clausura Zamora Mineros de Guayana
2014–15 Apertura Trujillanos Deportivo La Guaira
Clausura Deportivo Táchira Caracas
2015 Adecuación Zamora Deportivo La Guaira
2016 Apertura Zamora Deportivo Anzoátegui
Clausura Zulia Deportivo Táchira
2017 Apertura Monagas Caracas
Clausura Deportivo Lara Mineros de Guayana
2018 Apertura Zamora Mineros de Guayana
Clausura Deportivo Lara Deportivo La Guaira
2019 Apertura Estudiantes de Mérida Mineros de Guayana
Clausura Caracas Deportivo Táchira
2024 Apertura Carabobo Metropolitanos
Clausura Deportivo Táchira Carabobo
2025 Apertura Universidad Central Deportivo Táchira
Clausura

See also

References

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